The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 25, 1896, Page 9

FHE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SATURDAY, JULY 25, 1896. 1 coupe and went to Charley Hug's house. He came down with me ana we got Dr. ALBERT STETSON KILLS HIMSELE, Puts a Bullet Through His Brain In a Despond- ent Moed. CAUSED BY CIRRHOSIS. Tragic Ending of a Popular Man'’s Life at the Close of | a Busy Day. | AMY HEAD THE SOLE WITNESS The Young Lady Tel's How Her Es. cort Killed Himself in Fred Webster’s Rooms. Albert L. Stetson, manager of the Yo- semite Valley Railroad Company, promi- nent as the son of Millionaire James B. Stetson, the president of the North Pacific Coast Railroad Company, died in the apartments of Frederick Webster, 235 Post Farrell, but the man was dead. *‘This is all T know about it. I think he was temporarily insane, for he would never, never have killed himself in my presence and left me in all this trouble. He had nothing against me, did .not love me, was not mad or jealous, ana had no worries by reason of me. We were simply good friends, and he was always a gentle- man with me. The rumor that Mr. Web- ster requested him to look after me while he was absent in Europe is false. I am old enough to look after myself. Some of my friends and myself once dined with Al and Fred found it out and did not care. There was no case of rivalry or jealousy, and how I hate this publicity on account of my family. As for myseif, I do not care.” Miss Head’s connection with the case may b better understood when it is stated that she and her mother have charge of Mr. Webster’s apartments during his ab- sence in Europe, and that Miss Head and Mr. Webster have been close friends for years. The young lady at one time had a suite of rooms in the same building, on the floor beneath Webster’s apartments. Dr."P.J. H, Farrell and Charles Hug were the first persons on the scene afterStet- son’s death. Their stories throw further light on the case. Dr. P. J. H. Farreli, who was called to room 3, cn the fifth floor of the building, 235 Post street, at 1:50 A. ., to attend Mr. Stetson, made a statement to THE OALL { yesterday. He said: “I was in bed when Miss Head roused me with the summons to attend a man who had shot himself in Fred Webster's apartments on the top floor. 1 found the man, Albert Stetson, Iying prone on the floor. The blood in his throat and nostrils obstructed Lis breathing, and so 1 turned him over with his face downward and street, about 3 o’clock yesterday morning, Death was cuused by a bullet wound in the right temple, probably fired by de- ceased in a fit of mental aberration due to much suffering from a psainful and de- pressing disease of the liver. The only other theory is that he was murdered, or that he pulled the trigger, not knowing the revolver was loaded. The only known witness to the tragedy is Miss Amy Head of 1326 California street, who was with Btetson when the fatal shot was fired. She tells a straightforward | etory, to the eftect that Stetson deliber- | ately fired the shot that killed him, an- nouncing, ‘“This is the way I'll go home.” Many of the minor parts of her story, regarding the way she spent the early | hours of the night with Stetson and others, are corroborated in a degree by Charles | Hug and others, who saw Stetson and Miss Head at the Orpheum. Miss Head's story is to the effect that | she and Btetson went to Webster's apart- | ments to ring for a coupe to take them home, and that Stetson suddenly drew bis | revolver, which, she thought, contained no | loads, and killed himself. Aside from her | story everything connected with the | tragedy is conjectural. | When seen at her mother's home yester- | day afternoon Miss Head, though much | depressed over the publicity of the affair, frankly gave the following description of the tragedy: placed my finger in his throat to clear away the blood. He was breathing heavily, but the ciearingaway of the blood afforded some relief.” “*Was he conscious?” the reporter asked. “No, he was not conscious,” replied Dr. Farrell, “‘and he did not regsin conscious- ness. He expired at 2:55 o’clock. I had Miss Head summon friends of Mr. Stet- son, From Charles Hug, who was sum- moned, I ascertained that Dr. Morse was the Stetson family physician, and I thought it best to send for him. I also sent for Dr. Terrill. Mr. Stetson expired before the physicians arrived. William | Wheeler, a cousin of Mr. Stetson, was also called. “What statement did Miss Head make of the tragedy ?"’ was asked. “She said that she and Mr. Stetson had stopped at the rooms—Mr. Webster's apartments—on their reiurn from the Orpheum. At the Orpheum Stetson dis- played a revolver, but she obtained from him the cartridges which were taken from the cylinder. Four cartriages were found in the pocket of her coat. Accord- ing to ber story Stetson laid off hisover- coat and placed it on the table in room 3—the bedroom. He also put his hat on the table. She stepped into an adjoining room for an instant and then heard a | pistol-shot. She saw Sietson falling from | an upright position in front of a large | mirror. Then she came down and called “I went to the Orpheum with a lady l to me that a man had shot himself." Fred Webster, in Whose Apartmen! ts Mr. Stetson Came to His Death. friend,” said Miss Head, “and there I saw Al Stetson, Charley Hug and Fred Sam- uels. They had gone to the theater to- gether and sat near us. I greeted them and said: ‘Al, you do not look well,’ and he replied that he had been drinking and felt depressed. Later he showed & re- volver in his hip pocket and I said, ‘Give it to me, Al, for it is a dangerous thing for you to have here,’ and he replied, ‘I’ll not give it to you, but you may take it,” and I reached back and took it out of his hip pocket. It was not long until he left us, saying he felt so miserable that he in- tended to take a coupe and drive around town. In about an hour a waiter brought the party a round of drinks, saying, ‘These are with Mr. Stetson’s compliments,’ but we did not see him in the seat he had occupied. He came back pretty soon, however, and I then said to the others, ‘See what I have been keeping while he was away,’ and I exhibited his revolver. ““Al then said: ‘If it worries you 1'll unload it.” He then took out four loads and gave me the cartridges, placing the revolver in his pocket. Bhortly after this we dined and Al wanted to go home, say- ing he would ring for a couve aud I could go as far as my home. We went to Mr. ‘Webstar's rooms on Post street to ring for a coupe and Al wanted to go in, saying: ‘I've always heard Fred had fine rooms here.’ 4] allowed him to look through, some- what against my best judgment, while 1 rang for a coupe; but Al lingered, and finalty I said, “Well, this is not the way home,’ ¥ *‘He then stood up deliberately, stretched to full length, and, pulling out his revol- ver, which 1 supposed was empty, said, ‘This is the way I'll go home,’ and feil dead before me. I did not know what to do, in what direction to look, and I scarcely knew what had happened until I Dr. Farrell says that the pistol, a Bmith & Wesson, contained only one cartridge, and that one passed through Stetson's head. It was placed so close to the temple, just back of the righteye, that the face was not powder-burned. The bullet passed through both walls of the skull and spattered out the brains with the blood. Subsequently the Coroner found the bullet on the carpet. ‘The pistol lay on the floor at the feet of the prostrate man. “Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Hug arrived be- fore Mr. Btetson expired,” said Dr. Far- rell. *Mr. Hug was there quite a time be- fore the patient ceased breathing. Drs. Terrill and Morse were telephoned for.” “I saw,” resumed Dr. Farrell, “that Miss Head was very much agitated, and fearing that she would become hysterical, gave her something to guiet her nerves and produce sleep. On my advice she ‘went to her room on the floor below and slept until this morning after daylight. Then I roused her and advised her to go to her own home, to avoid the excitement of seeing many people and talking of the tragedy. © “Miss Head had not been living in the house regularly for some months. You may recollect that her diamonds were stolen by a Chinaman some two months ago. Bhe had charge of Fred Webster's apartments. This suite embraces all the upper or fifth floor of the house and con- sists of @ kitchen, dining-room, bathroom, bedroom and two sitting-rooms. One of the sitting-rooms has a facing on Stockton street. “The other rooms face on Post street, or front north. The