The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-11-21
SUICIDE is
A MYSTERY
Picture of Girl, Found in His
Watch, Caused Police to A.
sumo That Killing Followed
Unhappy Love Affair. but
Mother of Girl Declares That
Her Daughter Was Not En-
gagged to Bell-Sealed Letter
Addressed to His Brother May
Give Reasons for Suicide.

The nude body Of W. B Bell. FACE
tory manager of the Federal Cigar
Apartments, was found with bullee
through the heart and a .32-calihrs
revolver lying near his right hand,
yesterday afternoon about s o'clock ~
room No. 332 OF Murphy's Hotel by
Detective-Sergeant Wiley after sua-
picion Of q tragedy had lead the hotet
authorities to force the door. a simple
note directed that his brother, E ~.
Bell. Jr. be notified Of his death. but
the reasons for the suicide are locked
in a sealed letter. which is to be reaA
only by the dead mans brother. who
is expected to reach Richmond TINS
morning.
Although the condition Of the body
establishes the fact that the suicide
was accomplished Tuesday evening AZ
Z o'clock. the discovery OF the bOoy
was made only yesterday evening after
the maid had tried several times 10
open the door Of Bells room. With
the exception Of a possible affair 81
the heart. no reason for Bells act are
known by his friends. In the back
of his watch was found a picture or
a beautiful young woman living On
West franklin Street, to whom Ben
had paid attentions
Was Not Engaged.
When asked last night at her hosoo.
concerning possible motive for the
suicide. the young woman disciatmed
any idea OF what prompted the act
According to her mother. she and Heit
had never been engaged or y tnsy
had been It was unknown TO tho
mother.
They were merely friends" the
mother said I'VE are terribly shocke4
over the affair. cannot imagine why
he should have done 1t"
According to intimate friends. Bell
was in the best of health. never Ap-
peared to be depressed. was in me
standing with his employees. and at the
time Of his suicide had balance OF
$50 In bank and SO in his pocketboolk@
Whatever may have been the modve
for the act. it will probably never b
known by the public. On the table In
his room an open note was FOUND
saying:
..Piease notify F. T. Smith, or c. c.
Grimm, a. the Hanover Apartments
Also notify Z. NJ. Bell, Jr-, $50 Twen-
rieth Street. New York City"
In plain view beside this paper was
a sealed envelope, written on the hotel
stationery. and bearing on the outside
the plaintive petition: ITO be opened
by no one but E. N. Bell. Jr.. please
While the envelope was rather thick. .
cursory examination led to the belIef
that II contained nothing but written
sheets. The Injunction Of the dead man
will be carried out scrupulously BY no
police, and pending the arrival Of Belfs
brother from New York to-day the
envelope reposes unopened In the safe
at police headquarters.
I've Shells ExDss1e6.
In addition to the watch containing
the picture Of the girl, Bells clothes
were found to contain SIe.ss in cash,
a check book on a local bank showing
a balance of $50 To his credit. a knife,
bunch Of keys and a nail clipper. The
re -olver found at his side was new
and had evidently been purchased Tor
the specific purpose Of ending his lie.
All six chambers of the gun were niied.
but two had been fred
The police are at a loss 10 acSount
for bu, one of the exploded shells.
Eelrs body showing but the one woun0.
witch must have produced instant
death IL is thought that perhaps the
other shell was nred to test the re-
liability % the gun, although the po-
lice then face the question OF wnere
and when IL was fired.
The suicide Of this young man neal
thy. active. prosperous and rising was
manned with a bIoodcurdiing calmue&O
and detail. Tuesday afternoon he less
the factory OF the Fcd-rad cigar COM
rany talking aad Joking with otnet
.nplo,e< Of IN. Office short whsso
later he entered Murphy's Hotel. regis
tered under his own name. and wao
shown to his room This was the iAoS
time nc was seen alive Some time duSs
inf the succeeding two hours he wrote
the two note. found OF TIE taDaA
carefully removed his outer ciotntn8
and laid them neatly on the bed ans
chairs. and put a Suliet through eio
heart
Tn. police believe thai he ffoe
stretched himself out on the noor -.
for. airing the shot. his body b<in8
found with the hea! under the wash.
,tand and the feet under the bed Hso
clothing had been aid oct With eho
,,rno.r care even hts shoes and socko
we-. placed orderly beside the bed TIE
rcd. however. had not been dsstvrsc1.
showing that the suicide muse nave
taken place shortly after be euferUo
enc room. The mystery Of the s9aie
from ire standpoint Of the hotel pes7so
"a hoe a revolver shot could have bee0 :
AIRED IN the hotel AZ any time Of tie
n,~h, or day and not have been hesfo
hy nal. a Dozen perSous-
OrU6e O0Os oVPU-
After trying . nanst~r of times aogs
,,,s the course Of yesterday 90 gasa -
-