001 - Part 01

Mr. B. Russell Herts, c/o International Magazine, New York City. I am sending you a poignant account of a young man contemplating suicide. My aim is to provide a glimpse into his thoughts, perhaps to ease the path for others who may follow. Though I remain anonymous, you can confirm my passing by contacting Mr. ——, whom I am reaching out to today to manage my belongings in New York.” The lifeless body of a well-dressed young man was discovered off Manhattan Beach on September 28, 1913. Among his possessions were a tattered photograph of Strindberg and receipts for three registered letters. These were traced back to Mr. Herts and friends in Toronto, one of whom identified the deceased on October 2 as Wallace E. Baker. –From the book’s Foreword.