room in which the trag- edy occurred was the bedroom, althougn it had not been used as o sleeping apart- ment for several months. The bed con- tained only a mattress. In the southeast corner of the room is a marble washstand, saw blood on my hand. “l went over to the washstand and washed off the blood, thought a moment in the presence of the dead, then went downstairs and told Joseph Quay what had heppened; but he did not come up- stairs, saying, ‘You had better call nis with faucets for running water. The bea is in the southwest corner. The mirror—a large one—is in the northeast corner, or engle of the walls. In front of the mirror Mr, Stetson stood when he placed the re- voliver to his right temple.” Dr. Farreil says that Mr. Hug and others A. L. STETSON. 235 Post street after leaving the Orpheum, and that within fifteen minutes after Mr. Hug and his company left the tragedy occurred. Dr. Farrell says he asked Miss Head if she had touched the man after he shot himself and she replied in the negative. *I examined her bands and clothing,” said the doctor, “aad found no blood stains. There were no signs of a struggle apparent. Mr. Stetson’s clothing was not disarranged or disordered. She was too much excited to give a clear account of what occurred. She and Stetson were alone.” Charles Hug, who was interviewed yes- terday afternoon, told this straightforward story : *I met Al Stetson last evening and asked him to dine with me. At first he declingd, saying that he was not feeling well and | bad not eaten anything that day. ThenI | said, ‘You must come and eat something. I won't take no for an answer. Come with me to the Pup and dine.” At dinner we drank only claret. We decided after dinner to go to the Orpheum. I shouid say it was 8:30 when we went in. The first act or scene was on when we entered. “‘Steteon saw Amy Head there in one of the boxes. Perhaps he knei she was go- ing or received word at dinner to that| effect. He excused himself about 10 o’clock, saying, ‘I must leave you now.’ | When I left the Orpheum I saw him talk- ing with Miss Head and others. Later on, a little after 11 o’clock we met again at the Columbia—Green’s, on Powell street. I asked him to take a drink and we had one drink. Then we all walked up Powell street to Geary—Miss Head, Mr. Stetson and mysell. We parted there. I wentto my home on Sutter and Gough streets, | and I supposed they went to 235 Post street. “The next I heard was a summons from Jimmie, the hackman, who stands there at the corner of Grant avenue and Post street, near the Bohemian Club. He had his carriage to take me to the room where Al Stetson had shot himself. Miss Head was in the carriage, but she was so much excited that she could not give a clear ac- | count of what had taken place. I asked Yer if she had called a physician. She said no, but that there was a doctor in the building—Dr. Farrell. We roused him up and had him go upstairs. Stetson was lving on the floor, but was still living. The pistol lay at his feet. I did not touch it.” | Cbarles Hug does not entertain the | slightest idea that Mr. Stetson committed suicide. “I would be willing,”” said Mr. Hug, “to take my oath that Al Stetson did not shoot himself purposely. I fancy that he was flourishing the pistol in a playful manner to make the girl believe that he was desperate, and when he placed the weapon to his head, supposed that all the cartridges had been ex- tracted. 2 “There was nothing to prompt him to take his own life. He had not suffered business reverses or disappointments of any kind. He was cheerful and happy as usual during the evening, aud mentioned after dinner that he felt unusually well.” “How much time intervened between the shooting and your arrival at the room 235 Post street?"” “I should think a half hour,” replied Mr. Hug. “Yes, Mr. Stetson must have been lying there alone during that time. Dr. Farrell was not called until I called bim. Miss Head did wake another man in the building to get sssistance, but he declined to respond, advising her to get one of Stetson’s fri¢hds. She then senta backman with a carriage for me. Yes, we drove rapidly. Dr. Farrell responded as soon as we notified him. Afterward I went out to summon Btetson's cousin, William Wheeler, and Dr. Morse. Stetson died while I was out. Grove P. Ayer