The San Francisco call., 1908-09-13
POISON ENDS LIFE
OF T. RICHARDSON

|
Continued from Page IL, Column
votedly, but that she spurned his affec-
tlon and treated him with coldness ap-
| parent to alE
And In seeming confirmation of these
whispers there is the wife's letter.
richardson failed to appear at his
place of business yesterday and his alb
sence. coupled with the suspicion Of
Ralston. that his partner had carried
an implied threat of suicide into eXecu-
ton, prompted his partner to call at the
| ST. Xavier yesterday afternoon. Raj
ston found the door of the apartment
locked. He Summoned Bogue and his
employees, and after "a short consulta-
ton one of the bellboys entered the
apartment through a transom opening
! into the hall. When the bellboy opened
the door Ralston saw his associate dead
in bed. his lips afroth, a glass with
dregs of dissolved cyanide of potassium
on chair close by, on a window seat
an opened can of the lethal poison.
In the room was no message telling
the cause for the deed-save one, and
that had not been meant to convey such
t1dings. 1t was torn up letter heaped
In an upper bureau drawer. When the
coroner's deputy, who was summoned
at once, took the body away, he took
the letter. too. AT the morgue its frag-
ments We're pieced together. Those of
the envelope contained the address of
Mrs. Richardson's mother. Those of
the note read:
LETTER TELLS OF LEAVING
Thursday, Sept. TO-
My Darling Poll: Certainly the gods
don't smile on me. Whatever the re-
what's more, I'm never coming back
here.
Not a word of this to any one, not
even the sire. I've tried my best to
brave it out, but it's beyond me.
have not informed Erskine of my de-
parture, but shall tonight / dread it'll
and am frightened, but it has to be
done. My plan is to write him the
truth when / get down there. You
wrote me such a sweet letter and /
fully realize 1 am fortunate in having |
you. There are many complications |
and I'm afraid you'll have to put up |
with a god deal Don't worry. I'll |
GLADYS.
I love you.
Mrs. Richardson was the letters
writer. Of her, and of her husband,
the proprietor and the employees of the
st. Xavier told last night. Their story
bore out the pathetic lines of the note.
LIVED IN HOUSE A YEAR
S. Bogue, proprietor of the ST Xayier,
said:
Mr.. and Mrs. Richardson have lived
in the house for about one year He
was man of decidedly serious de-
meanor. She is a beautiful woman.
During their residence here he went
daily TO his business and she often
went out in the morning, remaining
away all day. But she always departed
after he did and she came back alone.
Tonight we found Mr.. Richardson
dead. We had noticed that he had not
disturbed the papers in front of his
door in the morning and we knew that
the afternoon before he had come to
his room, so we were bit suspicious I
when Mr.. Ralston came to the house in
the afternoon, fearful that something
might have happened to his partnel'. /
For he said Mr.. Richardson had not
been at the works, although it was Sat
drday, the day for paying off the men.
After ringing at his door we forced
to the room and found the
truth.
Mr.. Richardson had suffered from
heart trouble. few days ago he went
to life Insurance company, but, 1 am
told, he was unable to get a policy be-
cause of this fact. Two days ago
Thursday afternoon-Mrs. Richardson
eft the house by herself. She did not
return until Friday morning at 10
o'clock or perhaps a half hour later
In the meantime Mr.. Richardson had
,ome to their rooms Thursday evening
Friday morning he got up and he came
iown the elevator about 8 o'clock as
Usual. He left the house; was gone
about half hour. He returned; left
tga1n; returned a second time and
made a third departure. He did not
,ome back until the afternoon
WIFE LEAVES HOUSE
1T was about a half hour or perhaps
IN hour after Mr.. Richardson's final
departure that Mrs. Richardson entered.
fashionably dressed woman was with
Ter. The two mere much excited Mrs.
ordered her trunks brought
o her room, She packed them at
'nce. AT about noon a third woman
,alled at the office and asked whether
DIR. Richardson were in, and whether
drs. Richardson were at home The boy
old her that Mr.. Richardson was out.
The woman who was very well dressed.
aid that this being the case she would
90 up to the rooms. She did so. And
.arly In the afternon the three women
eft. understand that Mrs. Richa rdson
vent to Santa Barbara.
"At o'clock Mr.. Richardson came
Jack. He went to his room. He did +
lot appear after that alive"
From employees of the house these
acts We're gotten:
Mrs. Richardson seldom left the
iouse with her husband. 1t was a fact
commented upon by the servants Once
IT twice when they did leave together
heir marked difference of demeanor