Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-30
UNREQUITED LOVE
CAUSES SUICIDE
LONG BEACH WOMAN SHOOTS
HERSELF
Witnesses Testify at coroner's In
quest That Mrs. Stuart Was De-
spondent Because Foster Son
Disappointed Her


Fred Crews, is said to have led to the
tragic death of Mrs. Nellie Stuart, the
proprietor Of the Pringle apartments,
240 Elm street, Long Beach, at mid
night Sunday. The woman shot her.
self through the head about midnight,
but was not discovered until eight
hours later.
Yesterday morning Mr.. and Mrs,
William Kramer, roomers at the Pringle,
suspecting that something was wrong,
notified the police. In response to their
call, Officer Kutz was sent from police
headquarters He forced an entrance
into Mrs. Stuarts ground floor apart
ments through front window.
Attired in clean nightdress, the
body lay in pool of the woman's own
blood, her head and shoulders on the
floor, and her feet on the bed. A great
gaping wound in the woman's left
ear, the blood from which had clotted
about her face. showed the manner of
her death. Close by the body on the
floor lay revolver. The body was al
ready cold and stiff and death had
evidently taken place several hours be-
fore.
Gays NNOHlau w do 6ONC
A dramatic touch to the tragedy was
added by testimony of a neighbor at
Coroner Lanterman's inquest yester-
day afternoon at the morgue. Mrs. c.
M. Smith, friend of the woman, who
lives on Third street, testified that the
dead woman has been in love with her
foster son, Fred Crews, and wished to
marry him. Because he did not re-
ciprocate this sentiment, she declared,
the woman had taken her life.
Crews was present when this start
ling declaration was made. He was
adopted by the family when but
child. He declared that his feelings
for his foster mother had been only
those of f1lial bond. He said that
they had always been on good terms,
but she had never spoken OF ending her
life in such a manner. Her death
seemed to affect him very much. Crews
Is a grocer at Redondo.
When the officer entered the woman's
room a small pet dog ran around in
strange way and those who had gath
cred around the body could not under
stand its actions. The contents of a
Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Merwin, close
friends, explained 1t. 1t was as fol-
lows:
Leaves Letter
when you receive this my suffering
will be over. 1 thank you for your
kindness and your prayers and I be-
lieve God will forgive me for what I
am about to do, for he knows / can
not live and bear my misery and suf-
fering any longer. My poor heart Is
so crushed and bleeding, and when
you read this Snippy and l will be TAX
ing our last sleep. I will put her to
sleep with chloroform and myself with
lead. Good by, and Goo bless you all.
You have been so kind to me.
MRS. STUART"
"P. S.-Please give Mrs. Smith this
street car ticket, and want the minis
ter you had for Mrs. Urquhardt, and If
you don't mind putting me in your
lot, Mr.. Cleveland will draw money
to pay for my grave unless the folks
want me sent home."
Another letter, addressed to F1em-
ing, directed that her two trunks be
sent to her sister, Mrs. Emma Ashley
of Clinton, Ind, and her sewing ma
chine and kitchen utensils be given to
the Y. W. c. A. The minister mem
toned Is Rev. Robert Cleveland, as
sistant pastor OF the First Presbyterian
church, which Mrs. Stuart frequently
attended. Several other stamped ad-
dressed letters were found. These were
T. .iled by the police.
Talked of Suicide
Saturday Mrs. Stuart is said to have
visited her adopted son at Redondo
and asked him to accompany her Sum
day on a little outing. He declined on
the ground that he had a previous en-
gsgement with a party of friends. This
disappointment is thought to have been
responsible for the woman's Respondent
frame of mind.
According to Mrs Smith, Mrs. Stuart
told her Sunday night that within
twenty-four hours she would be dead;
but the woman did not place any
credence in her declaration.
Mrs. Stuart formerly lived in Clinton,
Ind. She was 40 years old. 1t is said
that suit for divorce from her hus-
band, who does not live here, was
pending at the time of her death After
coming to Long Beach, several years
ago, she worked for time as a dress
maker. Later she assumed charge of
the Ocean Terrace apartments, and
afterward of the Pringle. Since then
she has told but little of her private
history. She frequently complained of
feeling melancholy and depressed, and
spoke OF suicide as an escape from her
sorrows.