Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-17
MAN FOR WHOM BESSIE THoMps
SON WOULD HAVE DIED, SEN
FENCED FOR STEALING
HE CAN'T REMEMBER
Says He Don't Think He Took the
Coat, But Was Drlnkins-Recalls
Sensational Suicidal Attempt by OF,
tumwa Girl in Des Moines.

From breaking hearts to steaMnR
coats is long leap, but Arthur Love.
has taken it. Love is the young man
whose fancied affections for another
woman caused Miss Bessie Thompson.
1919 Orchard street, to attempt to take
her life by suicide in Des Moines ON
September 25. He was sentenced to
thirty days in Jail yesterday for the
theft of Baliff Stephen Barnes overs
coat from the lobby room of the court
house.
The temperance Of Love'M
name before the public view recalls
one of the most sensational attempts
ed suicides in which any Ottumwani
ever figured. On September 25. Miss
Thompson who was at that time esar
ployed in Des Moines was found al.
most dead in q weed patch neard
South West Ninth street in that city.
She had taken carbolic acid and on
her person was found three notes. one
to Love, her sweetheart, one to her
family and one to the party who was
to find her body.
However, she was found before life
was extinct and was taken to the
Methodist hospital. Here she fingered
for Gays between life and death but
finally began to improve and soon waA
brought to her home in this city.
Later Love came to Ottumwa and
stayed for a day or so at the Thomp&
son home but finally 1t was agreed.
SO Love stated this morning, by both
parties that everything was off,
Love says that he has not seen the
| girl for several months as both agreed
that 1t were better not.
"Has Forgotten Me"
She has forgotten all about mo
now" said Love through the bars Of
the county jail this morning. He
stated that he and the young woman
We're never engaged to be married.
as reported, that she had no reason
to be- jealous Of her room mate, Miss
Ida Johnson, which Jealousy, accord.
ing to reports, was the cause of her
attempted suicide but that piuue in
the midst OF temporary infatuation
was in reality the cause of the rash.
act.
However. Love is now. more lnsers.7
ested in events of recent time than
in something that happened months
ago. He cannot imagine how Mr..
Barnes overcoat got into his room.
where 1t was found by the police when
the young man was arrested Sunday
morning about 2 o'clock.
Il never knowingly took that coat,'s
said Love. why, don't remember
being in the court house at all. had
been drinking Friday morning when.
they say the coat was stolen but 1.
cant remember anything about It'll
What would l want with that coat?i
have one of my own"
Love pleaded guilty to the charge or
petit larceny when arraigned before
Judge Campbell yesterday afternoon.
but he explains that by saying that It.
was the only thing to do since he had,
no friends here and no funds to fight,
the case. He received thirty days
sentence and will serve 1t out in the
county jail
Love explained that thereason his
name appeared as Wing at the time
of Miss Thompson's rash act, was be-
cause he was rooming with a family
| by the name Of Ewing and people
thought he was relative.
Minor Criminal News.
| In police court this morning, John
Green and M. H. Lascoe, DRINKS. were
released, and Fred Crutchfield was
given thirty days but fine was suspend.
ed.