The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-09

near Dy, was 1OOnQ at noon To-Day
by a party of sightseers, who had
gone to the observation roof, a ia
vorite viewpoint of the city. They
rushed back TO give the alarm and
notified John Bernhard. the elevator
man. who summoned the police. DR..
Carl E. Curdts also responded. He
examined the corpse and found that
the bullet had passed through the
roof of the mouth into the BRAIN.
Deputy Coroner Van Vranken re-
moved the body to the Morgue.
An hour before the body was seen
Cuvellier rode UP in the elevator with
B. II. Griffins and A. P. Leach, attor-
neys. with whom he passed the time
of day. Cuvellier seemed cheerful. He
inquired the way to the roof and re-
paired there, remarking on the splen-
did view OF the city that one could
gain from that height.
The first clew to the possible cause
of the suicide was obtained from a
letter found among Cuvellier's effects.
The message was one of cheer from
George r. Close. written at the ST.
Helena Sanitarium, where Cuvellier
had been a patient several weeks ago.
Close urged his friend to be hopeful,
and its tone indicated that Cuvellier
had been respondent because of his
i'll health.
DOCTORS STORY.
Following the finding of the letter
came the story of DR.. j. F. Rinehart,
at whose residence, Eighth and Ade-
line streets, Cuvellier had been stay
ing for week under treatment for
extreme nervous collapse.
He left the physicians home this
morning after breakfast, osten-
sibly TO go to San Francisco to make
arrangements for trip to Chicago.
where he had been invited by his
cousin. Julius Kruttschnitt, the South
ern Pacific Company official, to spend
some time in recuperation of his
health.
From Neil McCracken, a clerk at
]. p. MaXwelrs hardware store, Four
teenth and Washington streets. Cuvel-
lier bought cartridges for his pistol
this morning while on his way to the
place of death.
1t was year ago that the former
Councilman showed signs of mental de-
preston. His wife some months before
that had sustained a severe injury by
fall. Her death followed and the be-
reft husband was Frustrated. But he
appeared to rally. and later he re-
sumed, outwardly, his accustomed vi
yacity and keen interest in his business
and political affairs He had served
four terms in the City Council and was
to be a candidate for reelection when
Unexpectedly he announced his with
drawal from politics.
Several months ago he began to COM
plain of i'll health. He suffered from
sleeplessness and went to st. Helena
for treatment. Among his intimates
he confided his physical troubles. Re-
cent treatment seemed to have bene-
flied the sufferer. He SO expressed him
SELF but the shadow of melancholia
was upon him.
FROM OLD FAMILY.
Cuvellier was born in New Orleans Of
one of the old French families of the
Mississippi metropolis. He came to
California in his younger days and
early entered the employ of James de
Fremery & Co., the pioneer importing
house Of San Francisco. After many
years of service there Cuvellier sew
cred his connections and was associat-
ed with the A. Vignier Company In
the business world he occupied a high
position and was esteemed for his
probity and charming personality. His
business associates were shocked by
the news of his tragic death. They
said he had been i'll for several months
and was a sufferer from nervous trou-
bles.
Cuvellier had talked of suicide to his
a. ANaAASy Odl bhCy Qlu LOI take MS
threats seriously. DIR. Rinehart in this
connection said:
ITO or three days ago took away
from Cuvellier the pistol with which
he killed himself. He was very de-
spondent and had threatened to kill
himself, but / got him into a better
frame of mind. He agreed to go to a
hospital for a few days until he should
feel in shape to go East. He required
long rest and believe 1t would have
restored him to normal health. l drove
part way up town this morning with
him and left supposing he was going
TO San Francisco
Last Friday Cuvellier met p. w. Bel
lingall, an old friend, saying:
Pete. if anything happens to me,
lock out for my children"
Great surprise was occasioned
among the former business associates
of Mr.. Cuvellier in this city by the
news that he had committed suicide
Cuvellier had been connected with A.
Vignier in business on Battery street,
being vice president of the company
of which Mr.. Vignier is the head Mr..
Vignier said yesterday that he knew
of no reason why Cuveilier should
have committed suicide. He had no
financial troubles Rack of HE onn-