The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-16
SHB NOURNS Two SUICIDES.
THOUGHT THE FIRST WAS HER
HUSBAND, BUT THE SECOND WAS.

! Two Gustav Jacobs Make Away with
themselves within Six MOnths-COrO.
neF Hands Over % the Young widow
what the Tobacco Expert Left,
Gustav jacob. the tobacco expert who
committed suicide last Sunday at 2O75
Eighth avenue, was mourned for dead
by his young wife six months before he
actually ended his life. He was a man
who had always been able 20 command
a large salary and had travelled all over
the world. About one year ago he met
Miss Jessie Fortham, 10 years old, and.
although double her age, persuaded her to
marry him. They were welded at Rock
away Beach on March 20, 1904, by the Rev.
Clayton Birch.
One month after the marriage Jaoobi
left Bay Shore, where he had gone 70 live
with his BRIDE saying he was going TO
California to buy a ranch. He told his wife
that he would send for her and her mother
as soon as he was established In the new
home. Mrs. jacob heard nothing from
him for some time Then she saw a story
In a newspaper describing the suicide Of
Gustav jacob, Al years old, who had
hanged himself in the woods near Corona,
l.. /. As her husband was Al years old
she concluded that the suicide must be he.
To make sure she went 10 Corona, hoping
10 be able 10 identify the body. But il
had been buried. She showed the authori-
ties picture Of her husband and they said
IL was a good likeness Of the dead man.
Thereupon Mrs. Jacob went homo and
put on widows weeds.
On Monday last she saw the account in
the newspapers Of the suicide Of another
Gustav jacob. and from the description
Of the letters and property he left, some
Of Il labelled Jessie jacob Bay Shore
l.. l., she came TO the conclusion that she
had been mourning the wrong man. One
Of the letters this suicide left was directed
to the Coroner and contained an Inolosure
Of SIS for the expenses Of cremation. Mrs.
jacob hurried 10 the crematory at Fresh
Pond, l.. l., and got there In time 10 view
the body before 1t was burned. 1t was her
husband
Yesterday she visited the Criminal Courts
Building and told her story to Coroner
Scholer She was accompanied by her
mother and brought along a picture Of her
husband which was taken on a lion farm
In South Africa II showed him In hunting
costume leaning on a rife and surrounded
by crowd OF natives. A reproduction OF
this picture was found among the suicides
effects After questioning her and her
mother the Coroner was satisfied that the
girl was Jacobs widow and turne over
to her the money, jewelTy and clothes which
were found In his fat.
A letter Jacob left addressed 10 his wife
contained ti5l in cash and piece Of paper,
on which was scribbled with a pencil:
This is for you. | forgive you all In
a p cage, which was also addressed TO
his wife, wers a heavy gold watch and
chain, a gold locket and a gold ring get
with three large diamonds and a ruby.
Near the body were five new suit cases
containing a large assortment Of fine wearing
apparel. One Of them was marked for
Lille and the Others for his wife. There
was another smaller bag unmarked, which
contained a great many letters and SOU
venirs from Cape Town, Australia, japan,
China and the Klondike. Some Of the
letters were written in German and filed
with terms Of endearment. They we're
signed your Own Lille
Jacob was supposed in the neighbor-
hood to be a bachelor. He had lived in the
fat only six weeks and had but one visitor,
a good looking German woman who was
supposed 10 be 1.-The From the letters
IL was also ascertained that jacob had
been married twice and that he had OBJ
tanned divorce from his first wife, Louisa
jacob, In the Supreme Court in Brooklyn,
on July n, 1900.