Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-12-09
suicide PACT
WHEN NEAR DEATH
Poison and OnePiStol Failing,
Man BorrOws Another and
Kills Himself
TOWNS GOSSIP
SAID TO BE CAUSE

CR1SFIELD, Nd. Dec. 9-Declaring
that the suicide OF Chauncey c. Reese,
a druggist Of this town, and the three
bullet wounds in her own body We're
the result OF a suicide pact, Miss Hilda
Sterling, the 1S-year old girl who was
found along the road about mile
from this town covered with blood yes
ferday, told the story OF her efforts
TO break off an Illicit love. Of "A mar
ricd mans insane jealousy and of her
final yielding to his pleas that they
die together.
Reese was manager and part owner
of the Somerset Pharmacy here, and
Miss Sterling was employed by him as
a clerk. Reese, who was married and
father OF three children, became in
fatuated with Miss Sterling and for
a time she returned his affections.
Growing tired OF his attentions, how
ever Miss Sterling last week resigned
her position at the drug store, and on
Monday, the day before Reese's sui
eide. wrote him that she wanted to
break of with HIM and that in the
future she would have nothing TO do
with him.
Reese. she said, apparently became
insanely jealous and hesought her 10
meet him for the last time. She finally
consented and they went TO rem
devious in the Lawson woods, where
they frequently had met before. Il was
there they mare the suicide pact.
agreeing TO die together
To carry out their agreement, Reese
came TO town early Tuesday morning
aud got a box OF morphine tablets.
Each took twelve OF The tablets, nc
cording to Miss Sterling, but without
the desired effect The poison nau-
seated her for a while. she said, but
appeared to have no effect upon
Reese.
Apparently. the man had prepared
for such a failure, for he had borrow
ed on Monday a revolver. saying he
wanted TO shoot some dogs. When the
morphine failed TO end their lives he
attempted to use this pistol, but found
il was out Of order.
After this second failure Reese left !
the girl In the woods while he re-
turned TO town and purchased another
revolver at a pawn shop. He was
driven into town on this trip between
$40 and o'clock by Warren Hick-
man in an autobus. While here Reese
paid a hasty visit to his store and, ac-
cording to those who saw him. appear
ed calm
Returning to the woods. he shot
Miss Sterling three times, each bullet
lodging in her body. She said she fell
10 the ground. but did not lose con-
seriousness, and saw the man turn the
weapon on himself and send two bull
leis into himself. One entered his
mouth and came out near the right
eve, the other pierced his breast The
physicians who examined his body
saids either would have caused death.
Miss Sterling says her recollection
of events following the shooting is
hazy She remembers covering the
body of her lover with leaves and
pine needles and remaining beside It
for some time. Just how long she
stayed there she Is unable to say.
After a time her mind cleared TO
some extent and she started in search
Of aid. She crawled along the Sc
cluded footpath leading to the county
road. frequently getting TO her feet.
only TO fall after staggering for a few
steps. She says she has no idea how
long il took. her TO traverse the 400
feet from the scene of the shooting to
the. road. where she was found about
3 o'clock in the afternoon by a negro
woman.
DIR. r. r. Norris, partner OF Reese,
was notified and had Miss Sterling re-
moved to his home. After arriving
there she told Dr. Norris that "Tippy."
an Reese was called generally, was
dead. hut declared Il was useless to
search for his body that night. as IL
was TOO we'll concealed Being urged.
she afterward gave explicit directions
as TO the location OF the body
A searching party was then organ
lied by United States Deputy Marshal
4. T.. Hickman and Raymond X. Wood.
land They located the body about
~ o'clock, covered with pine needles
I'm a dense thicket OF underground.
Under tae body were found three
letters IN Reese's handwriting, one ad-
dressed TO Or. Norris. another TO Miss
Ray Gilmore and the third with no adj
dress.
The notes read as follows
+ From Miss Sterling TO Reese. writ
ten last Thursday
Tip. ] ann never going TO step my
/ FOOT in tho store again. aud I am mad
with everybody. I believe. / think We
had better call Il all Off, and separate
friendship. Z want 60 stop all this
talk that's going ON. and am not 20.
/ ing TO work i'm the store any more. [
will talk 10 You 1t / see YOU on the
street. or IL you come here. and |
want MS to be friends, but ! viii never
come TO the store again.
Your friend HILDA.r
Up. ST. hope you will be willing 10
give me up and let us quit
Note from Reese 10 Miss Rae El.
more:
Rae. when this reaches you l will
be dead. I am going to fly away with
the girl love better than anything
on this earth. TIP"
Note from Reese addressed TO SOM
erset Pharmacy:
"To whom il may concern:
when this note is found l will be
dead. Peoples talk is responsible for
my deed. and I am going to leave il
all. My i)vo for Hilda and hers for
me is as clean aud pure as can be
but people have made LIE unbearable
by talking about us. The talk Is
the cause Of me doing this.
&C. G. REESE
Third note from Reese, unaddressed:
Jealousy has made me do this. MY
life is more than ] can stand. Hilda
and are going to die together.
&C. G. REESE"
The jury was composed OF DIR. VIII
liam +. Hail. foreman; a. T. Hickman.
/ {. O. Daugherty, c. H. Daugherty