The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-23

Special Dispatch to the Post-1ntelligencer
CHICAGO. Dec 22.-Last evening one
Of the best known young society ladies Of
Chicago. heiress to a fortune Of millions,
and whose family ID one Of the most
prominent In the entire West, committed
suicide In disreputable house on Clark
street under circumstances which recall
in many respects the once notorious Freda
Ward case. The victim was Miss Powell.
and her companion, with whom she ap-
peared to be infatuated. and OF whom
she IL said to have been insanely Jealous,
was Mrs. Wells. The suicide was the
climax Of night Of debauchery COM
menced In swell hotel. and winding UP
In various disreputable resorts.
Desperate Attempts to Suppress II.
At the coroners inquest, held late this
afternoon. desperate attempts were made.
to suppress the names Of the men who had
spent Thursday evening with Miss Powell
and Mrs. Wells. From the known high
oil and her family 1t was believed the
male associates of herself and her lady
like appearing and stylishly appareled
friend. Mrs. Wells, were men Of equally
high social standing.
story Of the Debauch.
Among the witnesses called was Louis
wachsmuth, wholesale merchant, who
said that with q friend he met the ladies
In the lobby of the Auditorium annex at
$50. and were invited by them to private
dining-room No. z. where dinner. already
ordered. would soon be served.
''The ladies' asked US to come and sit
with them while they dined," said Mr..
Wachsmnth.
"A number Of drinks were served during
the meal
''The ladies' told US they had an engage
ment with Ferdinand Peck, jr., and Nell
son Barnes. After we had been with them
about two hours Mr.. Peck and Mr.. Barnes
came in. and my friend and left
More Drinks Taken.
The meeting with Mr.. Peck. who is
son of the American director Of the Paris
exposition, and Mr.. Barnes. whose father
is a director of the American Book Com
pany, took place at 1920 o'clock. From
that hour until after midnight the party
remained at the Auditorium annex. and
during that time drinks were served frA
quently.
visit Low Resorts.
1t is said that the young women left
the hotel unaccompanied. At any rate
they appeared without escort at AL Aus
tins resort, on Wabash avenue. near Van
Buren, street, at o'clock. There they ate
a Welsh rarebit Half an hour later they
arrived at the Social. one of the most
notorious levee resorts, at No. 1888 State
street, in a cab. The cabman was dis
missed and the young women drank some
hocr Tbav rvara alone.
Suicide in q Disreputnble House.
From there they walked. so Mrs. Wells
testified. to Clark street resort, where
an hour later the heiress to the Powell
millions took her own life. Maud Flynn.
manager OF the resort, testified she be-
Iieved the Powell woman became Jealous
of the caresses bestowed by Mrs. Wells
upon a Jewess. an inmate of the place.
and in a fit of pique went to the bath
room, where she was found ten minutes
later in the agony of death.
Attempts to interview men involved to-
night have failed, except in the case of
wachsmuth. who felt FREQ to talk be.
cause, as he said. he had promises that
no names would be mentioned in the
newspapers.