The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-15

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.nown resident Of Lake View. During
ms absence In Montana his wife had Sc
sufeu divorce. charging him with in
humane treatment. and when he came
pack q few days ago 70 see his four little
children, II u said that he met with a
fenun at the threshold By Ben Cole. who
- boarding At his former wifes house
hea-toroken- Wessler went away. and
with the thought Of broken happiness be-
tore MIN. ana OF way to end 1t all. ne
wrote these words TO his children. your
papa dies Of . broken heart"
His body, stiil warm. was found yester-
Gay afternoon at $50 O'Clock near the
Ihird Avenue electric line. short dis
lance from the entrance TO Rayenna
park, by Conductor Charles bearing. AT
the spot where Wessler died there IL a
pile Of ties. and he lay face down on
them. his legs drawn w. with his fee,
resting on the ground. A new ss-carber
Smith & Wesson revolver, with two
chambers discharged. lay under him near
his right hand. In his forehead about an
Inch above his right eye was q bullet
hole. from which hts life's blood had
Poured forth. dyeing the timbers cr!m-
son hue.
The discovery was made known to Cor.
oner Yandeli, who viewed the body and
examined the clothes. There was a pock-
et-bcck with one penny and nickel. a
silver watch and chain and ring: some
papers and a picture OF a woman. on
which was written My darling" AL
though IL Is not known positively, 1t Is
supposed thar 1t Was that OF his wife, as
his children are said to be little tots. He
loved his children dearly. as IS told by
the words describing how he died. The
body was removed TO Butterworth's I'M.
dcrtakjnx rooms TO be prepared for burial
No inquest will be held as the story of
the incidents that led UP TO such tragic
ending are well known in the little COM
mInity OF Lake View.
julius WEBSTER and his wife Susan took
UP their residence in Lake View. which
Is on the shore Of Lake Union, FIVE or
six years ago. They were a happy
couple to all appearances and as Wes-
sler secured occupation with one of the
street car companies on track work. they
did not want for the necessities Of life.
About two years ago Mrs. Wessler be-
came quite well acquainted with Ben
Cole. who Is a cultivator OF bees. Wes-
sler was away from home during the
day, and after a while the neighbors
commenced to talk.
Things ran along without an outbreak
until May 2. 1856. It appears that Wes-
sler had taken q trip back to Minnesota,
and while he was there some well-mean-
ing friend wrote him a letter, intimatirg
that he had better return. He did so, but
arranged his letters so that that they
made him appear to be still In the Middle
West, while in reality he was on his way
to Seattle He kept his return a secret.
and one evening took trip out to his
home. The denouement was something
extraordinary. and the other man went
through the window OF bed chamber
without taking the trouble to raise the
sash.
Mr.. and Mrs. wessler adjudicnted mat
tiers without the interference OF the courts
and moved to Fremont with their four
children. Six weeks later they returned 20
Lake View In due course OF time Ben
Cole returned and took up his residence in
Lake View The neighbors kept weather
eye out for what might happen, but so far
as is known the gossip was not half as
spicy as il was before the window sash
went out into the chilly night and a gold
atch was left in the room as n1emento
About six weeks ago Mr.. Wessler took
a trip to Montana and left his wife and
children to live on their cosy little place.
Mrs. Wessier's mind was evidently not in
active and she gave the neighbors gen.
uine surprise by instituting divorce pro-
ceedings in this county. The case cana
UP May IA and on the claim that her nus
band treated her inhumanely she was
a
SO aliniony q month. The divorce was not
contested and some of Mr.. Wesslers
friends think that he was not aware OF
what was going on
At the time OF the divorce the residences
OF Mrs. wessler and Ben Cole were some
distance apart. subsequently Mrs. Wess-
Ter moved into a two-story house near the
one in which AR. Cole lived. Then Mr.
Cole left his house. and, according to re-
liable person, went to board at Mrs. Wess-
lers house.
Mr.. wessler returned to Seattle a few
days ago. brought here II Is said by the
news that his wife mad secured divorce.
He went out to see his children, the story
has II. and was met by Cole. 1t is claimed
that Cole asked him why he had returned
to make more trouble. Words were passed
and It IS generally believed In Lake View
that a scene was narrowly averteo. Cole
held the fort and Wess!er went away. a
broken down, detected man. his "a years
resting on his shoulders with the weight
OF twice that number.
Life had lost IT'S charm for him and he
looked back to March Is, 1sSs. when he was
married In Minneapolis as the most TN
fortunate day in his life. He thought OF
the future and wondered II II had anything
In store for him. and then came the
thought: II am better off dead than alive.
My life is wrecked; what difference will IL
make IL / blow my brains ouiT'
The thought grew upon him, and it IS
cary 70 imagine him sitting on the pile of
ties near the entrance OF that romantic
and beautiful park thinking Of death and
toying with the trigger Of his new pistol.
He raises the pistol TO hts head. perhaps
he hesitates and thinks or his children.
He draws out piece Of paper and says
farewell. This last duty done. he places
the unnxxie ~ his revolver TO his head ard
pulls the trigger. HIS aim has been good.
and he sinks down dead-one more victim
OF a broken heart
The Comm rciai CenNress.