New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-25
SUICIDE OF J. w. BURNHAM
SHOOTING HIMSELF IN THE TEMPLE.
HIS MIND UPSET by RECENT FINANCIAL TROUBLE
AND ILL-HEALTH.

One of the chapters OF tho recent Nat StTeeb
panic was yesterday rounded on with tragedy
joseph Warren Burnham, of HotchlSiss. Burnbam
& CO.. one of the prominent firms that went under
in the financial storm that lately swept through
Wall Street. shot himself Yesterday He moved to
Yonkers about two weeks ago. He had been in
despondent mood for two months, and his wifes
mother Mrs. Margaret J. Kmnan, and his wifes
brother Alexander +. A. Kinnan, rented house IN
Yonkers for the season, and invited him and
his family there in the hope that
change of air and scene might
improve his health and spirits. so with his young
wife and child a boy only eight months old. ho
went to live with his relatives The house selected
is In Warburton-ave, No. 159, broad street lined
on either side with stately shade trees No l0o IL
large twO-story frame house with mansard roof
porch and bay windows. On the opposite side OF
the street stands the Baptist Church built OF brown
colored stone and looking calm and sedate. From
windows in the rear of the house the broad bosom
of the majestic Hudson can be seen. About the
place there seems TO brood spirit OF peace ana
beauty. Yesterday the breeze stirred-the trees
gently and the sunlight filtered through the sway
ing boughs and leaves, and traced a dappled net
work on the street and sidewalks. But thero wac
an omnous sign visible at No. l59. The windows
were closed and at the front door-bel hnttered
piece of black Grape
Mr. Burnham returned from New-York on Mon'
day evening by the $50 train. His brother in-law,
who had returned from the city half an hour preyt.
GUS met him at the house and they
took dinner together. Mr.. Burnham appeared
to DO exceedingly respondent and unsettled.
Mr. Kinnan engaged him in conversation, but
his answers were so disconnected that Mr. Kinnan
became satisfied that he not in his right mind.
" You don't mean that said Mr.. Kinnan when Mr.
Burnham had made an unusually wild response.
1--WE will talk tonight; you are excited
and I'm tired Mr.. Kinnan took him by the arm
and left him at the door of his bedroom This waa
about 10 O'clock. His last remark was: Oh, myl
what business have had" This was said with
his hands pressed to his temples and with air Of
WEAKNESS and distraction.
Mr. Burnham's mother-in-law, his brother-in-law
and the child and nurse occupied rooms opposite
that of Mr.. and Mrs. Burnham on the same hoor.
Mrs. Burnham awOke few minutes before
o'clock and spoke to her husband, who was also
awake After some little talk he got out OF
bed. 1t was then 26 minutes after 7. Mrs.
Burnham also arose and left the room to
get him glass of water. When she returned with
the water her husband was kneeling by the side or
the bed saying his prayers Then Mrs. klnnan, who
had also arlscn called to Mrs. Burnham to bring her
a comb which was on her dressing case. Mrs. Burn
while she was handing the comb to her mother
sharp report was heard
That was pistol shot" exclaimed Mrs. Binnan.
" 1t must have come from the street."
That man has shot himself" was the mental ex-
camation Of Mr. Kinnan, who began 10 dress With
accelerated speed
THE DISCOVERY MADE BY HIS WIFE
Mrs. Burnham rushed into her room again. Thcre
Gha har hus In stretched
out at full length on his back the hOor beside q
window. His right hand still clutched a revolver
Blood was Oozng from a wound IN the right tenn
pie just above and in front of tho Warren,
Warrenw called out Mrs. Burnham in an agonized
tone. His lips moved, but no sound escaped them.
She ran her hand along his right arm aud the 10.
volver dropped from it.
When Mr.. Kinnan entered the room MIS-. Burn
ham was supporting her husbands head. " Look
out of the window" she said to her brother; some
one has shot off pistol aud killed Warrea.'
But he saw at once that such
theory was untenable. "Ie has shot himself he
replied mournfully and as he glanced down he.ssw
the pistol on the floor and and the blood yelling
from the wound it had made. Mr.. Klnnan dis
patched servant for Dr. Balch, who could do
nothing however. Mr.. Burnham was uncon-cious
feeble beating of the pulse aud .ht rcspirl-
tions were the only signs of lIfe There was no
struggling. The hair near the wound. he noticed,
was scorchcd. showing how close the fatal weapon
had been held. At 7:4l the pulse ceased to beat
and Joseph Warren Burnham was dead.
VERDICT OF THE CORoNERs JURY.
Undertaken Veltch was summoned and Coro nei
Mitchell was informed. Ajury was impanelled and
the inquest was held before noon at which the facts
told above were elected. The coroner took the
depositions of Mrs. Burnham and Mrs. Klnnan.
so they were too much agita;ed TO en-
dure the ordeal of testifymg before
jury. With great difficulty Mrs. Burnham
signed her name to her testimony. Mrs. Kinnan's
hand trembled so violently that size could merely
alix mark to her deposition.
Mrs Burnham testified that her husband was
-four years of age and that she had been mar
RED to him two years. He suffered from liver and
kidney troubles, which were SO severe six months
previous that he had given her some instructions
as to what she should do in the event OF his death.
For three nights previous his eXtremtes had been
icy cold and his head heated Mr. Kinnan and Dr.
Balch gave their testimony at the undertaker's Of
fee where the inquest was held. Mr.. Kinnan SAID
that he had known Mr.. Burnham for three
years aud previous to his failure he had been Of
cheerful disposition. There was one thing" he
said that made him feel lad. That was that bis
partner Mr. Hotchkiss, went away 10 Vermont 10
be gone two months. He thought IL an outrage that
he should be left alone all that time TO manage the
affairs of the firm The jury promptly returned .
verdict that Joseph Warren Buuham came tohis
death from pistol shot wound in the brain, n-
fcted by himself, while laborlug under temporary
alteration Of the mind.D
Friends of Mr. Burnham sand that the sudden de-
parture of Mr.. Hotchkss. leaving the guidance OF
the firm through the troubled seas that
beset IT, entirely to Mr.. Bumhau. had increased his
despondency to such an extent that he became de-
mented. Whether justified in the opinion of not he
regarded II as a bad desert0n of him at the time
when he most needed support.
ATALK WITH MR. KINNAN
To a reporter of The TRIBUNE, Mr. Kin.
nan said that his brother-in-law Mr.. Burn