Violet Eloise Whaley

Violet married George T. Bertolacci and had a double wedding with her sister, Anna Amelia in January 1882. Violet’s marriage with George T. Bertolacci had failed. There are reports saying her husband left her after only two weeks of marriage. However, Whaley House Museum historian Dean Glass has advised while George was not a great person, he did not abandon Violet on their honeymoon. Reports say George was a con artist and only married Violet for her money. Nevertheless, the marriage failed and the couple’s divorced a year later in 1883.

Violet Whaley took her father’s pistol and shot herself in the outhouse at 6:30AM on August 18, 1885. She was brought inside by her father and died in the back parlor.

Both Violet’s father and her sister, Lillie saw her that morning at 6AM. She had taken her father’s caliber about 1-2 days prior which was locked up. At 6:30AM Violet shot herself. Thomas stated right before he heard the gunshot, he was calling for her, asking if she wanted a peach. He ran to her to bring her inside. She was only alive for 10-15 minutes before she died. Violet never said a word or groaned when she brought in, according to her father.

Violet had tried to take her life earlier that year on July 5th by jumping from the back from the house into the cistern. Her sister Lillie stated, “I don’t know why—think she was tired of life—tired of living here—thought no one cared for her and that her life was a burden. ”

Lillie stated, “she took no interest in anything. She was under Dr. Gregg’s treatment; was anxious to have health, but tired of life. “

Thomas Whaley stated, “She had shown no particular life or interest for some time. She was naturally of a lively nature, and loved music very much—played the piano and guitar; seemed to take more interest in such things lately, and we thought she was getting better.”

The suicide note is a passage from ‘Bridge of Sighs’, a poem by Thomas Hood. This was found in the back porch, according to Thomas Whaley. The poem left by Violet stated

“Mad from life’s history,
Swift to death’s mystery;
Glad to be hurled,
Anywhere, anywhere, out of this world.”

After Violet’s death in 1885, Thomas built a house located at 933 State Street in San Diego, where the family moved to