Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-01-13
OUT OF LIES HISTORY
INTO DEATHS MYSTERY,
STARTLING TRAGIC EVENT.
Suicide of VIM. Fl. Albright. Z. 5.
Express Agent.
WITHOUT A NOTE OF WARNING
And Apparently Cheerful and Happy,
He Lies Down OH the Couch
of Death.
LAST SEEN ALIVE AT 2.3O P. NJ.
And His Body Found Between 8 and
10 Last Evening.
SPECULATION AS TO THE CAUSE.
Was il Financial or Heart WOe---He
Leaves No Clue Behind.

In point Of strange and startling contrasts
fate is fcarfully dramatic. If any of the hun
dreds of citizens who encountered the smiling
face of William II. Albright, L. S. express
agent, on the street yesterday, had been tol(
that beneath the superficial air of content ant
debonnair glndness, lurkcd in his heart th
dread purpose of suicide, the informant would
have been considered madly insane
Yesterday evening, however, inexplicable as i
may seem, this young man, 50 widely knowI
and beloved for his fine business and socia
aptitudes, placed the muzzle of a revolver te
his temple, and the trouble-tossed spirit of al
that was known and respected in "Billy" AL
bright was waited TO the great unknown.
The suicide Of this young and promising
man occurred between O'Clock and sundowr
yesterday afternoon.
The circumstances Of his sad and tragic
death are painful TO dwell upon. As much as
could be ascertained, amid the doubt of be
wildermcnt last night, is given:
The deceased was last seen by clerk in vii.
kes drug store at the Seven Corners, about
$50 o'clock yesterday afternoon. About the
time named he entered the store and remarked
that as he was not feeling well he intended
10 60 up stairs and lie down,
Immediately afterwards he left the store and
went to his room, situated on the third floor
of the building known as Moore's block, on
the southwest corner Of Third and Fort streets
This was the last time he was seen alive.
Shortly before o o'clock last night Mr.
Frank Church, route agent of the United
States Express company, visited the
room to make social call
He fonnd the door locked and, after due in
quiry, it was asccrtained that the deceased had
not been seen since carly in the afternoon.
This circumstance aroused his suspicious,
which were impaired to Mr.. II. NJ. Crossctt,
superintendent of the company, at present So
iourning il this city.
1t was then discovered that he had not been
at the Office since noon. About O'Clock in
the afternoon, Mr.. Crossett and the deceased
left the office of the United States Express
company together. They parted at Bridge
Square, Mr.. Crossctt going TO the Metropol-
itan hotel and Mr. Albright turning up Wa
bashaw street in the direction of the post
office.
Suspecting that perhaps something out Of
the way had happened, Mr.. Crossett at once
repaired to the building in company with Mr.
Church. They tried the door, which was
locked This was between $50 and 10 o'clock
The janitor of the building was called TO open
the door, when followed the
STARTLING DISCOVERY
Save the softened light which fell on the
surroundings from base burner, the room
was dark and pervaded by a sacred silence
The first glace at the tidy and tastefully
adorned apartment showed nothing unusual.
AS dofsrDo fof as all could Mas iS be orJsr sIsn
If any premonitions OF dread had crossed the
minds of the gentlemen they were we'll nigh
dissipated. But pair of heavy
damask curtains, falling gracefully
from the ceiling concealed an alcove
beyond these curtains was the bed
Hesitatingly the curtains were drawn aside
and the spectacle encountered was one of the
most perfect repose. Lying on the bed, in full
attire, (his shoes only being removed) with the
left.hand crossing the breast and clasping
handkerchief, and the right arm reclining nat
urally at the side; with head turned slightly tc
the left, was all that remained of William Al
bright, wrapt in the soft and profound slum
Der of death.
The position of the body was wonderfully
natural The story of his tragic ending was
told in the streak of crimson that discoloreG
the pillow slip, and in the clot of CONCEALED
blood that disigured the right temple Be
sides these, was the tell-tale revolver which
rested on the bed between his right arm ant
side.
After recovering from the shock, Il messen
ger was at once sent to police headquarters
and Chief Weber and Capt. Clark hurried tc
the scene of the tragedy. Chief Weber sent al
officer in quest of Coroner Davenport, and tha
official soon put in an appearance
The wound was examined and the ball found
to have entered the temple and penetrated the
brain as above described.
The room and clothing of deceased were ex
amined in hopes of ascertaining some writer
word in explanation of the motive that actuatet
the catastrophe, but nothing of the nature wal
found. From the appearance of the remain
death was instantaneous and must have result
cd three or four hours before the discovery.
Coroner Davenport then announced that Ii
would hold the inquest at 10 o'clock thi
morning.
SKETCH OF THE DECEASED
OF the early history or life of deceased bu
very little is known. At the time of his dealt
he was agent for the United States expires
company in this city.
He was O native of Canada, and came TO ST
Paul about twelve years ago, first running q
an express messenger for the United State
Express company. From this he was promot
ed TO chief clerkship, and about four year
ago he was made the agent for the com pan,
in st. Paul.
As near as could be learned the decease
would have been 40 years old next June. II
is supposed TO have a sister residing at Ceda
Rapids, but has no relatives in this State. TIL
deceased was a member of Champion lodge
Knights of Pythias, this city
The revolver with which the deed was don
is Smith s Wesson y calibre, seven-shootel
When found, six Of the chambers were empt,
only one shell remaining intact
THE MOTIVE
Diligcnt inquiry last night failed to estal
lish definite motive for the deed.
According to the most reliable information
obtained from an official source, the deed ws
actuated by financial embarrassment Viii