Evening star., 1924-08-24
LOVE PACT SUICIDE
SHOCKS CANADIANS
Married Man and Woman
Separated From Husband
Were Leaders in Town.
ecial Dispatch to The Star.

ecial Dispatch to The Star.
TORONTO. August ga Balzac or
Teheklov could have imagined moth
more weird than the double sui
de of two residents which recently
irred the people Of Peterboro, a
~ Isy industrial city in central On
<& rio.
Samuel Taylor was one of the out
~ anding men of the district, married
IS FosperouS in business, leading
|Zeure in his church, prince of good
I lIowS at fraternal meetings, popu-
ar with every one. Physically, he
81 as a magnificent specimen-tall and
!M oWerful, strong swimmer, an ath-
l8 te.
Mrs John Sharpe for 15 years had
Geo separated from her husband
Eho has been living in Detroit. But
er mother had regarded the separa-
ion with approval and had provided
Mneans of support. She had the
II #Steem and affection of her COM
Community. interchangeable in church
Terk, full of sympathy for those in
rouble and always cheerful, she held
#he warm regard Of wide circle of
u riends
No breath of scandal had linked
ne name of Samuel Taylor with Mrs
BFharpe, though they were known to
#be friends. The lives of both seemed
models of propriety.
Theirs was no sudden infatuation.
8They had lived as neighbors
zaimost 20 years. Taylor was A., Mrs.
4 Sharpe 40.
Sunday morning. July 81, they at
tended the same church service with
8their respective family circles. sun
day evening they met clandestinely
I and slipped away from the city in
zIaylors motor car. Midnight found
them in picnic park on the banks
OF the canaliZed Otonabee River, sew
eral miles from Peterboro.
Died in Each Others Arms.
At 1874 a.m.-to judge by the evi-
cance or wrist watch-they locked
themselves together and slipped
quietly into the water. When their
hodleS were found they were clasped
IN each others arms so tightly that
their fingers had to be pried loose
But as though they had doubted their
mutual strength of mind to stick to-
sether against the deathIy grip Of
the water, or perhaps to make sure
tnelr bodies would not drift apart
after death. they had taken the pre-
caution of pinning their clothing to-
sether. Three inch horse blanket
safety pins We're used
II may always be mystery why
these two people should have thus
sought death together and what was
the strange and unreal determination
which made them persist to the very
last There was 81 sign of Strug-
gle. no marks of violence. no indica-
tlon that either weakened for a mo-
ment
They must have been MANY min
utcS IN dying. They must have had
'lme 10 review th@ act and change
their minds. Apparently they went
I" their deaths with quiet ease like
two people going out for a stroll,
arm IN arm along country road.
Prepared for Suicide,
Both Taylor and Mrs Sharpe had
been preparing for days for their
great adventure. The owner of
harness store recalls that he sold
IaNIor the four horse blanket safety
pins days before the disappearance
About the same time Taylor mailed
certain lodge papers and keys of the
lodge TO fellow member They
were delivered after his disappear
ance. He paid up some small out
standing bills and closed up his ac-
counts, which balanced to cent
Saturday he appeared to be un-
usually cheerful to his stenogra pl1er
with whom he discussed business
trip on which he was leaving Sunday
night Such a trip was not unusual
for as district manager for a large
life insurance company, his district
covering several counties. it was
necessary to make periodic Journeys
He said. however. this trip might
take a little longer than usual. sun
day afternoon he visited the Ceme-
terry. where he laid flowers on the
graves of his mother and sister.
His widow, in her childless home.
related how she had last seen Taylor
about I O'Clock Sunday evening when
he left home in his car, taking a grip
afterward found in his office He was
starting on a usual business trip.
Mrs. Sharpe, too, made her prepa-
rations and with the same uncon-
Germ. Saturday she sent flowers to
several friends, an unusual act In
her room after her disappearance
were found parcels containing jew
elry and other personal articles, all
neatly wrapped and addressed to
friends. With bar pin was a note
reading, Think of me sometimes"
She owed a small bill to her hair
dresser. Payment was received
through the mail Monday morning.
She had dinner Sunday with her
brother. with whom she made her
home. Toward evening she left home
to pay a, call on "a family which had
been bereaved. 1t was a normal call
of sympathy, though this friend re-
called afterward that Mrs. Sharpe
had with a smile evaded her out
stretched hand. LeiSurely she
strolled down the street. No one eX-
cept Taylor saw her alive again.
Taylor's deserted car gave the first
inkling of the tragedy.