The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-10-21
ENDS Her LIFE
IN old MANSION
Miss Fannie Lent Wearies
of Her Continued Sorrows
and Turns on the Gas
GRIEVED OVER TROUBLES
William NJ. Lent's Death
Is Followed by That
of His FayOrite Child

~ OVNu Wy hetO
of His FavOrite Child
Troubles such as seldom enter the
life Of young woman of wealth. Gull
ture and social position bore heavily
upon Miss Fannie Lent, daughter Of
the late William NJ. Lent, and yester-
day they ended in suicidal death at
the home Of the Lents, 500 Polk street.
Fifteen years ago Miss Lent was dis
appointed in marriage. From that
time to the date of her death she has
lived only for the good that she could
do others and not for the good she
could accomplish for herself.
Two years ago Mrs. William NJ. Lent,
mother Of Miss Fannie, Miss Catherine
and of Eugene and George Lent, died.
No sweeter woman ever moved in the
exclusive social set of San Francisco.
None grieved for her more than did
Miss Fannie.
Last Monday William Lent, father,
died at the ripe age Of Sc years. He was
pioneer, a man of wealth and a mer-
chant Of the old California school. The
daughter was devoted to him and dur
ing his illness she was his constant
This brief record of family history
goes far to explain the probable mo-
tive that prompted Miss Fannie Lent
to end her existence with her own
hands
The charm of social enjoyment had
faded from her desire and repeated sor-
row preyed upon her sensitive nature.
In bathroom of the Lent residence
she removed the jet from the gas burn
or. ,fext,
turning on the poisonous vapor, lay
down upon quilt that she had care
fully spread upon the floor Of the
apartment, and died.
DISCOVERY OF BODY.
Yesterday morning at o'clock her
brother George sent a young woman
named Hannah Sullivan to awaken his
sister. Miss Lent's bedroom was emp
ty and her bed had not been occupied.
The brother Immediately searched the
house and on approaching the bath
room on the second floor detected the
odor of gas. In a trice he forced an
entrance and found his unfortunate
sister prone upon the floor, the room
/ filled with gas. Life was extinct and
1t was plain that the young woman had
committed suicide, so Mr.. Lent tele-
phoned to the Coroner. DIR. Leland
permitted the remains to be held at the
home, where the inquest will be held
to-day.
known as Mrs. Lent" acknowledging
marriage, but avoiding use of her hus-
bands name, retired at about 8 o'clock
Wednesday evening. The superstition
is that she Immediately went to the
bathroom, placed the quilt on the floor
and turned on the gas.
On Wednesday afternoon Miss Fannie
OF cd = 81 fo&
grief was painful to behold. Friends
said that they feared for her mental
ity, and those who knew of her other
sorrows remarked that wealth does not
always bring happiness.
1t was in the stately old mansion at
the corner of Polk and Eddy streets that
Miss Lent pledged her love to Captain
Alexander of the regular army. This
was when she was pretty young So
ciety bud, much admired by the hand
some gallants of the days when the
Lent residence was one of the centers
of social activity. The wedding was
attended by only few intimate friends
of the family and after the ceremony
the bridal pair left for an army post
in Arizona, whence they proceeded to
New York, where sumptuous apart
ments were ordered at the Windsor Ho-
tel.
Captain Alexander proved himself a
frivolous person, a man who would not
fit character for Kipling or one who
could live the part of the bold and
dashing soldier of the plains" He was
weak and shallow. Miss Lent, who
was a woman of keen perception and
fine feelings, learned in a few
days to abhor his personality and the
honeymoon was cut short by the bride
leaving the hotel one evening and hur-
rying back to her father in San Fran
cisco.
BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT.