Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-13
By HIS OWN HAND
Tag suicide OF SELBY JONES, AT KANSAS
CITY.
&c Blows His Brains Out at His Residence
at 1890 p. m.-The Details Of
the Rash Act.

Yesterday morning a telegram was re-
ceived in the city from Mr.. John Il.
Hobbs. now absent in Kansas City on
business, connected with the Hall
Willis Hardware Company, in which
Mr.. Hobbs is 4 large stakeholder, the
massage conveying the sad intelligence
that Mr.. Selby Jones, formerly of this
city, had committed suicide there about
half-past ten o'clock Tuesday night.
The news soon became disseminated
throughout the city, and created con-
siderable excitement, Mr.. Jones hav-
ing many relatives and warm
friends in Wheeling, among whom the in
formation of his rash act created the
deepest regret. Several private tele-
grams soon arrived, in response to quer-
les for information, and from them il
was cleaned that Mr.. Jones had blown
his brains out, at his residence, No. 4lO
Aldine Place, Kansas City. The follow
ing special telegram to the REGISTER,
from the Kansas City Journal gives the
circumstances of the suicide:-
Special telegram 10 TIE Register.
KANSAS CITY. Mo-. November 12.-
Selby Jones, who for nearly nine years
was connected with a hardware com
panv. that was believed TO be one OF the
strongest in the West, killed himself
Tuesday night, almost in the presence OF
his family. The act was due to deSpond-
ency growing out Of business complica'
tions, which he feared would leave a
lasting stain upon his character. Less
than six months ago the firm of Hall X
Willis. of which he was Secretary and
Treasurer, changed hands, the
stock invoicing only about
oue-third its supposed value.
Six months previous the bookkeeper had
lied the city an embezzler, but the
amount of the embeZZlement was never
disclosed When the firm quit business
w. III. Hall. one of the partners, wa;
left bankrupt, and Jones was reported
to have lost all he put into the firm. y
few days ago John I'll. Hobbs came here
TO look over the affairs Of the old com
pany, and an expert soon found indlca'
lions Of big shortage. Jones was called
before Hobbs and Willis, the latter
president of the firm, and was ac'
cuSed of having embezzled the hrm
money. He admitted shortage
existed. but claimed he was not respon
sible for it. The charge preyed upon
his mind and when he went to his home
lac faced his family with forced good ma
ture. Soon he grew sober and intima
ted that life was not worth the living
and his wife'S efforts TO cheer him were
unavailing. At 1890 he remarked L
his wife:
IL will 20 down stairs and look aftel
the furnace fire and get glass o
water"
He stepped down stairs into the pan
try. placed Il revolver to his head ant
fired, the bullet entering his right TEN
pie, producing instant death.
All day to-day efforts have been made
to ascertain who is responsible for the
shortage. which undoubtedly exists
and the more the matter is investigated
the more certain il becomes that haC
Jones not killed himself he could no
have been convicted of embezzlement
The shortage will reach, ii is now be
lieved. Sl25,O 200, and may exceed thi
amount, but most of it is traceable tC
the time that Price, the crooked book
keeper, had charge Of the books. Ih'
entries could not be explained by Jones
aud upon him rs secretary and treasure
of the company fell the blame. His sun
eide is considered by many as comics
sion of guilt. but others say it was simp
Ia the result of an impulse born OF imam
flli rrVprSg'S anu Il SeuSitiVc nature. l
is not known that he gambled, nor wa
he an exceptionally high liver. He ha
left no property save an insurance poll
cy of few thousand dollars. His re
mains will be placed in a rcceiyin.
vault for the present, but will event
ually be sent to Wheeling for burial.
Tho Associated Press furnishes tn
following:
KANSAS CITY, Mo, November r.
The suicide last night OF Selby Jones
secretary and treasurer OF the defunc
Uall-WilliS Hardware CO.. is surrounded
with sensational details. The stock
holders OF the concern held meetin!
Yesterday for the purpose OF eX
aiming the books. a shortage o
something like 500, 600 was discovered
Jones was charged with being response
BILE for il. He deuied it. The meetin!
adjourned to meet again this morning
Jones went To his home and shot him
self. He left note for his wife Stain!
that ne had been falsely accused; tina
his friends had deserted him aud tina
he could not bear to live longer.
In connection with this legram, tn
following. taken from the Kansas Cit.
star, throws additional light upon the
events leading up to the unfortunate
act
s.John II. Hobbs. of Wheeling, W. Va.
is at the Coates. Mr.. Hobbs is one OF IN
LARGEST stockholders OF the late Hall-Wllh
| Hardware Company, and he has come on
to investigate the final settling up OF affair
with its successor, Giles X Van Peyma
y n expert NttOuLtGuL Has tStA th7"rN'. VI
| ne books since the 10Th of August and h
has lust completed his labors. and 1t is
his request that Mr.. Hobbs has come her'
TO learn the result OF his work.
"Nr. Hobbs says that the Stockholders
will lose lust about One-halfo OF thel
stock. The stockholders were: I. f. Wi
lis. John Hobbs, William II. Han, Selb
Jones and Mr.. Barnes, of St. Louis, who
I a brother-in law of Mr.. Jones. The com
many began business in 1881 with capita
/ of 100000. which was successfully in
/ increased to Sl5O,OOO and S0O,OOC
When the final increase was made MI
/ Hall lacked enough 10 make up his shar
aud borrowed the necessary amount o
Mr.. Hobbs: for which he gave his stock a
security. \ reorganization was then el
| fected and the officers were: i. r. WIS
President: William y. Hall, Nice-Presl
dent. and Selby Jones, Treasurer. Fac
man was TO have exclusive control OF nj
own department, and Mr.. Hall was to b
buyer.
iSaid Mr.. Hobbs: No company wa
was ever organized IN this city or starte
under more favorable prospects than IN
Hall Willis Hardware Company. Its onl.
competitor in this great Western cOuutr
between here and the coast was the SIN
mons Hardware Company OF st. LOUIS. l
good feeling and harmony had existed IN
firm could not have helped making money
and lots Of it,
The assets of the firm, hesides the note
of Giles 4 Van Peyma, consist OF parce
of ground at Ninth and Liberty streets
MIR. Hobbs proposes to see that everything
is settled up in good and lawful shape DC