Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1875-05-08
SUICIDE OF CAPT, ST. JOHN,


Fr}In New York Sun, ApEii 18th.
Fhe veheS Sic AZ lon p. ST. John,
one of the best Es of North river
steamboat men, shot himself through
the brain yesterday while on oard the
| Albany steamer st. John, of the Peo-
pies Line, which was at Nineteenth
Street, undergoing repairs. The news
of his tragic death spread rapidly
among the boatmen, and they fOeked
to the company's pier, at Canal street.
Capt. st. John, as he was known by
every body, was q gentleman of great
wealth. and lived in an elegant resi-
dence in Lafayette, n. J. He was the
Treasurer of the company, and exer-
eised a general supervision over its
steamers. In consideration of his old
age and his vast experience in boating,
he was permitted 10 do As he pleased.
1t was his custom, as well as the Gus
tom of the officers Of the company; to
dine oil board the steamer at the pier.
At noon yesterday Capt. st. John
and his fellow officers dined in the
Drew. The Captain Of the steamer
thought that Capt St. John was unu-
sually Jolly. He seemed to be enjoying
the best Of health, and said that he had
been i'll scarcely more than four weeks
throughout the winter. His mind was
evidently at ease, and when he parted
with the company at the dining table
he said, 81 guess I'll take a run over to
the st. John and see how they are get
thug along with her"
With that the aged captain went
away. The st. John was at Nineteenth
street, and many men were working
upon her. Capt, st. John was vexed
when he inspected the work, and re-
peatedly said that he thought too much
money was being expended in reitting
her. After carefully examining every
BART of the big steamer, and repeatedly
saving, "Too much expense, too much
expense, too much expense" he went
into the barber shop. No attention was
paid to him by the workmen.
Just after o'clock an employee on
the steamer went into the barber shop,
and discovered Capt. st. John stretch
ed back in chair, dead. There was a
bullet wound in his right temple, and
tightly clenched in his hand was re-
volyer. Information was quickly sent
to the company's Office and to the pO-
lice. No one had heard the pistol
shot. as the sound of the baI .mering
on the steamer was almost deafening.
Coroner He6hof soon arrived, and per-
mission wa zen the company to send
the body to q Captains home
The offiee-s ( the company say that
they can sSnaaAae no other motive for
the CapthL - than that he feared
the com paff5 might become bankrupt
through the heavy outlays upon the
St. John. He was heavy stakeholder
and had great wealth. The company,
according TO the officers, never had
firmer footing than now. Mr.. John
Englis, the shipbuilder of Greenpoint,
a stakeholder, was doing the work on
the steamer on very reasonable terms,
and all was secure and safe. Capt St.
John had frequently of late exhibited
much nervousness, and urgently cOun-
seled economy. No one for q moment
doubted his honesty as treasurer of the
company, or suspected that he had any
domestic difficulties, and all are thor
oughly satisfied that he killed himself
simply because his views of retrench-
ment in the management of the cOmpa-
nv's affairs were not those of the other
stockholders. He seemed 70 think that
he had been superseded as the general
overseer of the line. He was every
where liked, and treated with the great
est Difference.
In 1885, Daniel Drew, Capt. St. John
and Others, established a line between
New York and Albany, touching all
intermediate landings. The enterprise
was the germ Of the well known ''PeO-
pies Line" M Drew IS the only
survivor of those originally associated
in the undertaking. Mr.. Isaac News
ton was the first President, Mr.. Drew
the Treasurer. The St. John, named
alter the Captain, cost about 100000,
and was first run to Albany in 1864.
The principal credit of designing and
experimenting the construction of the
ST. John, Dean Richmond, and the
Drew, was due TO Capt. St John, who
made. the interest of the line his study
for forty years. He retired from active
service as a steamboat captain in 1862.
He was then commander of the New
World After that time he frequently
travelled in the company's steamers.
He was a great story-teller, and had
many warm friends. He was married
twice. His second wife lives in the
New Jersey home. Charles st. John,
the property clerk at the Police Cen