New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-16
"a POOR DAY TO DIE IN"
COVERT HINT or A SUICIDE uNHEEpED.
THE PRESIDENT OF RAILROAD SHOOTING
HIMSELF IN HIS OFFICE AT MINNEAPOLIS
his FRIENDS IN DOUBT AS TO THE
CAUSE OF HTa AcT
lBT TELEGRAPH no rHE rnnuNE. !

lBr TELEGRAPH 70 TamUHE.J
Minneapolis, April 15.-Tbe sharp crack of q
pistol was heard by the occupants of the seventh
floor OF the Boston Block shortly after 10 o'clock
this morning. The report issued from the private
Office, room 1876, of Charles r. Hatch, president Of
the Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pacific Railway. The
people ran into the Office to see what was the
matter. Mr.. Hatch had shot himself in the
mouth. He was dead when they reached him. He
had been In and out of his office all the morn
ing, and was apparently in his usual spirits he
opened his mail and attended to the customary
duties of his office He reached the Boston Block
at 80 a. M, and being the only passenger in the
elevator as far as the seventh story c. T..
Gordon, the elevator-man said to him:
This is q nice day, sir"
YES" was the reply it is o nice day to live,
but a poor one TO die'
This apparently philosophical remark passed
unheeded at the time. On reaching the seventh
floor the unfortunate man went Immediately to
his Office but soon passed through communicat-
ing door into room No. 1876, which is occupied
by Dr. L. @. Mitchell his brother-in-law, who is
secretary Of the Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pacific.
He inquired for his mail, and after receiving it,
retained to his own room, and for the next
hslt-hour was seemingly engrosssd in his work.
At s:3s DIR. Mitchell heard Mr.. Hatch quickly
close his desk and two minutes later the pistol
report was heard. Dr. Mitchell jumped from his
desk and rushed into the other room, followed
closely by George Smith, nephew Of the dead man.
Mr.. Hatch was siting IN his office-chair, leaning
back In his right hand, which was resting about
four inches below the heart, was revolver, one
chamber Of which was empty. -
The many friends who had been intimate with
Mr.. Hatch claimed that II he did commit the
rash act he was mentally irresponsible at
the time. Il was hinted on 'Change that he
had gpeculated IN wheat and lost heavily, and
that his losses were the Of his suicide This
story was discredited by his friends He was
member of the Chamber Of Commerce. HIS
friends say that he made money on wheat, al
though he did not trade heavily. He formerly
held places on the Omaha AID the Lake Shore
roads. but has been connected with the manage
ment OF the St. Louis road for some years
DtliRent sarch wns made among the papers
in the hope of finding some note which would
explajn the cause Of his action, but nothing was
found.
A distressing feature OF the sad affair is the
fact tha. Mrs. Hatch was out shopping ana couIu
not be found for several hours after the ratal
shot was fired The impression was conveyed 10
her that her husband had been shot by some
enemy. BY degrees, however, the truth was
told her and her uncomfortable grief was pitiaole
70 behold. Her friends fear that her husbands
death will have serious effect upon her
AZ first Mr. Hatch's friends secuted the idea
~ suicide hut the course OF the bullet and the
attending circumstances leave no room for DOUBT
Tbo only motive for the suicide suggested by
Mr. Ha,oh's friends wHs illhealth he was
,bTowp from carriage some time ago. and his
head was seriously injured. 1t is urged tnae
this caused mental derangemcnt aggravated py
other bodily iDarmities He had met WIN no
budpess teverses, so far as any one knows