was also summoned. We carried the body down the stairway to the Morgue wagon. It was very heavy and took all of us to carry it.” It would appear from Dr. Farrell’s own statement that he was summoned imme- diately after the shot was fired, but the clearer narrative by Mr. Hug shows con- clusively that Mr. Stetson lay in the room bleeding and unconscious for at least a half hour. If consciousness returned to permit him to speak no one was present to hear him and note his utterance. A gentleman who was well acquainted with Mr. Stetson at once put aside the theory of suicide. “I knew him very well,” said he, “and knew that he drank occasionally, but he did not drink {0 excess. He had no busi- ness reverses to mourn over. His affairs, so far as I know, were in good shape, and his prospects in life promising. “He was interested with Bullock, an Eastern man of some wealth, in an enter- prise looking to the construction of & rail- road to the Yoseinite Valley. Bullock had been the builder of a railroad near Pheenix, Ariz., which did not prove remunerative and it was contemplated to take up the rails of the Arizona road and use them on the Yosemite road. . “‘Perhaps Mr. Stetson expendea $8000 or $:0,000 in surveying and obtalning the right of way for the proposed railroad. When the San Joaquin Valley road was started Mr. Stetson worked awhile in get- ting subscriptions for the company and | is that he did not intend to commit sui- | the world of his own avill. of ‘I didn’t know it was loaded.” He fan- cied that all the cartridges ware out of the cylinder, and placed the pistol to his head to create a playful scene, Iam fully con- vinced, from my konowledge of the man, that he never committed suicide. Yes, some years ago he accidentally shot him- self in the foot. He took out his revolver from his hip pocket while taking out his keys. The weapon dropped on the door- step of his home, and was accidentally discharged. The bullet hit his foot, and he was laid up for some time.” The theory of some of Stetson’s friends cide ; that, while drinking, he thought he had removed all the cartridges from his revoiver, and that the shot, if fired by bim, was a joke, to frighten Miss Head. For many years;Albert Stetson had been prominent in the social and business life of San Francisco. The scion of a wealthy and respected family, a leader in business affairs and a man of happy disposition, few, if any who kiew him well will fora moment listen to the theory that he left One of the myster.es of the case is the total lack of powder-burns on the temple or through the brain substance. The bullet entered the right temple, according to Dr. Barreit's autopsy, an peared to be hopeful at all times, and his friends will not believe he ended his life. At the office of the Yosemite Valley Railway Company none of Mr. Stetson’s former associates would believe he had killed himself intentionally. Theodore Reichert of the company said: “Mr. Stetson was about the office all day yesterday, attending to business as usual. He made several appointments to meet | people in the futare and acted as if he had ro intention of ending his life.” The theory of accideat gains corrobora- tion from the fact that Stetson removed the cartridges from his revolver at the Orpheum to calm Miss Head’s nervous- ness. Itisnot thought probable that he would purposely have left & cartridge in one chamber of the weapon, and that he thought the revoiver was without a load when he pulled the trieger that cost him his life. Dr. J. F. Morse, the physician of Albert Stetson, did not reach the room at 235 Post street until the young man had breathed his last. In an interview last evening Dr. Morse said he had been treating Mr. Stet- son for a disease of theliver. It wasa fact, he said. that this ailment, commonly known as hardening of the liver, frequent- ly produced in the sufferer profound spells of melancholia. Dr. Morse was of the opinion that the patient in a fit of gloom and despondency, in which his mind was temporarily un- balanced, committed the rash act. This theory is confirmed in a degree by the cir- cumstances that the young man went home to the family residence on Van Ness avenue Thursday afternoon st an hour unusual for him. His sister, Mrs. Chaun- cey Winslow, happened to come over from San Rafael, and