The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-21
TWO OLD FRIENDS
IN DEATH COMPACT
Members of Prominent Phila-
delphia Families Go by Poi
son Route.
New York Sun Special Service.

new York Sun special Service.
Philadelphia, Aug. 21.-Shrinking for
three days thru love Of his 6-year-old
daughter from the fulillment Of sui
Hopes, member. Of a branch Of the
prominent Philadelphia family of that
name, finally summoned up nerve and
killed himself in Paramount park some
time Saturday night.
His death contract had been made
WITH N1!;5; joseph a: Thompson, a brother Of
sparkhill, N. Y, and a relative of the
P,iittsburg Thaws, who took his life on
Thursday. Both men drank potassium,
and Hopes bodywas found in the same
clump of bushes in which that of
Thompson. IS corpse was discovered.
The existence of. the death agree
ment was revealed by letters and
memoranda nna 1ian found in Hopes pocket,
wood. : :.
Thompson and Hopes had been close
friends for twenty live years. Their
death contract is made the more tragic
by the fact that Aug. II, the day agreed
upon for death, was the first anniver-
sary Of the death Of Hopes wife Both
+ Thompson had lost one wife in Pitts
another in Philadelphia. Poverty left
him little relish for existence. In
Hopes case, disagreement on religion
made his married life unhappy. His
wife practically killed herself because
Of it, and after that Hopes went stead
cided upon cyanide Of potassium as the
best means Of ending their lives, and
picked out place in the park where
| they were to meet Thursday night.
| Thompson got the poison day in adj
vance and gave a portion to Hopes.
Instead Of keeping his appointment,
Hopes spent the night With his daugh
found his way to. the place where
Thompson had carried out the agree
ment, and made good his word.
| A park guard stumbled over the body
| yesterday. In one hand letter was
| clasped. It read:
am going to my grave, where
should have gone on the 18th. Oh, how
wish had gone then. Still put it off
till the last minute, but now it must be
done. I hope that my brother will see
that I am cremated. If he does not
then give my body, for a consideration
for the use of my children, to theJef-
ferson hospital. webster Hopes.
P. S-There will be no use of opening
me, as I died of cyanide of potassium.
And may God have mercy on my soul
Amen God forgive me, Amen. -t-
When the pockets were searched,
other letters and fragments of a diary
were found. Memoranda, dated Aug.
| 7 and 8, showed that suicide had been
talked over between him and Thompson
for some time. On the note of Aug.
Z was:
"Thompson says it's no use. When
we are out of the way the children
will have chance: Failure makes its
mark on all around. We will lift the
curse from loved ones.
On the back Of the note was written
HDown and out. Looked for job
No hope. No hope. Shall end it either
this week or next. Not a helping hand
given to me. I wish / could die. j
must die. Well, I am satisfied have
nothing to live for, as I can Il get work
Oh, my dear little girl, Muriel. Oh
how I love her. -.
There was also found in a pocket a
newspaper clipping headed:
HPessimistic view Of life by clergy
! men who think it has little joy
The clipping was crumpled and finger
smeared. Here are few OF It's sentl
"s ITO the question, rs life worth liv:
ingG' the overwhelming majority ., Of
men, if they were sincere, would DC
I Obliged to answer mo- They would
be forced to reply that life was a bur,
den. the gift, not Of love, but of hate.