New-York tribune., 1910-08-31
GIRL SELF-SH0T
IS VERA FITCH
Spending Summer in East with
Her Mother. Oakland. Ca|..
Being Her Home.
NOT ACTRESS, SAYS DOCTOR
Identified by Member Of Her
Family, After Refusing All Day
to Tell Name, Though Told
She Might Die.

The young woman VINO atte'hp'e'
take her own life by firing q bullet into
her breast late Monday night in the
waiting room of the Hotel Astor ana
atfervard steadfastly declined to re-
veal her identity was identified oE
member of her family at Flower Hospl-
tai last night as Miss Vera Fitch.
daughter of the late Henry Fitch of
Oakland. Cal.
The Identification was made by man
who called at the hospital about 1870
last night and was taken by DR.. Ber-
nard Hughes, the house physician, to
the girls bedside. DR.. Hughes said that
the young woman recognized the caller
immediately and inquired about her
mother and sister, to whom she had
written letters found in her clothes. but
undirected, after she was taken to the
hospital
The physician declined to reveal the
mans name, but gave out a statement
about midnight disclosing the young
Woman's name which he said. the girls
relative had dictated to him.
Or. Hughes said that the man who
made the Identification told him posi-
lively that Miss Fitch was not a relative
of the late Clvde Fitch. the drama tist.
There is 2 Miss Vera Fitch. q niece of
the drama tist. who lives with her sister
Grace at No 1870 Broadway and is a
leading woman with DR.. Perrin. palm
ist. who opens at Han1merstein'e Victoria
Theatre Monday night
Case Of Mistaken identity.
It was thought at first that she was
the girl in the hospital She was found
at her home yesterday afternoon. and
said that the mistake in identity had
caused her considera BILE annoyance in an
swering inquiries. The police Of the
west 47th street station visited the
Fitch apartment last night and 'nvesti-
gated the report They were told that
the Misses Vera and Grace Fitch had
gone out to dinner with their mother.
who had come from Philadelphia yester-
day afternoon to see them
The wounded girl was operated on at
the hospital late yesterday afternoon by
DR.. Ralph A. Stewart and DIR. Hughes
Her condition was improved last night
after the operation hut the physicians
said that her chances for recovery We're
slight. II was found that the bullet. of
small calibre. had entered the left side
pierced the lung and the diaphragm and
punctured the large intestine. twice
lodging in the muscles Of the back. The
bullet was not removed
The statement given out by Or.
Hughes read:
The young woman who attempted sui
eide at the Hotel Astor IS Miss Vera
Fitch. daughter of Henry Fitch, of Oak
land Cal, who died two years ago Mrs
Fitch and her daughter have been spend
ing the summer at Atlantic City, but
came to New York a few days ago to
visit friends. She has talked in a man
ner that has caused remarks by her
friends but no serious apprehension as
to her mental condition had arisen. Miss
Fitch never was a member of any the
atriCal company nor had she ever been
on the stage, nor had she any such am
bitten.
Failed in Literary Work.
She was detected over her literary
failure which was of the greatest in
terest to her, but had no reason other
than that which her family can think
Now that her name has been published,
her mother. who is Frustrated, gives
out these facts. there being no reason
for Withholding the information any
longer. It was hoped that If she lived
her identity might remain unknown. The
positive identified ton of Miss Fitch was
made by a member of her family this
evening.
The physicians at the hospital failed
to esta blish the young woman's identity
terdav. Just before she went under the
anasthetic the doctors told her that it
would be a serious operation. and again
asked her name. She appeared indiffer-
ent as 70 the result of the operation. and
told DR.. Hughes she didn't care to live.
anyway.
"a Am Alice Cole"
IF Won must have name. she said
to the physician. L a m Alice Cole lhe
doctors were convinced from her manner
that she was not telling the truth. She
refused to say anything further about
herself or give any reason for her act.
ono of the physicians asked her why
she had chosen the Hotel Astor In the
hear. Of the theatrical district as
keep her identity a secret.
The girl said she knew it was aulet
in the waiting room of the hotel al the
time. and that the chances we're no one
would be there to prevent her
She said she had not directed the let
ters found pinned on her understands. be
cause she had not decided until the last
moment to Kill herself One of the let
ters was dated August IS. showing she
had contemplated committing suicide for
some time.
The letters were written to her moth
or. sister and a friend, whom she ad-
dressed as dearest Blanche" They
were morbid in tone, and dwelt upon
what she seemed to think had been her
failure In life. without stating what her
disappointed ambitions were.
Letter to Her Mother
She mentioned in the letter To her
mother that it seemed TO be Impossible
for a girl to get along in New York, be
cause she had to meet men. cultured
and wealthy. but devoid of morals She
wrote that her act was not prompted by
any love affair.
The hospital authorities also found
partly completed manuscript Of poems
ninned under her skirt With the request
written on it that il be buried with her
body.
Several men and women called at the