New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-13
THEODORE HOUSTON DEAD.
HE SHOOTS HIMSELF AT HIS HOME IN MADI-
sON-AVE.
NO REASON ASSIGNED FOR THE ACr-BIs FRIENDS
THINK 1T MAY HAVE BEEN ACCIDENTAL, OR
THAT Hg WAS TEMPORARILY INsANE-nis
WORK AS RECEIVER OF THE WEST
SHORE ROAD.

WORK AS RECEIVER OF THE WEsI
SHORE ROAD.
Theodore Houston formerly vice-presidcnt OF
the West Shore Railroad Company and afterward
one of the receivers of the road, died from self
inflicted wound yesterday in the apartmcnt-house
No. so Madison-avc. His friends declared that
his death might have been accidental, but the tes-
timony obtained by coroner indicated that he
had committed suicide. The motive for self-de-
struction not made plain by the official inves-
tigation.
MIR. Houston had been living with his wife on
the eighth floor of the apartment-house Tor about
two months While the servants were preparing
breakfast yesterday morning he dressed himself
and chattcd pleasantly with his wife. About
8 o'clock he took up newspaper and went into
small room which he had used rs a study. No shot
was heard in the rooms, but a few minutes later
Mrs. Houston entered his study and found her
husband lying on a sofa and bleeding from wound
in the right temple. She was too much prostrated
by grief and excitement later to tell what happened
Immediately after her discovery. Benjamin "A.
Weeks, janltOf of the house, was summoned Dy
Mrs. Houston and asked to call the family phys
ician DR.. Curtis. The janitor entered the room
in which Mr. Houston was lying, and he took IN
the situation at glance, but he inquired:
UNCERTAIN WHY HE SHOT HIMSELF.
"Why, Mr.. Houston, what is the matter'
" Sh0t Myself replied Jne NOundcu Hhh ieooiJ
"Why did you do that ?'
"Oh, don't know" Weeks saw no weapon
and he inquired where it was.
" In the closet said Mr.. Houston, indicating 1t
by glance and slight turn of the head.
messenger was sent to call Dr. Curtis, but
Weeks went Immediately to the office DR.. Charles
S Alien, in the basement of the house, and begged
the physician to go at once to the assistance Oh
Mr.. Houston, the seemed urgent.
Dr. Alien found Mr. Ilouton conscious, but suf-
ferng greatly. bullet of 32-calibre had entered
Mr. Houstons right temple and had passed through
the brain in the direction Of the left ear. Blood
was flowing from the wound and also from the
left ear near which the bullet had mbcdded it.
self While DIR. Allen was at work beside the
patient he asked the cause OF the shooting ana
Mr.. Houston again replied:
BIDDING HIS WIFE FAREWELL
Il don't know" Dr. Curtis of No. 11s Mad
ison-ave soon arrived and later Drs Bull and
Wirran were called in consultation. Mr.. Houston
was carried to his bed in another room and made
rs comfortable as possible but the physicians saw
that the wound was fatal. AS he was sinking
steadily he was informed Of his condition. lie
made no further statement as to the shooting, Duo
he called his wife to his side and bade her farewell
with loving remembrance of his son and daughter
who were absent from the city and attending
schools His consciousness continued for about
twenty minutes longer.
In the few whispered words TO his wife during
that interval he told her whcIc his strong box
could be found IN a safe deposit vault ana also
where the key was After he had lost conscious
ness the physicians, with the exception OF Dr.
Allen remained with him until he died at 80 p.
m The police were not informed of the case
unit pbout p. m. when Coroner NuSent was
called to make an investigation. An eAtefhai
examination showed the cause OF DEATH Inc
revolver with which the shooting was done was
found on q shelf in the small closet opening Off
the study. 1t was plain that MIR. Houston had
shot himself in the closet and had placed the
weapon Oh the shelf before lying down on the study
lounge, lie had held the weapon close to his
temple so that the bullet had gone almost straight
through his head.
JANITOR WEEKS AND DIR. ALLEN TESTIFY.
As Mrs. Houston was not in condition TO tes-
tify. the coroner took the testimony Of Janitor
Weeks, who said:
AIS a m was called by Mrs. Houston and found Mr.
Houston on lounge office study lie was bleeding
from wound IN the right temple Mrs Houston
asked me to call Dr. Curtis. the family doctor Be-
fore Dr. Curtis arrived I called Dr. AHen also
asked Mr. Houston what had doing and he said he
had IL asked why he had done so and he re-
pied: "Oh don't know" asked where the pistol was
and lie said the Closet holding In that direction. Tho
pistol was the closet policeman tosk
way after Mr. Houston dead helped to carry MI
Houston bed He conscious for at least twenty
minutes In the with with Drs Alien. Curtis ana
Bull until Mr.. Houston died at l:3O D. M
Dr. Allen testified:
found Mr. Houston suffering bullet wound In the
right temple bleeding from the left ear INQUIRED
what cabre OF the used and no said A. IL
was asoeraiBed later the weapon was of S2calbre
He said he didn't why he shot himself Iremained
with him until IL when Drs Curtis Ban anu "issAh
were in charge
WAS HE TEMPORARILY INsANEY
Coroner Nugent gave permission TO IN uhder-
taker to prepare Mr.. Houstons body for burial.
reporters were not admitted to the rooms which
had been occupied by Mr.. Houston. Friends oil
The dead man who were in the rooms said that if
Mr.. Houston had committed suicide he must have
been temporarily insane, as he had no cause ZOE
self-murdcr. lie had not been in good health it
was said, but he was not in low spirits and he had
not said anything to indicate that he was in
trouble 1t was possible, his friends declared,
that he had shot himself by accident while care
lessly examining his revolver.
Mr. Houston was forty pine years Of age and was
born in MddetOwn, n. Y. His mother is still
living. Colonel ID. c. Houston, of the United
States Army is his brother and another brother IS
Alexander Houston, of Milwaukee. A sister, VINO
was an invalid for several years, was found
drowned in New-IIampshre in 1885. Her mind
nad been clouded by illness and there was some
reason to suppose that she had committed suicide;
When trouble overlook the West Shore Railroad
Mr.. Houston and eX-Judge Horace Russell were
made receivers Of the road. Mr.. loustonS
labors as receiver were so exactng that his health
suffered. Two years ago. when his duties as re-
ceiver ended he was advised by his friends to
take rest and recreation. His son, then sixteen
years of age was placed in an engineering school
in Pennsylvania, and his daughter was sent to q
boarding school,
Mr.. Houston let his house at No. West Nine
teenth-st and travelled about the country with
his wife lie did no work except to make qccas-
sonal examinations and reports for the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company, 1t was said BESIDES
his house in Nineteenth-st. he owned property III
New-Jersey from which he derived in income suili-
cient for the needs of himself and family When
lie returned to New-YorS about two months ago,
apartment house in NIadison-ave. His rooms were
elegantly furnished. II said that his health
had hanu iraatar aA-nlh Ills lOmcStlc