Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-28


lar literature. Near the foot-rail of
the. bed a pack of playing cards lay
spread out upon the white counter
.palle ana manner that would indicate
someone had been playing solitaire.
Under the pillow 32-caliber Smith G
Wesson revolver lay. 1t was loaded
to the muzzle, but the girl had evil
IDENTITY DECLINED to accept the bullet
route to destruction. A flask of whisky
and several empty bottles mark
ed "Old Valley Rye indicated that the
woman was frequent imbiber. Coro-
ner Ankeny opened letter which was
found lying on the bed and which
proved to be the last message to the
parents in Ottumwa. "The letter
throws no light on the case," said
General Ankeny, ''and | decline to al
low its publication. 1t simply ex-
presses the crying sorrow which Miss
Holt felt on account of her miserable
condition and piteously pleads with
the fond parents for forgiveness. 1t
also contains an itemzed statement of
bills due, which will amount to more
than $3.50. 1t further stated that de-
ceased had $1,000 life insurance in the
Penn Mutual Life Insurance COM
pany and a deposit of $25 in the Valley
National bank of this city The bank
book shows that at one time the de-
posits<at that institution were much
larger, but that the money had been
taken out. Two dollars in cash were
also found in the envelope"
In the letter Miss Holt also stated
that she had two diamond rings and
that one. of them is in the hands of
B. L. Chlttenden, a jeweler, for re-
pairs. The other ring and diamond
were not found on the womans fingers,
neither could any trace of the treas
ure be found in the room
Had Expensive Clothing.
Gertrude Hollis wardrobe is a
dream Of loneliness in feminine finer
les. 1t is not extensive, but the fab
RIGS of which the several dresses are
made are of the finest. Miss Holt
carried $500 insurance on her dresses
alone, and that sum probably repre-
sented less than half the actual value
of her full wardrobe. The expensive
clothing remains at the room which
deceased left last evening. A beauti-
ful gold watch, handsomely engraved
and hung round the neck with a gold
lorgnette chain set with dazzling
stones, was found on the body of Miss
Holt when she was dragged out
of the mud near the Sixth avenue
bridge. The furniture in the room re-
Gently occupied by the deceased is of
the latest pattern and finest woods.
A fine Brussels rug is upon the floor.
The pictures which adorn the walls
indicate that the woman now dead had
some degree of refinement, and the
well written letters found show that
she had acquired good education in
her younger days.
Came to Des Moines Three Years Ago.
MSS Holt came to Des Moines three
years ago. She is twenty three years
of age. Reared in Ottumwa she left
home at a tender age to work as a
nurse. Her parents are working peo-
pie of unsullied reputation in Ottum-
wa. The father is employed as fore
man of a construction gang on the
road.
After repeated attempts to get lu-
orative employment at Ottumwa Miss
Holt went to Kansas City, Missouri,
and took rooms at 1884 Summit
She desired to get employment as a
nurse, and although proficient in that
calling she had not acquired training
of any authorized institution and was
consequently tabooed by the women of
her profession. Employment under
these conditions was hard to obtain.
The real secret of Miss Hollis life
from the time she decided to quit
nursing, is not known even to her in
innate friends. The woman is known
to have talked frequently of long
lost lover, but who he may be, or the
circumstances of the case are not
known here. During her Stay in Des
Moines she has entertained gentle
men frequently, although no one was
with her last evening. A bright.eyed
and quick-witted woman, a ready con.
versationalist and good looking, Miss
Holt during the first two years and a
half of her stay in this city was in a
position to live as the aff1uent. Some
months ago she was taken Ill and
spent several weeks in Mercy hospital
Since her illness she has been de.
spondent. her host of admirers has
gradually dwindled down and her
bank account faded away. Miss Holt
according to Nellie Wright's story
4 spent part of her time since coming
4 to Des Moines at the home of Alice
/ Williams, 512 Sixth avenue, where she
was for short time last evening. The
city directory shows that Miss Holt
lived formerly at 515 Park street, and
| has her listed as a trained nurse.
Parents Notified.
Nellie Wright telegraphed to the
father at Ottumwa this morning. In
her letter to her parents Miss Holt
states that her funeral expenses are to
be paid out of the life insurance and
the $25 in the bank. She also asks
that the bills which she owes be paid
81 do not believe that Miss Hollis
parents had an idea of what kind OF
life she was leading in Des Moines,'
said Nellie Wright. They believed
her to be making living by nursing
the sick. have met the father and
he is a good kind gentleman, and 8
man who is devoted to Gertrude"
The father will arrive this evening
and perfect the funeral arrangements
The body will probably be taken tt
| Ottumwa for interment.
| Coroner Ankeny stated that he ha6
seen Miss Holt a few evenings age
when she had rushed frantically into