Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-07-18
VICTlMIzED BYA WOMAN
Denver Youth Forced to Marry
Mourned for His sweetheart
and Suicided.

Denver, Colo, July ia sacrihce
to his passion for making a display ana
to HIS sense OF N which led him 10
offer his life In reparation for a wrong,
Ferdinand ". Voorhees, shot himself
through the heart, leaving a bride OF
Ave days and another broken-hearted
girl to whom he was engaged.
voorhees, was stenographer In the
Denver National bank. He fell into
the company OF fellows who spent
money as fast as they made II. He
was fond Of good living and company
of young women Of the fashionable
set. so, while he was not q plunger,
he was one OF the best dressers and
most agreeable companions.
Voorhees, had planned a visit TO his
sweetheart In Omaha, n when his
dead body vas found, there. over his
heart, was q letter from the young
woman, begging him TO start Tuesday
instead of Wednesday and so nave
more time to spend with her. Five
days after that he was married to
other, and ten days later he lay dead
with her letter over his heart.
Voorhees, trouble dated from Derby
day at the races at Overland park. He
went to The races with several male
friends, and next to the DOB In which
he sat was a dashing young m of
apparently Is or 20. She took occasion
" ~ iAo PAOSA AhAA SNAAAS
remark. In a few minutes an animated
conversation had begun. Voorhees, de-
voted his attention to the young girl.
After the races he went with her &c
the train and they came together to
town, stopping for a bottle OF wine,
after which he took her to her rooms
in the Drexel. He learned that she
was Miss Bessie Eyre; that she was
alone I'm the city, and that she was the
daughter of wealthy people "in the
east" Voorhees, represented that he
was wealthy.
Claimed She Was Ruined.
Next day Voorhees, took her to the
races, and on their return they went to
a fashionable restaurant. where they
drank freely, and then went to a room
ing house..
On the day following Miss Eyre
again sent for Voorhees, and told him
that he vas the author OF her ruin,
and must make reparation. Voorhees,
was Mortified. He had considered heI
q woman of the town, but she claimed
to be an innocent girl whom he had
ruined. He offered her any money
PREPARATION h might demand, but she
said that he must marry her. Voor-
hees confded In a friend, who told
him innocent girls did not act as she
had done.
But Miss Eyre insisted on his mar
rying her. So on Friday, July 81, he
took her to Littleton, where they were
secretly married.
Last Saturday Voorhees, took his wife
to the rooming house conducted by
Mrs. M. G. Smith at 1880 Washington
avenue, and they engaged u room. Sun
day he went, with his wife, to his for
mer rooming place to get some OF his
belongings. Voorhees, and his bride
went up to the room that had formerly
been his, and while he packed his
clothes she sat on the window sill and
smoked cigarets, scratching the match
es on the wall, for which he scolded
her.
Yesterday morning Voorhees, went
to the bank, sat down q few minutes,
and then left and vas not seen again
alive by anyone who knew him. 1t de-
veloped later hat when he left he took
"a revolver belonging to the bank,
doubtless with the intention Of killing
himself. He went TO Sloan lake. About
IL o'clock a shot was heard. About
/ 80 o'clock yesterday a dairyman
named Yonkey saw III body beside the
around the lake.
Voorhees, was lying on his back, with
a bullet hole through his heart. The
revolver at his feet, and his sleeve
on the wire fence. showing that
he had fired the shot while standing
and had fallen backward.