Diary of a Suicide

“Mr. B. Russell Herts, c/o International Magazine, New York City. Under separate cover I am sending you a record of a young man who is about to commit suicide. My only object is that it may help…to ease the way for some who come after…. I do not sign this, but you may verify my death by communicating with Mr. ——, whom I am writing to-day, so that he may look after my effects in New York.”

The body of a well-dressed young man was found off Manhattan Beach, Sept. 28, 1913. In his pockets a torn photograph of Strindberg and receipts for three registered letters were found. These receipts were traced to Mr. Herts and to friends in Toronto, one of whom identified the body on Oct. 2d as that of Wallace E. Baker. –From the book’s Forward.