The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-16
SURPRISE On TIE WABASH.
Morse Appeared Perfectly Harmless. but
Had Crying Fits.

Boston, March l6-The news that VIII
liam Stevens Morse had committed
murder in Providence was heard with a
great deal OF surprise by the officers and
men on the Wabash yesterday
Upon his return to the Wabash on Feb.
10 stevens" as he was known. was
placed In the sick bay" his illness being
designated as "melancholia." While i'm
the "sick bay" he was carefully watched,
but from the stories told by those In
charge OF him he showed no signs of vio-
lence In fact. IL IL said that he was
extremely childish I'm his ways. and al.
though he is nearly feet I'm height, broad
pounds. he was very frequently found
crying, and declaring that no one treated
him right at Providence.
For most of the three weeks he was
I'm sick bay he talked much of Miss
Toombs, and said that something had
happened to him that would prevent him
seemed to give up all idea of ever being
anything TO her. and only last Friday said
he should never &C TO Providence again,
but should seek work as a farmland In
some small town or village.
From what stevens told the attend
ants and the hospital steward, II appears
that he carried life insurance policy
OF $1,000, and Ii was believed by some OF
the men that IT was made payable 10
Miss Toombs.
quite frequently letters addressed to VIII
liam Stevens Morse and postmarkad
Providence. r. J., which are said TO have
been written him by Mrs Toombs,
mother Of the murdered girl.
Such a letter IL is said was received
by Stevens" the latter part Of last week,
informing him that an assessment of SIS
or SIT was due on his life insurance policy
and asking him TO forward the money.
This letter. L is said, greatly worried
Stevens, and he had another crying spell,
but upon tho advice OF some OF his COM
panions, he distated a letter TO Mrs.
Toombs, saying that he should drop his
life Insurance. as he had no money 10
pay assessments. After the letter was
mailed he appeared in better spirits.
BY those who knew him best while he
was on board the Wabash, IL Is said he
expressed wholesome fear OF returning
TO Providence. as hs believed that he
would be arrested and again be confined
! In the insane hospital.
Last Friday he received letter from
! Providence. containing 81 and after
/ reading IL was quite happy, but the fol-
| lowing day, Saturday, he had another
/ crying spell which lasted until he re
/ ceved notice OF his discharge from the
naval service. He left after o'clock
/ that afternoon with a shipmate. a friend
4 from Providence saying he was going to
stay with friends I'm this city.
While In the sick hay he had en-
I deavored To get shore leave from the doc
tor in charge, but without success. and
/ ne had said "the reason was because the
doctor believed that he would go to
/ Providence and do Miss Toombs some IN
| jury" This was merely an hallucnaton
/ OF Stevens" as 1t Is rule of the ship
that no inmate OF the sick bay shall be
granted shore leave.
When he left the naval service last
asturday. Il is said stevens" could not
have had more than s. in his possession.
as he had no money coming TO him from
/ the paymaster.