The Washington times., 1904-12-04
Fatal influence OF Young
Girl Wrecks Two
Homes.
Father Follows Son to
Death That is Self
inflicted.
Miss GeSterling Atheists
Her Belief in Soul
Association.

n lNCE the appearance Of Steven
sons story of the Suicide Club the
tendency of morbid minds to as
sOciate for the purpose Of ending
their own lives has been a favorite
theme in fiction. 1t happens occasion
ally that the Imagination OF the gifted
Englishman is rivaled by the periodic
recurrence of carnivals OF self-destruc-
ton, which upset the theories OF stu
dents OF sociology. The latest illustra-
ton Of this has been a triple tragedy
that is puZZling the police OF st. Louis,
Cincinnati, and Denver
Point by point there is being pieced
together the details OF three self-infiicted
deaths which resulted from the fatal
influence of "a woman whose beliefs were
colored with the idea Of association of
souls in the world 10 come. According
TO her conception Of the spirit world
those who love in this life viii travel
together IN the hereafter if their deaths
occur simultaneously or nearly so. The
complete story will never be told Those
who know il have had their lips sealed
for eternity.
Her Fatal Influence.
The love of man who had been a
prominent railroad official and clubman
for beautiful German girl has wrecked
two homes and cost the lives OF three
people -Four more deaths are incidents
In the drama. and friends OF the princi-
pals are asking II there is a mysterious
force that has taken possession of those
connected either directly or Indirectly
s1Tithethe iHJr1gue, and is slowly leading
them on 10 death Win the deaths Of the
unhappy pair close the affair or VIII
more follow them TO the grave? Who
Will be the next? is being asked.
A whispered conversation over A late
supper in a Chicago restaurant on the
occasion of his last visit TO the woman
he loved is now believed 70 have been
the arrangement OF details in a suicide
pact which Charles A. Parker carried
out five days later. At the very hour
OF his burial in St. Louis. Miss Elsie
Gesterling swallowed a portion of poison
In her room NJ the VendOme Hotel, in
Chicago. and died in a few minutes. II
was the coincidence that frst led the
police to suspect that PaFker's death
was the result OF poison self-adminis-
tered
As the story unfolded, the people OF
Denver have begun 10 recall the suicide
of Parker's young son on the 18th day
of last July. Less than a month before
his death. William Fehr, the. husband
OF a friend of Miss Gesterling, died sud
denly IN Denver. Two years ago his
wife shot and killed herself because, il
was said al the time she was jealous
OF the German girl The girls mother
IS unnerved by the tragedy. and threat
ems 10 take her own life. She has been
separated from her husband for years.
after enecting a reconciliation with him
over the graves OF their two little girls,
who died Of scarlet fever on the same
day. after a three days Illness.
Suicide Verdict Rendered.
Such a long chain of sudden deaths
in a small circle Of relatives and ac-
quaintances takes on significance as
more and more light IS thrown upon
the latest development of the intrigue.
Within the week a jury appointed in
Cincinnati 20 investigate the death OF
Parker has rendered "a verdict Of sui
eide from poison. With this point es-
tablished the police viii abandon any
further attempt to clear up the mys-
terry. They feel that IL Is useless 10 at
tempt 10 unravel the details Of the fatal
pact that ended with the death Of the
girl
Charles a. Parker had been prominent
in railroad circles for MANY years. AS
far back as 1879 he was assistant gen
eral freight agent of the Sante Fe.
About twelve years ago lac became gen
eral freight agent OF the road under the
administration Of William b. Strong.
and had his headquarters az Topeka.
He resigned from the Santa Fe 10 be-
come traffic manager OF the Colorado
Railway Association. and moved 70 Dem
yer, where he afterwards met Miss Ges-
terlng. He was married twice, and his
second wife Is stin living
Sought Fortune in New World.
Walrab Gesterling. the stepfather OF
the girl. was a native OF Hanover lie
and the mother or the girl lived across
the street from one another and were
boy and girl lovers. His means were
too limited 90 permit a marriage. 50 he
determined 10 seek his fortune in the
New World and send FOR his sweet
heart when he had attained success.
He finally located in Denver, and Sc
cured "a position as bartender IN a large
hotel. BY hard work and careful ac-
emulation Of his savings he managed
10 ron up a substantial bank account
and as soon as he felt justified wrote "a
the girl he had loved. asking her II she
was still willing 90 leave her family
and country and join him in America.