Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-03
TAKES HIS OWN LIFE
HERMAN s. PETTIBoNE SWAL-
LOWS FATAL DOSE OF POISON.
Coroner Issues Certificate of Suicide
Young Man Son Of Former
Representative.

Herman s. Pettibone. son of former Rep
resentative Pettibone of Tennessee, COM
mitted suicide yesterday in his room In
Mann's Hotel, 4S1 Pennsylvania avenue by
taking a mixture of aconite and morphine.
About one month ago he made an effort to
end his life with morphine In the same
room. At that time he placed note where
IL could be found in case of his death, which
read:
Morphine; that's all. Tell Fannie that
loved her to the last. PETTlBONE
The Fannie referred to in the note is his
divorced wife. Friends say the young man
frequently spoke in endearing terms of his
wife, and 1t is their opinion the legal sepa-
ration made him respondent and led to the
deed committed yesterday.
At the time of the first attempt upon his
life he was discovered by his roommate,
William Hayes, and the Emergency Hospi-
tai ambulance was summoned. A physician
living near the hotel reached the room be-
fore the arrival Of the surgeon from the
hospital and his condition was discovered
TO be such that it was not necessary to re-
move him from his room. 1t was said then
that Pettibone had been indulging rather
freely In intoXicants and that his habits
were rather irregular.
People about the hotel did all they could
to help him. During recent days there had
been nothing unusual noticed in his de-
meanor. He had not done or said anything
which would lead to the suspicion that he
was contemplating suicide Because of his
irregular habits about the hotel nothing
was thought of his failure to appear at the
breakfast or dinner table yesterday.
Dead When Discovered.
Each time the chambermaid went to his
room yesterday she found the door locked.
Late in the afternoon she opened the door
and discovered the dead body of the oceu-
pant of the room on the bed. The propri-
etor was summoned and the police were
notified. Coroner hewitt, upon receipt OF
information of the death, went to the hotel
and made investigation. He was told
that Pettibone last seen alive about
/ 80 o'clock yesterday morning. At that
time he was seen from window in the
Merchants Hotel preparing a mixture In
glass. This glass was found In his room on
the bureau, and there was small quantity
of the poison In 1t. The facts as related to
the coroner satisfied the latter that Petit
bone had taken the fatal dose with suicidal
intent, and he gave a certificate accord
ingly
The deceased was thirty-one years old.
He came to this city with his father when
he was but eleven years old. After gradu-
ating from the University of Pennsylvania
he returned to this city and engaged in
newspaper work His last effort was to
syndicate Washington letter which was
furnished to number of papers In differ
ent sections of the country.
A message was received from his father
last night stating that he would come here
on the first train to care for the body. Mr..
Pettibone is connected with the Interior De-
partment and is stationed at Huntsville,
Ala. Undertaken J. William Lee took charge
of the remains and removed them from the
hotel to his establishment. 1t is probable
they will be taken to Tennessee for inter-
ment.