Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-26
REGINALD Barr, Following 3
Other Attempts, Throws
Self Before Train.
NOT MURDERER, SAYS
Leaves a Note Claiming Sweet
hearts Neck Is Broken Dur
ing Kissing Struggle.

poruer's Grove. Ill, May 26.-Mad
With remorse for killing Florence
Bentley. his sweetheart, in the woods
near here Saturday night, Reginald A.
Barr. aged %, a railroad clerk. en-
nloved in Chicago. committed suicide
q, Isle. three miles from here, today
by Jumping under a moving train. Pre-
yiously he had twice tried poison and
once jumped in quarry pit.
The girl, cloak model. was also en-
ployed in Chicago. She was about
Bars age. They had been pals" for
years. but Florence, according to her
mother. was growing tired of his COM
pany. Saturday night the two went
Tor a walk. according to a note on
EIrr's body. They went to the leafy
weeds. She refused to kiss him He
naked II she did not want TO be his
sweetheart any more. There was a
struggle. and the note says the girl
died Of heart failure or fright. as l
Eurely could not kill one / thought the
most Of in the world"
Pupils Join in Search.
Late that night the families of the
lovers became alarmed and a search
was begun. Professor Butler, superin-
tendent OF schools here. returning
from Wheaton in an automobile, saw
Barr pIunging along the road at night
and said: Hello, Barr" The lone
pedestrian only pulled his cap lower
for reply. Yesterday the schools were
dismissed and the search taken up by
pupils. but # remained for Carl Selig.
driver OF a grocer's cart, late in the
afternoon, to discover the body of the
girl. She lay on the ground with her
hands folded on her breast Barr was
still missing.
Barr was discovered at Lisle this
morning by a farmer, who thought he
vas waiting 20 steal a ride on a train.
He sat with his head between his
hands" related the farmer, but when
the train came he jumped right under
IT.
A postmortem Of the girls body did
not disclose the cause of death, but
established that there had been moth
ing sordid in her relations with Barr.
There will be a double inquest tomor-
row.
Sits by Body.
Isle. Ill, May 26.-Reginald Barr,
leaving behind him a note declaring
his Staying of his sweetheart, Florence
Bentley, at Downer's Grove. near here
Saturday night, was accidental, jump
Cd beneath a moving train here early |
today and was killed.
Il was his fourth attempt at suicide. |
10 a note found on his person, he de !
dared he took a drug twice in an ef- |
fort 10 die beside the body Of his |
sweetheart. Both times failed. He /
next Jumped into a quarry pit, lit in /
stsgnant water and II couldn't sink"
read the note. The clothing on the
body was still wet when 1t was taken
nom the tracks.
In his note he said Miss Bentley was
killed when he tried 70 kiss her. She
and he placed his hand over her
mouth. In the ensuing struggle they
ripped and fell. He believed her neck
vas broken; anyway she was dead.
In agony, remorse and fear he sat
beside her for sometime. seeking TO
nnd whether a spark of life remained.
he finally gave up hope. went to
aurora and purchased posion- He re-
turned and prostrating himself beside
me girls body swallowed it. After a
while he woke up and the girl still lay
qulet beside him. He again made a
IMP 10 Aurora, says the note, and
Assin returned with poison to die be
s'oe the girl he had slain. This at
lsnpt also failed, and the jump into
ne quarry at Naperyille followed.
Hides in Woods Two Days.
For two days Barr had hidden in
1oTners Grove woods. Last night
'arT' peering from some bushes told
NO boys who were among those
earching for him. that he attempted 70 ,
'ut his arm around Miss Bently, she
'Osheo him away and In a trffiing
erussle her neck was broken. The
oys tried 20 detain Barr. but he fed.
nysicisns who examined the body
- her neck was not broken.
Bars note was addressed TO HIS
oiks. He asked Gods forgiveness and
0f them to forgive him causing his
Neetheert's death Barr and Miss
'sntey had been sweethearts since
hndhood- &