Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-07-03
HE shot HIMSELF DEAD.
Captain Ellis Suicides In Peters
burg, Va, Because
of Love.
WAS MARRIED in ANNAPOLIS.
Fatal Ending of Strange Wedding
In This City During The
Past Winter.

A pistol shot fired in 3 maison de
joie in Petersburg, Va, early in the
morning of July / was the echo of a
wedding which took place in Annapo-
lis on February IA last. The shot ended
the existence of the bridegroom of less
than five months and brought to a
close tale of tangled love and bitter
disappointment.
Also does it end the story of a man
who had been made the sport and toy
of designing woman, who, like Kip
ling's Vampire, hungered for his
blood, but was cheated in the end
Ellis Howard Ford was the name of
the man, and he gave up friends, rep
utation and wealth to wed the one in
whom was contained. according to his
mind, all the virtues of womanhood.
Repudiated and scorned, deserted in
his humiliation and made the sport
of men, he still loved with a tenacity
that ended only with death Captain
Howard for such he was was, the own
er of the barge Pierson. In the cold
and storm of last winter he was ice
bound in Annapolis harbor far from
home and friends chafing under the
conditions which made it impossible
for him TO leave He was from Vine
land. N. j., and was in the carrying
trade between Petersburg and Phila-
delphia Then ON February 13 unlucky
day he appeared at the Hotel Mary
land Small and rather diffident sandy
mustached and weatherbeaten with
mild eyes which displayed his youth
he registered at the hotel and stated
that his wife would be at the hotel
shortly. He stated that he was expect
ing her from Petersburg at any time.
The same night she arrived accom-
panied by a woman who registered as
Lula Fields. The latter was very
comely, but the woman who registered
as Ford's wife did not come in that
category. Nothing would have been
thought about the matter were it not
for the fact that early in the morning
Ford stated that he was going to be
married on that day, the 14th. AS
the subject was rather q delicate one,
no one asked him how it was possible
to be married on that day if he already
had wife. He applied for license
at the Office of the county clerk and
it was granted, Beulah Clark being
given as the name of the BRIDE -to-be.
Accompanied by the woman who
was supposed to be his wife and by
Lula Fields, they went to the parson-
age of Rev. George s. Bell and were
married, those witnessing the cere-
mony venturing the suggestion that it
would have been wise to have had the
ceremony performed several months
earlier. When a representative of the
Capital intimated that the marriage
was rather peculiar in view of the
fact that Ford had registered at the
hotel as married, the entire party
was rather disturbed. Ford volunteer
ed no information with reference to
the matter and they left the city.
That was the last heard of the pair
until news was received of the suicide
in Petersburg. Ford went to house
on Lombard street last Friday night
where his wife was living under the
name of Beulah Carter and asked her
if she loved him. AS he did so he
pulled.a revolver from his pocket and
stated he wanted to settle the matter
at once. The woman stated that she
knocked the weapon from his hand
and left the room. A moment later q
shot was fired and when inmates OF
the house rushed in Ford was dead
shot through the head.