The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-05-19
BANDIT A SOCIETY MAN.
Albert Thorndike's Career Has Ended
in Tragedy.

in Tragedy.
San Jose. Cal, May 1s.-Albert Thorn
dilce,s gay career has ended in TRACED,
so Overwhelming that his best friends de
clare he died insane.
Born of one of the best families ir
California. he was a great social favor
ite He was handsome, talented a bril-
liant fellow, of whom great things were
propEesied He married the daughter OF
Robert Bruce. an eminent capitalist.
His own money and that of his wife
young Thorndike squandered at cards
and on the race tracks. The gambling
mania then drove him to play the bandit,
| and he perished a miserable suicide after
a fierce running gun fight with the police
! and a posse of citizens. 1t was as il
one of Bret Hartes weirdest characters
had stepped out of old to play his part
| in real life.
There was a merry party one day in
! the summer of 1896 aboard the yacht of
! Robert Bruce, out for "A days cruise in
Santa Cruz bay. The Bruce millions are
historic in California. The Bruce social
status is among the highest. Mr.. Bruce $
daughter Bertha, a girl of rare beauty,
many admirers Everybody knew she
gave many dances 10 Bert Thorndike. but
that meant nothing. Any girl in her set
would gladly give him every dance he
asked No one ever dreamed that these
two were engaged.
Nevertheless, he and she We're dvoted
to each other. And when the Bruce yacht
was headed homeward in that golden af
ternoon, Bert Thorndike would have
created less CONSERVATION with a bomb
shell than he did with his quiet an
nouncement:
Bertha and I are married.
After the first gasp of astonishment
everybody began to laugh. OF course,
fellow was such a joker.
But we are married" corroborated
Miss Bruce in the most matter-of- fact
tone.
Where? When? How?" a dozen
voices asked.
why, today" she said. ION board this
boat"
Again a storm of laughter This was
too droH.
I'VE are serious Thorndke declared.
1--WE married each other today by civil
contract No power on earth can part
u.s.
BY degrees the members of the party
became Convinced, then indignant. They
could not countenance such a thing. II
was too much like novel by George
Bernard Shaw.
When the Bruce family and the Thorn
they were indignant, too. Finally. after
much discussion. Albert and Bertha were
regularly married in church by an or
dained minister. Their relatives and
friends breathed easier and the bride and |
bridegroom began married life in the /
handsome home Of the Bruces in the 1
Alameda. There their little son Bruce /.
now in his eighth year, was born. and /
seemingly there was no bitter drop in /
their cup OF happiness.
Nevertheless, Thorndike was often alb |
sent on trips to San Francisco There |
ne played cards in the fashionable clubs. /
took a whirl at the wheel in the gamsl- I
ing palaces and even ventured to the race /
track a Oakland. where he bet on many /
winners.
But the luck changed. Bert had need OF
all his chic power OF masking his emo
tfons He lost steadily. always with the
same humorous upturning of the corners
OF the mouth. To lose bored him as much
as TO win-no more.
Il was not as a returned prodizal. bit
as a welcome guest that Bert went back
10 the home in the Alameda Despite rs
history and his iowiv employment he lad
gained the entr%e into the most exclu-
sive social sets in San Francisco. and he
was invited and went everywhere. His
word was stii law in the nice conduct Of
a cotiliion. the color OF a cravai. the
proper curve Of coat
with ready money At hand young
Thorndlke resumed his career ss the chic
gambler Alcoholic liquors never crossed
lis lips His self Commando far as
.xferna3 Appearances wenf--was perfect
nwarsiiy he burned with The trgse Eznbi-
nz fever For tirne = run q good IEck
ured him or He was careful ir lis
,lavs That postponed for = whiie the
nevftahle Tnsa the losses rof5-5 WI
.iEhcr and higher How many II .us-af,as
Z dollars the infatuated man - q Mrs
Bruce and her daughter sre too psoua -
2 his life he Jest Y.71s st ihs sza Fran
4eca race meeting
A. last raothsr anss 6auEts.rr fsa-re5 -
sy IN 10 ihe gamblers d~1sris for
sors no-ey RE greE strangely Qssef
light fnea wes~ qrasr1nE rizhteaps f.
- ioungsng -o.o7n x tba sel Gpafs einb
: o'cs0rk sunday rTe-nirz zAer. xfsh
oiseless sf.pS saFre zusst g. ggcs fsseEs
trirn-rgIst vssnz fsilsw "a - els saoef-
y suit. He had a eocke3 rsv0issr 81
sea hard IFS .xes giearnsa AriK1i8T
nroaga two bees - 4 re0 b4n42ns4
aasEsrek8ef that 6-zp~s hss fsc~
.-IsGraE= ny. EearserrsssE..'- b. eo--snarss5
J hasarss toses- ne vice w@s 6ts-
sssszs. that was clear swlttly fhs Azael,
s.lgp~ss nss ss&-zoas rssE 81 fAe
srs8 y wal.arn Cssrxa yron = xssniax
.h5s be took tSsa
s~1sfly fs.e bar zs.ts sosk ssss ssxr~. ssrk-
s OF pssA both psstsas Isrts-1 Ba