The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-07
Mrs, J. ", Gray Shoots Her.
self in Hotel Imperial
WAS OF WEALTHY FAMILY
Left Letters Indicating That She
Could Not Live Without the Love
of a New York Married
Man.

New York, May 6-The police of this
city are puzzled tonight by new turn
taken in the case of Mrs. ]. w. Gray, said
to be a widow of a wealthy Chicago bro
ker, who committed suicide in her apart
ments at the Imperial hotel today. The
woman left letters addressed to Charles
II. Stoneham, telling him of her love, and
declaring his cruelty in a conversation
with her over the telephone had induced
her to take her life.
After being absent from his office at A
Broadway all day, Charles H. stoneham.
a broker of this city, who was believed
to have been the person to whom the let
ters were addressed, and so declared by
the New York friends of the dead wom-
an, returned late tonight to his home in
Jersey City. lie denied absolutely that
he knew Mrs. Gray or that he was con-
nected with her case in any way.
II never heard of the woman" said
Mr.. Stoneham. He expressed ignorance
of the suicide. and declared that the
newspaper men brought him the first news
he had '"c eived of the tragedy.
"She riss have been a customer Of our
firm. end in that way may have ac-
quired my address," Mr.. Stoneham said.
"The name is not at all familiar to me,
however. and do not think we had such
a person in New Orleans as a customer" :"
Mr. Stoneham declined to discuss his
whereabouts today. He was emphatic.
however, In his denial that he had ever
been at the Hotel Imperial with Mrs.
Gray and declared that he has been at
home every night Tor many weeks
g Was Lying Before Mirror.
Mrs j. w. Gray was oesieved to be
wealthy and was said to BE fhe widow Of
Chicago broker She Was found lying
unconscious before a mirror In her bed
room with bullet wound in her head
and died a few hours later at a hospital
without regaining Consciousness. Letters
left by the suicide Indicate that she was
the victim of an unfortunate love affair
and although possessed of ample means
she had no desire 10 live without the
man she loved.
Woman Left Four Letters.
The woman left four letters, one of
these was sealed, addressed to Charles
II. Stoneham, Al Broadway" On the back
of ii was written:
Il wish that no one would open this
letter but the person addressed
A second sealed letter was addressed to
a storage warehouse. this city. The third
letter was unenclosed and written on two
sheets of paper. II appeared that one por-
tion had been written yesterday afternoon
and the other sheet early today before
the woman shot herself
The letter began
Dear Sweetheart-Whe | called you
up on the telephone you talked so cruelty
to me that l went out and bought a re-
volver Intending to do it then. I was
brought up in convent and my religion
teaches against such things but | can
stand 1t any longer"
| Here there was a break in the letter and
! when II was continued 1t was q dfferSl
ink
again and again have you disappolnt
ed me. Charley. What In Gods name hav,
/ done? IL you were anxious to get rid Of
me that were easy. Why aid you hay,
me come to New York?. Here am as YOU
| wife. If you had said Ollie. / do not wan
you to return, ! would never have done
so. Well, Charley this is the last. ] wish
you all the luck in the world
Here the writer seemed to have paused
again, and no more seems to have beer
written for a while. 1t resumed
How / am suffering. I cannot stand Il
any longer. 1t is now past o clock"
A fourth letter left by the woman was
found, which was addressed to Charles
Sweetheart and read as follows:
Hated So to Die.
81 love you better than my life | love
you so much and to think / have to &,
and leave you; | hate so to die What
little / have after my bills are paid
wish to be sent to Olivia Parker 1923 st
Andrew street. New Orleans. / have a 10,
of furniture / had shipped from New
Orleans | wish that also returned to New
Orleans to Olivia Parker. a colored girl
as / have no relations
This letter was signed Mrs Gray"
A bundle of letters addressed to Mrs
]. w. Gray at various places were found
when the woman's effects were searched.
On the backs OF two photographs found
among her letters was written the name
Charlie II. Stoneman.' the same as on
one of the letters left by the woman.