The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-30
LIFE WRECKER.
Blows Out Her Brains in Pal
mer House, Chicago.
Sensational Suicide of an I'm
known Woman.

Chicago. April Outstanding before a
mirror in her room at the Palmer House,
Minnie NJ Wray. a beautiful young wo-
man, pressed a revolver to her temple
and sent a bullet crashing through her
brain. Scraps of torn letter found in
the waste basket and put together, said
the writer had wrecked too many lives
already and must cease This letter
was addressed to A. N. Ohler, of Moline,
Ill. Miss Wray came to the hotel last
Friday. She carried small hand grip.
She gave the name Miss L. Gray" to
the clerk, who registered for her, and
when asked for her address responded
that Chicago would do as well as any.
She handed him the check for her trunk
and asked to have it brought to her
Immediately.
The death was encompassed by
number of theatrical features, the young
woman having taken every precaut1on
to render impossible her identity. While
she entered the hotel attired attractive
ly and wearing a number OF diamonds,
nothing was found in her room but
coarse black wrapper which she wore
when she killed herself. Her diamonds
were gone, only a single unset stone be-
ing found upon the dresser, where 1t had
dropped from her purse. She left note
to the management of the hotel, direct
ing them to take the money from her
pocketbook to settle the hotel bill. she
requested especially that no effort be
made to find her relatives, as she did
not wish them to know of her deed.
Later it was learned that she had on
Saturday sent her trunk to Mr.. Ohler
at Moline. He is the cashier of Amer1-
can Express company at that place. She
also wrote to him the same day, telling
of her intention to kill herself.
Ohler received the letter yesterday.
He went to Davenport, a few miles dis
tant and called up the Palmer house by
telephone thinking he might prevent
the suicide If he could communicate
with Miss Wray. Unable to make the
Palmer House understand him, he gave
up in despair. A few hours later he
was told of her suicide
1t is supposed that the satchel carried
by Miss Wray when she entered the no
tel with her rings and the dress she
wore, were packed in the trunk and
shipped to Moline.
for ten years, but claims to know moth
ing of her antecedents. He says she
| came to Moline about two weeks ago
and stayed at the Windsor hotel.
Where she came from he does not
| know but she told him she had been
| travelling for the past two years in Cal
| ifOrnia, New Mexico and Arizona. Ohler
is of the impression that the girls par
| entS live at LeeSville, Ind, and he has
| heard her speak of a brother in Lincoln,
! Neb. Further than that he knows moth
| ing of her history.
Miss Wray was last seen alive Sat
urdey evening by a waiter, who took her
| supper to her room.
No response to knocks at the door
! Sunday afternoon aroused the suspic-
1 ion of the chambermaid- The hotel Of
/ fee was notified and the private detec-
/ tive burst open the door and found the
! woman dead on the floor. small piS-
| toll lay near her. There was a hole in
her right temple and it was evident she
had been dead several hours.
On the linen of the dresser there were
| blood stains, showing she had stood be-
| fore the mirror to take aim. Where the
| bullet had entered the skin was powder
| burned.
In her purse. where the suicide had
| left money to pay her hotel expenses.
were found the cards of several persons
| living in Los Angeles, Cal, Albuquer-
| que, N. M; Williams, AriZ., and CleVe-
| land Ohio.
The, letter pieced together from the
fragments in the waste basket reads as
| follows:
IAN my regret is of no use. You will
be sad. 1 have tried to muster the
nerve to live to fight on, but it fails me.
| I have wrecked too many lives already
| and must cease. 1 cannot be happy
| with SO many mistakes in my memory
nor can 1 forget them. The world has
| too many sad people now. I have no
ambition, so end all. If 1 fail in my
| attempt today perhaps I shall forget,
| but l hope to be successful in ending
| all.
1T may be someone will write you
| regarding me, as 1 have to put an ad-
| dress on my trunk, but I will send it to
the American Express company, there
| by avoiding embarrassment to you if
possible. VIII send an order for it and
the key to you"
The letter was signed ''Leona Graves. -
|