seeing her brother there, remarked that it was unusual for him to be home at that hour. He replied that he was sick. She asked some questions concerning the sickness, and he replied that it was some old trou- ble with his liver. She insisted that he should see the family physician without delay. The members of the Stetson family who were summeling at San Rafael came to the family residence in the City yesterday. J. B. Stetson, the father, was in the region of Lake Tahoe yesterdsy morning. He was advised by telegraph of the sudden death of his son, and will arrive in San Franoisco to-day. L. Sisenvine, who keeps the ce Hotel cigar-stand, recalls the incident that Albert Btetson called at his place at 11 o'clock Thursday night and chatted pleasantly for a few minutes. Mr. Stetson was not liquor, and did not seem to be disturbed by any trouble. A friend who was quite well acquainted with Albert Stetson does not accept the theory of suicide as correct. He inzlines strongly to the belief that Mr. Stetson was playing with what he supposed to be an inch and a half in front of the right ear unioaded revolver, in which a single cart- ridge remained. . THE MIRROR IN w. EBSTER’S BEDROOM. and three-quarters of an inch above it, passed through the cerebram and emerged an inch and akalf behind the left ear. The most thorough examination failed to reveal powder marksor burns anywhere. “If the pistol had been held close to the temple,” said Dr. Farrell, “there would have been no marks on the skin, though there would have been on the brain, and if it had been held six, twelve or eighteen inches from the temple there would surely have been powder-marks there.” With a view of testing the burning power of the powder in the cartridges that were in Stetson’s revolver, the Coroner and Dr. Barrett last night made a number of experiments by firing at human hair and pieces of tissue paper at points from six 10 eighteen inches from the objects aimed ‘at. In noinstance was the hair scorched or the paper powder-burned, though clean cut powder marks were visible in the paper at each distance. This caused the experimenters to con- clude that the powder in Stetson's car- tridges was smckeless and that the ab- sence of powder burns was thas accounted for; but for that fact there would be much ground for doubting Whether the shot was seli-inflicted, accidentally or otherwise. The dead man had hundreds of friends in the City. He was educated here and was a well-known society and club man, 34 years of age. When barely of age he went to work for Holbrook, Merrill & Stetson as clerk, under the instruction ot Grove Ayers. He remained with the firm also made some collections. He did good | until two years ago, when he became work. k manager of the Yosemite Valley Railway “Yes, he wasa capable, intelligent and | Company. clear-headed man. He was not embar-| In thiscapacity he made friends every- rassed by business difficulties o far as [ | where and business men recognized him know,and I knew nim quite well. He |asaman of sound judgment. He was a was the last man to think of committing | leading member of the PaciticsUnion suicide, and I am confident that he did | Club, the Olymple Club, the Pacific Yacht mot take his own life deliverately. It was | Cluband other like organizations, in all of most intimate friend.’ I then got in a |came with Mr. Stetson and Miss Head to | surely another and remarkable instance | which he was highly respected, He ap- yENTHUSIASM NOT THERE Democratic Ratification Meeting in Hayes Valley That Fell Flat While the Band Played On. A meeting of the Democrats of the Fifth Congressional District was held last night at Mowry's Hall to ratify the nomination of Bryan anc¢ Sewall. A bonfire was lighted at the corner of Hayes and La- guna streets, and a brass band dispensed a long list of tunes on the corner until 8:30. At that hour it was found expedient to call the mulinglto order, but the hall was not over half full. James C. Nealon presided and spoke concerning capital, corporate power, monopolies, wealth and bankers, and was followed by Patrick Spelling, who_talked of slavery, the money power and ‘“‘asso- ciated villainies.” Frank J. Murasky assured bis hearers that a battle is now on between the labor and capital of the country. Colonel O’Byrne and others also