Retrieved from https://cdnc.ucr.edu., 1 June 2020. Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research. San Bernardino Sun, Volume 42, page 13. 28 February 1936.
Wife's Infidelity, Climaxed by Ontario Slaying, Moves Husband to Last Act
__________________
Bewildered and broken by his wife's unfaithfulness, which culminated in her suicide in an Ontario hotel, Ralph Riddle, young law student, shot and killed himself in San Francisco yesterday.
"Life was never important to me,: a note said. "Margaret is gone, so all meaning is gone."
His body, a bullet through the heart, was found by Richard McNulty, student at Hastings law college, in a room which they shared.
DESPONDENCY TOLD
McNulty said Riddle had been deeply despondent since his beautiful blonde wife, Margaret, shot herself through the heart in the Hotel Ontario three weeks ago, a few minutes after she had registerd there as husband and wife with Boyd Taylor, 27-year-old Los Angeles attorney whom she had known for a week.
McNulty, returning home from classes yesterday, found a note pinned to the door of the apartment which he and Riddle shared.
"Mac-" it read, "you will find my body inside this room. Better notify police. This is a suicide. On the table in the room you will find a letter addressed to you, explaining all."
WED TWO YEARS AGO
McNulty said the couple had been married two years ago in Los Angeles. Several weeks ago, Mrs. Riddle came south for a visit. Until that time they had rarely been sep[arated.]
Margaret gave it its only meaning as far as I was concerned. Now Margaret is gone so all meaning is gone," he said in the other letter.
"To go on living seems utterly futile to me. God knows there are too many futile and stupid people in the world already. Why sould I go on living?"
McNulty said Riddle had brooded over his wife's death for two weeks.
"He did not even know of his wife's friendship for the attorney until after they went away together," McNulty said. "But the thing that seemed to puzzle him most was why she left no explanation for her suicide. He couldn't understand it. The uncertainty made him frantic."
Riddle left behind a $110 certified check made out to McNulty, with instructions it be used to defray funeral expenses. Days ago he obtained estimates of costs to ship his body to Los Angeles from a San Francisco undertaker, it was revealed.
His personal belongings were carefully wrapped in packages left in the room. One package was addressed to Florence Hedger in Los Angeles, believed to be Mrs. Riddle's sisster.
Near his body a copy of William Cullen Bryant's poem, "Thantopsis," was found with two lines underscored:
"Where each shall take his chamber
"In the silent halls of death."
©All rights reserved by Pathways in Genealogy, 2019-2020. No part of this website/blog may be reproduced without express written permission from the owner.
No comments:
Post a Comment