The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-16
JOHN DOTzERTs SUICIDE
The Seemingly Trivial Causes thnt Led Hin
TO send q BnIlet Through bis uenrt.

NEwBURGH, Juno 15.--John Dotzort,
prominent merchant and citizen. committed
suicide this morning by shooting himself
through tho heart. Mr.. Dotzert was about 40
yonrs OF ngo and believed TO be worth 100000
to $500 llc was an Alderman from the Sec
oud Ward for four yours preceding March last,
and one year OF that time was President OF tho
Common Council. lilo was prominently con-
nocted with tho Democratic politics Of his ward
and city. and also with the Fire Department.
holding at the time OF his death. and for years
before that event. the foromanshlp OF Washing
ton Steamer, No 4. He lived at 80 Golden street.
whore no and his brother. J. Henry Dotzort
have carried on gunsmithng for years. Their
father and themselves have done business in
the same place for half n century. Mr.. Dotacrt
was extremely sensitive. Inst spring tho
Charter election here resulted through inter-
nal dssensons. in a disastrous defeat to the
Democratic party. OF which MIR Dot
zcrt was an influential and honorcd
member. He disllked very much to
thrust himself prominently forward. and
through this feeling lost the denomination
last spring for Alderman in tho Second Ward.
accept 1t II rendered. il would have been be;
slowed upon him; hut this he did not do. aud
ccivod a Handsome minority This circum-
stance worried Mr.. DoDcrt very much, rs no
lmNElneu IIhl ny HIS 'bhlH' no hhh Ntfll
tho Democratic city ticket. 1t soon began
tel on hf Mind ana hS ha21ssss mat
81 the course no had pursued. He refused
70 60, out Of his shop at times. and when
about him in, an unfrlendly way His
l prndsny rEded Sm @ aS" mott getting
| tho denomination. and this. too. agtated him
! Thcn Chief Engineers Convention was held
/ - xwltf oh In kvnQ oh al
Mt which there was n strong feeling. for the
respective candidates for the offices to be filed
| Two all night sessions were hold. and nearly
| one hundred ballots taken. each resulting In u
ue-l2 to IL. AZ IL o'clock on saturday night
candidate in the field in accQrdance with pre-
vious notice. and then left tho Convention. the
other side nominating their ticket ait"rward.
! The position Of Chairman OF this Convention
| brought MIR. Dotzer prominently before tho
! Fire Department Of the city which was equally
divided for the respective tickets, four com:
panies for each of the two. This also worried
| Mr.. Doizert and he imagined that the other
side looked upon him as being unfair. ana
should not do. He thought that half Of the
nremen at least were against him for this.
! property he owned in one of the principal busi :
ness streets in the city and the occupants OF
! which recently failed. He il rcpOrted To have
| paid lnrge price for the property and he I'M
! ngnrd that IL would become untenHnted when
the failure occurred. and would be burden TO
/ him instead Of rcmunerativc investment.
But the principal thing that il thought to have
| unsettled his mind and impellcd him 10 COM
nit suicide II the belief that lis political course
! last spring was SO unsatis factory 10 his party
| friends that they all left him. Yesterday, and
! Scores of times previous to that, he said
to friends that he believed they were all
against him. II at last became clear
| ~ evident that his mind was hecom-
| Ing unbalanced. and his intimate friends
| he-eeehrd him To- leave the city foI few weeks
| and take vacation. that he might IN a measure
| have his thoughts drawn away from these sub
! i"'ts. But al Efforts were unaVaiing. and the
only thing they could 10 WAS To- crt him 20 take
a short ride or walk. Early this morning ho
entered the shop ~ his usual melancholy state
OF mind. II was plain from his subsequent NO.
lions that he meant 10 destroy himself and ht
was watched. At lon.gth h. walked NJ 20 one OF
the cases IN his store. and. taking thcrefrom a
revolver. PASSED ont OF the back door into the
yard. His brother. j. Henry. and an employee
John wilkinson. saw his strange actions. ana
both attempted TO dls-uhde him, but to no pur-
pose. Thry then grapIl"i with him. and tore
hi- shirt from tle light 81 ouler and arm hut he
fnanaEedwth his left hand 10 get IN" revolver up
and. swapping II twice. sent bullet through HE
heart killing himself almCs, Instantly An in
quest WAS held and verdict found in accord
anee with these facts. Mavur N"ygant will cal
Il special meeting II the Common Council e
take action ia regard 20 the G"ath # the eX-Al
deimau Chiof Engineer Nixon has called q
u meeting 90 the officers o. thr FIRE lnparim"n
Zoe tho same purpose The dead Foreman
own company. Washington steamer. No. I
viii IA has always held him IN the highest es
teem. will also take appropriate action.
This morning he smoked fifteen or twenty
cigars before shooting himself