Wichita eagle., 1889-04-14
The President of the Elevator Com
pany Found Hanging in
His Office.
No Cause Absolutely Known, but BE Was
Heavily Involved in Wheat
Transactions.
No Further News Of the Inflated Ship
"Danmark," Abandoned at Sea-
Hopes Still Entertained that
All on Board Were Saved
General News.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, April 13.-At an early
hour this morning when Louis Napoleon,
the ianitor of the St. Louis grain elevator
office southwest corner of Biddle street
and the levee, went into the Office to clean
up he found John jackson, president OF
the elevator company, hanging to one OF
the high posts of counter railing dead
and the body cold, Mr.. Jackson had evil
IDENTIFY stood upon a chair while adjusting
the rope-a piece of an ordinary clothes
line-and then, kicking the chair away,
the moose closed on the wind pipe, death
ensuing by strangulation. The Janltor
and his wife cut the body down and laid 1t
on sofa, where it remained until Mr..
Robert p. Owens. cashier of the company,
came to the office. Several letters were
found on Mr. Jackson sdesk, one addressed
TO bis son and others to business friends,
which Mr.. Owens took charge of and at
this writing their contents are not known.
Word was Immediately sent to the family
residence and the body and letters were
sent down shortly afterwards. Mr.. Jack
son was one of the best known business
men of the city with very large interests,
and the news of his suicide caused great
sensation on change. He is said to have
been heavily interested in May wheat and
it is reported on change that his grain
transactions probably had something TO do
with his self-destruction, but of this moth
ing definite has transpired as yet.
At Mr.. Jackson's home the shock to the
family was so great that no definite infor-
nation could be obtained. Mr.. Hugh
Rogers, one of the brothers-in-law of Mr..
jackson, was at the house but could not
or would not give any information as to
the cause of the suicide.
There WAS much talk on Change about
Mr. jackson and the three elevators in
which he was largely Interested, being
long" on May wheat to great amount,
but nobody seemed able to give
definite information. General GrIer,
of the Grier commission company,
through whom the St. Louis Elevator
company did its business, said Mr.. Jack
son personally was not ''long" bushel
with his house but the elevator company
was, but he believed they were able to
take care of all their deals
1t has been noticed several days Mr..
Jackson was worried and some of mis-
friends knew that he was in trouble, but
when approached on the subject he
laughed the matter off and assumed gay
and cheerful manner. An intimate friend
of the deceased said: II know that
this catastrophe is by no means
unexpected to the family of Mr..
Jackson, although of course the shock
is terrible. For about two weeks he has
been In very low spirits, as 1t is generally
understood because of heavy financial
losses, although for this l cannot person.
ally vouch. What do know is that dur
ing the time l have mentioned his son
George has been watching him very close
ly. Except when on the floor here
he kept him under his eye con-
tinually and never left him alone for
an intsant. Late yesterday afternoon Mr.
jackson gave him the slip and this is the
result. / know that Mr.. jackson wrote
several letters to different friends, but |
have not seen any of them. What do
not know is that his family have feared
something like this ever since the first OF
the month. 1t is said he was long on May
wheat and that his losses in this conflict
with previous disastrous operations threw
his mind off its balance Without actual
knowledge believe this to be the cause of
the rash act