The times., 1897-11-05
Shoots Himself in the Head at
the White Lot.
ONLY SIXTEEN YEARS OLD
Charles #. Arnold Prefers Death
90 Informing His Aged Grand
mother He Had Squandered His
Months salary Employed as
Postoffice Messenger Boy.

il the Postoffice Department, committed
suicide early yesterday morning beca usa.
be was ashamed TO tel his aged grand
mother whom he supported, that L. has
spent all his wages In dissipation.
The body OF the dead lad has been viewed
by the coroner and there viii be an inquest
held at IL clock ;his morning at tile
Sixth precinct police station.
Mrs. Martha Columbus, the boys grand.
mother, is completely Frustrated by the
affair aud is under the care OF a physician
NJ. j. f. ColLInbus, young Arnolds Uncle
refuses TO believe the theory OF the police
that his nephew killed himself and insist;
upon a close investigation Ii is certain
however, that Arnold premeditated the
deed and bad an intention of ending his
life as early as Wednesday forenoon. The
eircu. stances surrounding the sad affair
indicate that he had spent his monthly
salary and not having any money to give
to bis grandmoth-r lie preferred ending
his life he was the sole support of Mrs
Columbus vita the exception of smai
peusl,n which She received.
Though Arnold received but A small sum
OF money for ms services in the depa ri
ment, yed he maintained among his friends
quite 4 reputation a lady's man. He hau
many girl friends, and with them he did
not appear stinted for money.
The circumstances Of his killing date
hack to "Wednesday morning, or rather
Tuesday afternoon, when lie received SO
as his monthly salary. According to the
statement OF Ernest Freesa young arno!d
paid an s. Gebt at the department with
part of tits money.
Wallace Morgan another companion Of
young Arnold, who was with him the night
or his death, states that Arnold told him
Wednesday afternoon OF visit he had
made 10 a certain house on c street
southwest, between Thirteenth aud Thir
te@nth-and-a-half streets. This place is
down back OF the Agricultural Grounds
and in a respectable iieighborhood, yet
Arnold Dragged TO his friend about tbs
number Of beers he had drank there. He
said there We're two girls present ana that
Ernest Freese was with him. Each tine the
bucket went out, he asserted, II cost
10 Genes.
This was Wednesday morning. In the
afternoon % the same day Morgan 81 IS
Arnold came TO him ana requested the
loan Of 81 until his next pay day. He
remarked at the time that he had only
made 81 that month and was sorry 10 20
bome to his grandmother with that SUN
Morgan did uoJ have the money and could
not Accommodate his friend. II was noi
an hour later that Arnold again sa;s
Fresse ana asked him to buy revolver
fer MIN. Freese IL only a boy, and re-
Ionded that he could not buy one.
WHIST 10 you V ant it ior?" asked FreeAe.
Well, next week is my night run and
ought to carry one was the answer
About O'Clock Wednesday evening MGR
gan met Arnold at Eighth and G streets
northwest. He had Just left young girl
friend and seemed IL the best of spirits
Come with me 10 the theatt.r,' said
Arnold. Morgan assented and the two
boys boarded a Ninth street electric car
They did not ride 10 Pennsylvania avenue
but left the car at T street. both receiving
transfers that We're punched at O'Clock
While on the street near the Washington
Loan anc Trust Company building Arnold
took a package from his pocket, and, uT-
wrapping it. disclosed a small revolver
IL has since been learned by the police that
this revolver as purchased by James
Peake and given 10 the boy at the latter's
Request. The two boys went to the variety
show at Kernau's.
AS tue show was letting out Arnold
passed boy he knew, and, speaking cor.
daily, said. Good-by, buddy at the sane
time shaking the boys hand. AT the
time nothing strange was thought of this,
bat later it appeared peculiar that h,s
4 4
might see him again tomorrow. Morgan
did not notice the incident, and moment
later Arnold said 10 him:
Here, Wallace, take this 10 cents for
car fare ard ride home. / viii come up
later
Where are you going?'' inquired Nor
gan.
Never nind-jast down the street here
lie answered.
Morgan left his friend and did not see
or hear Of him again until yesterday,
when he learned Of the finding Of Arnold's
dead body, lying under a tree at the E
street entrance to the White Lot, right
near the Emergency Hospital. II was
first discovered there by Frank Winn, who
notified Policeman j NJ. Austin, who had
gust gone on dog-watch duty at o'clock.
The policeman sent for a physician as
soon as he saw the bullet wound in the
boys right tsmple, and g doctor from the
hospital answered the summons He had
been dead about two hours, asserted the
physician His body was not cold yet
Immediately Officer Austin took charge
Of the body and all effects. The only
paper tending to identify the boy was
the transfer slip, upon which was print
ed with z lead pencil the name, Charles F.
Arnold, us Rhode Island avenue There
was also found by the officer a dime novel
Of the Cap Collier species, an empty
whisky flask ard d box of cartridges.
The pistol was fUand just under the right
elbow, the aims being folded across the
breast. In addition to this was letter
signed by May Wasson."
This letter was at first thought to play
an important part in the happening, al.
though. theIC was nothing striking in its
character. Further developments, however,
indicate that 1t had nothing at all to
do with Arn1ld's reason for killing him.
self. The last name was hard to deCfpher.
but At was finally determined to be Was.
son
A Times reporter investigated and found
that the girl, who is not over sixteen years
old. liz IS with her mother at No. 1917
c street Southwest. The letter was dat.
ed october i, and expressed sympathy
for ArGold because Of an accident which
had happened to llin. Arnold was urged
to coIAe 80 see the writer anG bring /.
friend named Alexander with him Mrs.
WATSON said she knew Charlie slightly.
lie was very fond of playing the piano
and had called several times to see hcr