Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-17
TAKES HIS OWN LIFE
WILLIAM II, HARVEST SWALLOWS
DOSE OF LAUDANUM.
Dies at Emergency Hospital This
Afternoon-Note Found Ad-
dressed to His Wife.

william H. Harvest. drummer employed
by the Washington Wholesale Grocery
Company, 1909 B street northwest has
ended his life by swallowing the contents
of bottle containing laudanum The act
was committed while at the Homeward
Bound Mission, 1l9 Pennsylvania avenue
northwest, some time between midnight
last night and $40 o'clock this morning
Harvest died at 80 oclock this afternoon.
Mounted Policeman Galpin was notified
OF Harnest's condition. He summoned the
ambulance from the Emergency Hospital
and the unconscious man was hurriedly re-
moved to that institution. All efforts to
resuscitate him proved abortive and he
died, as stated.
Harnest was a resident of Virginia and was
married about one year ago. He removed
to this city with his bride and took rooms
at boarding house conducted by Mrs. M.
Havens. 4O1 4th street northwest, where
they have since resided, the man having
Deen employed by the Washington company
named. He has always been regarded as an
efficient agent by his employers. He left
letter to his wife. which he neglected to
sign. 1t is written on one half of sheet of
ruled paper with lead pencil between the
lines.
Note to Mrs. Harvest.
The missive was found on a chair in the
room at the mission and was taken pos
session of by the police. 1t reads:
MY Own Darling Wife: Forgive your
poor unfortunate husband for the awful
thing OF taking his miserable life. My
darling, IL 1T was not for leaving you 1
would not care, but you are sweet that
1t breaks my heart to leave you. Oh, my
awful sorrow bring on you, but cannot
live and see you in so much trouble"
No reason can be assigned for Harnests
act Mrs. Havens and his employers
each said that he had never appeared
to be respondent. He was at work
as usual yesterday, part Of the day,
appearing at the store in an appar-
emily intoxicated condition about noon, and
after remaining there for an hour or two
left, but did not state where he was going.
He did, however, send a note to his wife
by a messenger about noon conveying the
information that he would not be home
last night, but did not assign any reason
for his intended absence.
Mrs. Harvest remained up all night wait
ing for him. and was very much overcome
when informed this morning that her hus-
band had attempted suicide He called at
the mission few minutes before midnight
and asked for lodging, and was assigned to
a room on the second floor. The dodgers
are in the habit of leaving their rooms
at an early hour each morning. but Har-
nest failed to put in an appearance, and
shortly after 8 o'clock Captain Haslam,
VINO Is IN cnarge OF the mission, went TO
the room occupied by Harvest. He failed
to receive any response to the repeated
knocking on the door, and he looked
through the keyhole and saw the man
stretched out on the bed.
-$'' Couldn't Arouse Him. -:
Captain Haslam concluded that all was
not right, and he opened the door. which
was not locked, and entered the room, but
Harvest failed to respond when an at
tempt was made to arouse him. Haslam
was about to leave the room to summon
the police when his attention was called
to an empty vial lying on the floor be-
side the bed, which on investigation was
found to have contained the poison which
the man had used.
Mrs. Havens Harnest's landlady, told
Star reporter this morning that Harvest
owed her a bill of $50, and that she had
asked him for it several times because she
depended on it to pay several bills which
fall due tomorrow. She said that each
time she asked him his only reply was
Don't WorryS'