The Washington times., 1912-08-07
LIVING DUAL LIFE
CAUSE OF SUICIDE,
SAID DR.. HOTCHK!SS
Physician Left Letter Telling
Why He Ended
Il All.

Friends Of DR.. Samuel c. Hotcbkiss.
assistant surgeon in the Public Health
ana Marine Hospital Service, who end
ed his life by swallowing a combination
OF several powerful poisons, were shock
ed today when they read the remark
able letter left by the physician, in
which he said the strain of a Jekyll
and Hyde existence had proved more
than he, could stand.
The first intimation that frien5s had
Of DR.. Hotchkiss: dual personality came
today when the letter was made public.
Lying In a clump of bushes In a vacant
lot In Fairmont street, etween Fourth
and Fifth streets northwest, the physi-
clans body was found late yesterday af-
ternoon. In his pockets were boxes and
bottles that had contained powerful
poisons, and In the opinion Of the coro-
ner the man ended his life by taking at
least two or three Of these.
Or. Hotchkiss had been missing since
aoout O'Clock Monday night from
nis nome. 1928 Harvard street north
vest where he lived with his mother,
MRS. Helen G. Hotchkiss. A boy run.
ming across the lot found the body
Eadr ana notified Thomas II. Green, of 52
ths hmSnt nn, street who, in turn, notified
SLe ponce. Letters and papers In the
Rnysicians pockets established his iden-
DR.. Hotchkiss' Letter.
This is terrible ending of a mis-
spent life," wrote DR.. Hotchkiss. II
oon't ask for sympathy, for deserve
Just what l am giving myself. have
been hypocrite. for 1 have deceived
pure persons who believed In me.
Il must have been insane when I did
what did. had no idea of doing
what / did until twenty minutes before
1t happened.
me impulse seized me and did not
resist IT.. / have always been a coward,
and have never been open and above
board. have lived two kinds of lives.
have associated with the best and
worst elements of society. have always
gone alone and so none Of the good peo-
pie knew Of my other side.
tunity motner m gave me every oppor:
this Is the result. I wasted my time.
Never learned how to think and have
always been physically or mentally
tertatned me. They didn't know of
this side of me or what sort of a |
person really am.
Il think l have been insane for the
contemplating suicide for the past
month, l have broken every trust i'm |
posed upon me. -.
This act is worse than murder. I
able to keep their sanity. They tried |
to help me in many ways, but, of |
course did not know the depths to
I could do such an act. To think thai,
It would end like this! F9T
PITY those who loved me and try TO \
comfort them This is a terrible crime
to God. have not believed in Him OF
late years, but 1 do now and that I
shall be punished forever. But / DO
don't deserve this / have deceived
them. They knew nothing Of this side
of me. This is frightul.''
pencil 1 Was ns wrfsten: sdfse of tns as kPSs RaPsr
sell because G. uss ! couldn't finish my report
-tnat Is what got me off the tangent"
Three Years in Service.
DR.. Hotckhiss was thirty-two Years
old and unmarried. He was appointed to
the Government service about three
years ago, and had seen service on rev.
enue cutters In Alaska. He had made
a good record in the service and was
apout 70 start on an important assign-
innent IN connection with the study of
He had been working hard for several
weeks, and friends believe overwork was
one or the things that caused his mind
to be affected.
At the office where DR.. Hotchkiss was
employed 1t was said that there was
notnlng about his work to have caused
him a great deal of worry over the re-
port which he mentions in his letter.
since he had been in Washington DR..
Hotchkiss had been taking vocal les
sons and had participated in several
,oncerts. He enjoyed large acquain-
lance in musical circles.
Born In Michigan. DR.. Hotchkiss at
he medical course at the Western Re-
serve Medical School in Cleveland.
Arrangements for the funeral are be-
ng made today. ! =