The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-07
SEN TIMENT
AND SUICIDE
A Young Man and Woman
Found Dead in a Lodg-
ing-HouSe.
FROM REDWOOD CITY.
They Passed Their Last Day
en- Earth Writing Fare
well Letters.
PLEASE BURY US TOGETHER"
He Closed His Literary Efforts With
Quotations From Gloomy
Verse.

Last evening, about o'clock, Salvador
Romero and Mrs. Rena Garcia, residents
OF Redwood City, were found dead in
each others arms in room of the Alpha
lodging house, on the corner of Mar
ket and East streets. They had commi t.
ted suicide by shooting, after leaving
several letters written in despairing sem
timental strain stating their inten ton to
kill themselves.
The couple came to the place at O'Clock
Saturday evening and took room. They
did not register nor tell their names, and
Mrs. Luikins, the andlady, states that the
man and woman did not give any infor-
nation regarding themselves. except that
they were short of money, but expected
TO get some.
The woman appeared to be about % years
old and the man several years younger
In his pocket, after death was found a
nickel, and in hers a tiny, loaded, barrel
less revolver OF peculiar pattern. She
was clothed in 4 white muslin dress
brown coat and white straw hat, and he
In dark coat and vest and hght-blue
trousers.
They remained in their room Saturday
night and most all day yesterday.
About 8 o'clock last evening Joseph Luf-
kins, the landlord, knocked at their door
and, receiving no answer, entered the
room through window facing on East
street.
Their silence was at once explained.
The pair lay partially on a sofa and
chair, locked in each others arms, lifeless.
On the floor near them was small re-
Volveri and a bullethole in the breast OF
each told of its fatal work.
The two gaping wounds were directly
over the hearts of the man and woman,
showing that the shots were fired by
hand that never faItered. He must have
shot her as she sat on the chair by the side
OF the small sofa on which he was reclin-
ing, and as she sank over against him he
drove the second bullet into his own heart.
And they died there without struggles
double death well planned and well exc
cuted.
night that would know no morning they
wrote. Both were Spanish, and sentiment,
mingled with despair, marked the pages
they penciled. The first note was TO the
Coroner. "We have just a few more mo-
ments to waste, the times flies away" it
said. Please bury US together. Oh, if
we could kneel at your side and beg you
better than in this letter. Farewell. S.
Romero and Rena Garcia
Then the woman Rena Garcia took the
pencil and sheet of note paper and wrote
to her brother and sister. She spoke of
OAAAC1 VIM Qdf6 SOmBLlln2 QlS-
creditable to say about her, and ended: 81
am Tired OF this world; good night"
Then the young man wrote to his
mother. IL was pathetic farewell:
If could hear again your voice how happier
would die. but L shall be dead and
gone. / love you till the last You
would never have lost me if you had only
thought what you said before. sweet
farewell to you and sisters. Taking
this revolver in my hand we bid you farewell
We Wis 10 boo
together Goodnight. forever. Your
son, S. ROMERO
Then she took the pencil again and
wrote to her husband, telling him she
could not live any longer and must die:
I am tired f this life and such people. lam
OF feeling the least well and you know it your
self. You came in like wild bea st
scolding me. So we must part. =
Your family does not like me, so think you
are better off. Your true wife,
RENA R. GARCIA
The writer dropped the pencil for all
time and her companion laid his weapon
aside to add the quotations beginning:
Tread softly, bow the head,
In solemn silence bow;
No bell doth toll,
Yet an immortal soul
Is passing now.
Then he wrote, zone more kiss let m e
press on those lips that never deceived me
~ for they will be cold and silent
now.''
So the lines ran on till the close, then
he shot her, then himself and the Morgue
wagon carried them away.