, 1881-05-01
Line Unfortunate Man Connected with
the Barings, Grinnells, and
Aspinwalk.
Continued 'l1-HeaIth, Brought About by
Bralnwork, the Cause Of
the Deed.
"au Street Still Talking About
Elevated Railroads and
Vanderbilt.
Conference Of Eminent Men Con-
cerned in the Yorktown
Centennial.

JOHN w. MIETURN.
SUICIDE OF A PROMINENT NAN,
special Dispatch to The Chicago Tribune.
NEW loKK- April ;0.-John W. Minturr. q
tnemoer OF the old house OF Grinnell Mintllru l.
90. committed suicide carly this morning IL, the
building occupied by tho firm, 1T No, 1Y Smith
street. IT was said at tho office that Mr. Min
TURN WAS u man of slight physique and weak
! constitution For several years he suffered
greatly from general nervous prostitution,
Drought On by ovcrwork, anu he Frequently
complained of severe pains in the head. Ia
october last he went TO uropc With his family,
In tho hope that rest and change Of scene
would restore his health. He has since resided
principally in Paris. Recently Mr.. 3finturn re-
turned to this city alone for the purpose OF
tEansacting so me business that required his per-
sonal attention. intending to rejoin his wife and
children as soon Us 1t should be settled. He ar
rived on the Gallin on Monday Inst. and has since
been stopping with his widowed mother and un-
married sister ut their homo, No. GO Fifth
avenue.
lie TOLD Ills RELATIVES
that his vacation had done him very little good
50 far. but he had hopes Of deriving benefit
from a continuation Of his residence abroad
He also renewed his complaints OF head
troubles on several occasions, but nothing in hts
oearins or conversation wis noticed that would
fectcd. He had nearly finished the business
that brought him to this country, and WAS al
ready making p7eparauo for an cary de-
parturc abroad. On Wednesday, in company
with friend. he went to his residence a1 Hast
inGs, on the Hudson and procured u number Of
articles desired by his wife. During this reip, it
is now remembered, he complained continually
OF bis head Mr. Minturn left his mothers
house ut an early hour this morning, with
the avowcd intention Of seeing his brother-tn~
law and Mr.. Ambrose ktng5land, who Was to snil
in the Gcr1nantc at o'clock for Europe 1t Is
supposed TINT he did go, though this is not GER
tai1ily known. Between Saud o'clock, an 1,l-
usually carly hour for him. he made his ap-
pearan at the office Of the firm, and
WENT AT ONCE TO A SMALL. EooM
! on the third floor OF the building, directly
over the main office, to which he had
been in tho habit OF resorting. Nobody
was In tho Office at the time b1t the firms two
rortcrs. Mr.. Minturu sent one Of them an
errAnd. He seemed 10 be in his ordinary mood,
and the only thing unusual that was noticed
about him WAS tha. he carried package. This
is believed to have contained the revolver with
which be afterward took his life,-a weapon Of
the navy pattern, too large to be carried in the
pocket Soon nfterward he descended to the
main office and passed through it without
speaking to the. clerks, VINO had meantime
arrived. They noticed nothing out OF the
way in his manner. He retraced bis steps in a
few moments and again went upstairs.
ABOUT ONE O'CLOCK
the porter, who was Mt work in an adjoining
room, heard 5mo,hered dctonation, but it did
not impress him as anything extraordinary, and
he paid no further attention to it. An hour
afterwArd, having occasion to enter the room.
he was horrited to find Nr. Mnturu stretched
upon tho floor in pool OF blood. He had placed
the muzzlc Of the revolver in his mouth
before pulling the trigger, and this ac-
counted for the faintucss of the report The
bullet nai passed completely through the head.
and was imbcddcd in the plastering Of the CELL
Ing o7crhcad. The revolver WIS still clu tched
in the dead maus hand. Death must have been
Instantaneous. The Coroner was given notice,
and during the afternoon the body Of Mr. Min
turn Was removed TO the residence Of his elder
brother, Mr. Robert 3. Miuturn, Nh. 80 Park av-
enuc, where an inquest will be held to- morrow.
Mr.. Minturn was in his 43d year. His father,
Robert B. Minturn, VINO died about sixteen years
ago, left seven children. Robert d. Minturn,
the eldest. about IS years of age. is brother-in-
law Of George William Curtis. john W.,
child. He was christened John Wendell, after
the famous Albany COMPILER Of law reports,
lie MARRIED A DAUGHTER OF WILLIAM II.
ASPISWALL,
eighteen years ago, aud their family con-
Eists of two daughters and one in
faint son. The third son, William. is
nbout 80 years Of aga He Is much attached
to literary pursuits. and spends the greater part
Of his time i'll Paris One daughter is the witc Of
one of the Barring Brothers, tho English bankers;
another is married to an English clergyman. the
Rev. Mr. Quick. Tho third was the wife of
stnhlon D. Sands, and is dead. The fourth is
unmarried. Iioha-t 3. and John W. succeeded
10 their fathers business, and owned the prin-
.ipnI interest in the firm. They were brought
lp in the office from the time they were nero
ads. John ". has been q partner for eighteen
rears more. He WIS u man OF large wealth.
ind his relations with his own family and with
1is brothers and sisters we're Of tho most pleas
tnt uaturc- He owned
A MAGNIFICENT RESIDENCE
It Hastings On the Hudson. He was mau of
.ctirno hubits and domestic tastes. and never
accepted any public or quasi public position OF
my kind. The firm was established half |
ng in Massachusetts. Associated with him !!
we're his brothers, Masses H.. and Henry, both |
.nn,ous merchants, and the former 1t one time
:T., was subsequently, admitted. During the
laws OF sailing vessels the house of Griunel1.
iinturn & Co. was ons oi the to hs,nat wsat1e1eSe fa
he United States. and is still among the most |
prominent in its line Of business in the city.
WILLIAM II. SWAN,
nc of the members OF tho tlrm SAID this even
nv that Mr. Minturn was undoubtedly suffering
rom mental alteration: resulting from III
wnys sickiy man. said Mr. Swan. when be
;as clerk ao to TIC nc hqsxe F,;xone nc wits Tas
ho view. Of isuprortne bis health. and
e had been frequently there since for the same
urpose. He suffered much from periodical at-
acks Of neuralgia in the head which ,,,s usually
astcd for three days at tins. ! saw MN ION On
;,,rope on the preceding day, and he then ap:
Ca rcd to be somewhat depressed, because ms
culth had nut improved during his so3ourn
brnud.' Mr. Swuu nd1cd thAt thus far nothing t
nj become known which would tend to show
be suicide was prcincditated.
AMoyf; THOSE WHO WERE COMPANIONS /
E Mr. Njnturn on bis recent voyage were Nr. |
lill,aku Butler Duncan aud Mnnion u. SANDS.
10 rhrec men were almost inseparab'e COM
anions, aud this evening Mr.. Duncan SAID inc
cp;s Of the suicide was as SURPRISING rs II WIS |
I'd. Mr. Minturn was rare Eood 1clto".
,,,r;,,,1nd Mr, duncan. '' He was &c ula. whole
n,icd, and without any bad habit, being ab~
emous almost fault On board the ne, Galiia iai,
q foined in atl Of our asnusenents ana soc1al
a,ncs. and there seemed no BOUNDS 70 nis
pceriness. He was most delightful 'raxeIng ,aln
{Snrfrt- left his vito and c1ljafEn |