St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-18
Joseph A. Jameson, the New
York Broker, Strangles
Himself to Death.
He Ties q Sheet to His Neck
and a Door Knob, and Is
Soon Dead.
A Very Painful Throat Tr0u<
BILE Thought to Have Driv-
en- Him Insane.
A Conservative and Prudent
Financier, Whose Business
Was in Good Shape.

NEW YORK, Aug. 17.-In the palatial
residence of Mrs. Amos Cotting. S35
Fifth avenue, this afternoon, was found
the body of Joseph A. Jameson, the
Broad street broker and banker. He
had hanged himself from bed room
door in his fine suite of rooms on the
fourth floor. Mr.. Jameson was reputed
millionaire, and was the stock ex-
change member of the firm of jameson,
Smith 81 Co.. bankers and brokers at
Exchange place and Broad street.
The second member of the firm
is James B. Smith, commodore
of the New York Yacht club.
Mr.. Jameson's family are out of town.
and from what can be learned from his
friends temporary insanity caused by
illness and perhaps aggravated by the
feeling of loneliness in the absence of
his family, is thought to have been the
cause of the unhappy tragedy. Mr..
Jameson was last seen alive at p. IN.
on Saturday. In the absence of his
wife and family he has been stopping
with his sister, Mrs. Getting. The lat
ter is at the Isle of Wight. Mrs.
Jameson and her youngest son,
Miner, seventeen years old, are
at Scarboro Beach. Two other sons,
Addison the eldest. widower thirty
three years old, and Alexander, twenty
eight years old, and daughter, Mrs.
Thomas l.. Manson, were spending SUM-
day at their fathers farm at Clinton
Corners, eight miles from Poughkeep-
sic, and the second dau ghter, Mrs.
Myra Murphy, widow of Richard G.
Murphy Jr., son of the eX-cOllectOr of
the port. was at Elberon, N. j. Mr..
Jameson returned home at o'clock
Saturday, called servant, Kate Pur-
cell; and, after passing remark, THAT
it was light day down town." said
he would go to his room to rest.
He went. and was not seen again
alive. He did not appear to-day, and
becoming alarmed the servant called a
park policeman. The acting police
captain went to the house and entered
locked door. He found the body Of
Mr.. jameson hanging with a sheet
around his neck, one end of which had
been thrown over the door and tied to
the knob. The suicide had knelt so as
to bring strangulation quickly and his
knees almost touched the floor. The
millionaire had evidently disrobed
with the intention of retiring for the
night before the awful impulse seized
him. He was clad only in night shirt
and drawers. The body was taken
down and placed on bed. Superin-
tendent jerks, of the Murray Hill hotel,
a near friend of the deceased, took
charge of the funeral arrangements.
Nothing was found toindicate the cause
of the deed. Mr.. jerks telegraphed to
the sons at Poughkeepsie. and left to
them the painful task of informing their
mother of the sad event. Mr.. Jameson
was taken sick three months ago, and
was still weak when three weeks ago
he was taken with throat trouble. The
latter affiictiOn was so serious that
Prof. E. j. Janeway was kept in close
attendance. The trouble increased and
physical pain may have resulted
in sudden MT of insanity. Mr.. Jameson
came to New York from st. Louis in
1865 with his brother-in-law, Amos Cot
ting, since deceased. Each is said to
have brought 81, 100000 as the profit of
dry goods business. A brokerage bUsi-
ness was opened on Wall street, and at
first the firm belonged to the open board
of brokers, and latterly to the stock
exchange. The other members of the
firm are f. n. Jones and A. F. Smith.
Nv. To- of
tastes, and was regarded as conServ-
ative and prudent financier. His busi-
ness is said to be in good shape. Com
modore Smith was telegraphed at Stam-
ford, Conn.,, OF his partners death.