The San Francisco call., 1904-02-15
Harry WiIliar. a Youth Not Yet
Out of His Teens, Decides
There Is Nothing in This
World Worth Living For
UNBALANCED MIND
PROBABLE CAUSE
Leaves a Letter to the Public in
Which He Upbraids Father
and Processes Devotion to the
Many Girls That Knew Him

Harry r. Williar a youth still in his
teens. rented a room at the Florence
Hotel. Ellis and Powell streets, Satur-
day night wrote two letters, turned on
The gas and passed into eternal sleep.
His body. stiff and cold in death, was
found yesterday afternoon by a Japa-
nese bedmaker employed in the hotel
He had evidently planned the suicide
deliberately, and wished 10 make it as
spectacular as possible by leaving
n1fssive behind him which would do
credit 70 the author Of penny dread
ful" In il he 'upbraided his father Tor
bringing him into the world, but spoke
In most endearing terms OF his sister.
He also left a sealed letter 10 be opened
only by his father.
The voung man was the son OF II. r.
Williar. who is in the paper business at
1i4 Pine street and was formerly To-
Gated with the firm Of A. Fleischacker
& Co. He was about II years OF age,
and while he had Of late been somewhat
erratic his relatives did not deem ms
arrangement so severe that there was
danger Of ending his life. According 10
his farewell message, however, the
young man desired 10 revenge hlmseiI
upon the world by quitting IL Tor using
him unfairly.
AT the Florence Hotel the employees
r,rofessed TO know nothing Of Williar.
They said he engaged room at about
S o'clock Saturday night, paying %
cents in advance for it, He went out,
and returned about 1 o'clock sunday
morning. On both occasions he seemed
10 be in the best Of health and spirits.
Yesterday afternoon when the bed
maker raped on the door he found II
locked on the inside As there was no
response TO repeated calls he opened
the door with a pass key.
WiIliar's body was found parity
dressed. lying on the bed, while gas was
pouring from an open Jet from which
The tin had been removed. The keyhOle
had been carefully stuffed with paper
that the deadly fumes might do their
work more quickly and with less dan
ger Of detection
on the table was found the note,
written on paper torn from cheap
notebook and inscribed as foloWs;
To be read when / am dead only
Make sure before reading this note.
The note reads:
For anyone: am going to kill
nnvself tonight. or else make a darned
good attempt TO do so. simply because
/ am Of no use in this world and do
nothing but bring shame and disgrace
10 all who care for me- At least so
my father says. and I guess he IS
right. NAY God forgive me for this
crime. but I feel il is better to be dead
than 70 disgrace my lovely sister,
whom I love with all my heart
7 wish 10 beg the proprietor Of this
houses pardon for committing this
deed in his house, but 1 do not know
Of any house like il that has gas in
the rooms. so I trust he'll forgive me.
I thought this plan all out last night
and am resolved to see IL through.
no one viii miss me. and the world
will be a little better when / am out
Of il. / owe Hastings the sum Of 50 so.
which I am sorry to say will fall TO
nv father to pay. Then 1 owe my
school 50 and Ben Jordan, personally,
50 25. which / hope will be paid as a
last favor TO a wayward son. I am
heartsick, sore and weary. but ii can
not be helped. Ny sister cares for me; f;
that is one comfort She enjoys her
dance tonight as much as 1 enjoy
myself. For my father, 1 wish to say
that I am sure he will be happy, with
me off his hands and nothing to
worry him. He had no right 20 bring
me into this world Of sin and crime
If he had not the patience TO put up
with me. This is my last message,
and TO all my friends, no matter who
they are, I send my love and affection
even to the girls at the store.
amongst who is Marie. The rest OF
my friends, and I have quite a few.
especially girls, I want TO say am
sorry to do this II il brings my shame
70 them
HARRY.
Goodbye. all. and God bless and
keep my sister for ever and ever"