spoke, mention- ing favorably the candidacy of Joseph P. Kelly for Congress. Tue meeting was not large, and the enthusiasm was decidedly at a low ebb whenever the financial ques- tion was mentioned, that issue, as pre- sented, eleciting little applause, o e I T The Cause of Popalism. One of the ablest articles yet written on *The Cause of Populism’ appears in this week’s News Letter, and should not be missed by any one interested in political affairs to-day. In it the writer shows that as the moneyed class has sought to obtain a hold upon the Government for its own ends, so the ‘proletariat i= merely seeking to attain the samwe object for its own ends. This the writer deplores, and proves that every man should be self-supporting and that” the true function of government is merely to protect him in his endeavors and -to further evervbody's interestin a Suf€ Aguinst the City. D. 8. Weaver has petitioned the Superior then under the influence of | Ar " The Maze ro-0ax AN IIHENSE SALE OF LADIES SHIET nasrs 25 29 LSO UP 7o E FOR WA/STS THAT S0LD FOR THEEF TINES THAT COME FARLY A SALE OF #T£° KD GLOYSS FR S04 P5FA FIR. A MANUACTURERS STOCK OF ENBOVER IS S5t 647 1P 852 10" 125 AN/ 4 YARD, A SHLE OF LADIFS BIACK OR THN HOSIERY /554 FA/R. SOPLACK L0565 VIS 2SFEIH S2LEWASH ARBRICS FOR SF 78R THE BLACK DFESS GOOLS AND SUK SALE THERIBEON SALE BOTH AT KALF FRICE 1RZLAWN WEILAR5H ¢ LAST D4y OF Pl s STopss” CLOAK A0 5117 $4LE AT S0 ¢ N THEAF 22 OF WHLSHE COST CHLLBENE BUACK HO5F SRLE LELWaeTH FOR SR2%F . BOTTLEHOITE COLOGHE $F MARKET AND TAYLOR STS. Court for a writ of mandate to compel the | tients to suffer from the inclemency of the Board of Supsrvisors to pay him $108 costs of | weather in a house unfit for a kennel 2’ asuit in which he obtained judgment ageinst | James Guthrie and James Smith spoke tae City and County. in_the same strain. 3 T | L. J. Dwyer moved that it bethe sense of NUEVO POTRERO CLUB, theciub thatthe Board of Health be noti- 3 | fied that the Pesthouse shauld be removed, Removal of the Pesthouse and Pro- tection From Fire Are | and the Board of Health should keep its i R Urged. | | word and see that it is removed. The motion carried unanimously. A Amnli‘nnnyrevinllreél to have tthe club 3 | petiiion the Boavrd of Supervisors to appor- PA'“ ‘“'l"““"‘ "‘“‘é{’“b"’, “‘}:‘ 13“;’“’ tion a fund for the erct:,ign and mainte- otrero Improvement Club was held last | ance of a primary school in the district. evening. A. A. Schumann was chairman The following named were elected offi- and James Smith secretary. cers for the ansuinz term: President, Jobn H. Antonson reported for the committee on extending the Howard-street line into the district, thot it had Mceived a fayorable report from the railrcad company. The Bardeelin; first vice-president, Jonn Kerr; second vice-president, Charles Jurman; terminusof the road is now Potrero avenue, and the residents of Nuevo Potrero dis- | secretary, A. A. Schumann; financial sec- trict desire the road extended to Rhode | retary and treasurer, Georze Guthrie; sergeant-at-arms, Wil jam Siebert. e e 1ioe Rally. 3ands of Hope of Dis- Grand Temp ¢ The children of the Islana street, a distance of about five blocks. Chairman Schumann reported for the ! executive committee that a meeting had been held Thursday evening und it haa | been decided to petition the Board of Su- pervisors to provide an engine and. hose- wagon for the district. rally under the direc ion Kerrigan, district superint work, at the Free. Baptist re Lwenty- firststreet between San Pablo aveuie and Brush street, Oakfand, Sunday, July 26, at 8 o'clock, | An_excellent programme has been prepared the new district prize banner is to be pre- " ... .. |sented to the band doing the best work in the H. Antonson spoke feelingly of the dis- | last quarter. Good speakers will address the graceful quarters in w h the lepers are | meeting. at present housed. “Why do they not| R E DTN commence their charity at home?”’ he | The barbers of India are so deft and asked. “Why do they send to Sandwich | lignt of touch that they can shave a man Islands for remedies and leave their pa- | without awakening him. NEW TO-DAY. FIRST BAKING POWDER MADE Never fails |10 make Light and Wholasome muCT <r40mmMoummo g 7 Z FIFTY YEARS THE STANDARD. GEO. A, FISHER, Agenc 100 Cal. St. & &