The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-12-21
SUICIDE OF F. B. GOWEN.
THE GREAT RAILROAD LAWYER
FOUND DEAD IN HIS ROOM.
a Bullet IN the Head Ends a Busy Life
No Motive Assigned tor the Act.

Franklin r Gowen, ut one time presi
dent of the Philadelphia and Reading
Railroad, was found dead in his room at
Wormley's Hotel IN Washington at one
o'clock on Saturday afternoon last with
pistol by his side and bullet wound in
the head.
The discovery created the greatest sur
prise. and CONSERVATION at the hotel,
where he has been stopping stree last
Monday, having gone to Washington to
conduct the George Rice oil cases against
the South western railroads before the
Interstate Commission. On Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday last he APP
peared as Mr.. Rtce's attorney in the cases
Mr.. Governs action up to the time he
retired TO his room We're most natural and
attracted no attention whatever. Being
a very reserved man, he attracted very
| little attention to himself, aud only one
of tue hotel porters saw him go to his
room. Nothing was seen of him after that
until his dead body was discovered lying
| in the room this afternoon. The maid
who had charge of Mr. Governs room
knocked several times at the door, but
received no response. She reported the
| facts to the clerk and he at once sent out
| after Policeman Cross, who was on that
beat. In company with him, the clerk
and the porter proceeded to the room
The porter on arriving at the door placed IA
stepladder against it, and ascending re
| moved the trlusom and looked into the
room. The body lay stretched out on the
floor, with the revolver by his side.
| Mr.. Gowen had evidently stood before a
large cheval glass when he fired the shot.
for he lay extended directly in front of it,
having fallen almost directly back A
pool of blood had collected near his head,
and the pistol, Smith & Wesson, lay in
the clotted mass, the ivory handle of the
weapon encrimsoned with blood. The
body was stiff and cold, death having
evidently taken place before midnight.
The police department was Immediately
notified. and the body removed to the
morgue. Mr.. Gowen was very we'll
known there and in Baltimore as we'll as
in Philadelphia, his native city. He was
possessed of undoubted financial ability,
but was accounted rash and sometimes
reckle in his ventures. His scheme OF
expanding large sums in the purchase OF
coal fields in Pennsylvania is said to have
injured the road of which he was presi
dent at that time. The venture, it il
said was premature aud lily considered
For some time past, or since the succes
sion of Mr.. Austin Corbin to the presi
dency of the Reading Railroad four years
ago, Mr.. Grower has been practicing law
He had no financial troubles. 1t is stated
that his family relation were most pleas
ant, and no cause whatever is assigned fol
his suicide 4 fact that lends an air o.
mystery to the whole affair is that no ont
about the hotel head the pistol shot
The body was cold, which, at first, lee
to the belief that death bad occurred
on Friday But later devel opments have
modified that belief. 4 gentleman who
occupies the room adjoining that where
the suicide was committed, is habituall,
in his room, except between the hours o
seven and ten at night, and he is confid
emit that he would have heard the repor
of a pistol if fired during the night. Their
the drop-light was found over turned ant
unlit on the floor, the bed had APPARENT.
been occupied, though the covering hat
been carelessly arranged, and conflrma
tory evidence that the deed was committed
by morning was found by the coroner ii
the perfect pliability of the limbs of thu
body, " hicb would probably have stiffen
ed if it had lain over night.