New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-13
w. O. KERNOCHAN A SUICIDE.
HE SENDS A BULLET THROUGH HIS BRAIN.
TORTURED WITH TIE FANCY THAT HE WAS N
ILLHEALTH-A VICTIM OF MORBID
IMAGINATION,

TORTURED WITH THE FANCY THAT HE WAS N
ILL-HEALTH-A VICTIM OF A MORBID
IMAGINATION.
The flag flying at half-mast Yesterday from the
roof of the Delta Phi Club. No. 3 Fast Twenty
scventh-st., was the first intmaton given TO many
of the friends of Walton o. kernochan. the popu.
lar cubman that he had taken his life Mt An
early hour yesterday morning. large number
of his friend, called at the clubhouse to verify
the rcpor, of his death which had spread among
the uptown clubs. The last act in the life OF Mr..
kcrnohan is sironded in mystery, and while
words of the deepest sympathy could he heard
ever, where, no one cOuli bc found who knew OF
n sufficient reason for his killing himself II he
Jeff any letters which might throw light on The
suhcct and il is Soid that he did, they are in The
custody of Coroner Shnltzr, who refused 10 give
them ont for Publication. and was also unusually
.rticcnt about the details OF the tragedy. Mr..
k"rnoclan was twenty seven years old. and form
erly lived AT No. Is! Madison-ave. the home Of
John a. K"rnochnn. his father. lie had becn q
special student at Columbia College. At the death
Of his father. which occurred three years ago,
Mr. krrnochan left the Madison-ive. house and
took mp his abode nj the Delft Phi Club 10 IS
>aid that the relations between Mr.. Krrnochan
and his s,rplnorher. Mrs. Louisa y. krrnochan.
were not pleasant. and that il was on tins account
that lr preferred 10 live apart from the family.
Mr. Kcrnochan inherited Jointly with his brother,
.ID>rph H.. VIII" Is in tho insnranc" business. a
large amount of nome. which enabled him TO
live comfortably without he.lg actively engaged
in business. He had lar-c interest in tiie John
son Railway Signal Company. which has n factory
at Railway. y. j.. bGt he gave LITTLE attention 10
the husiu"sS.
Mr. Kcrnochan deeply affected by his
fathers death and got an impression that he was
not Goinc :" 1--we hug after him. lie was down.
hearted and nlclaucI"Ilv. AMI his family and
friends di every rhing IT, cheer him mp and make
linn hook upon thr bright side of things. He was
constantly on tL" watch TOR symptoms Of disease,
and every lii,le pain anl ache that ordinarily
", I'D ir ,,>,'l a>i,l" y If no moment would he
ii ualt oYrr. n,Eniiird and exaggerated into
s"m.ihnG of import incr He constantly worried
about hi> condition wien therr was nothing really
tine matter vita him. and hi, mental agitation
sc: IN, eNirc'rd raily death of'enfimes
d.>ir">,n- :, hs friends: and family.
rhou-h lr ws, not rob,l>' naturally. jet no had
a .ooi constitution and cniol"d a fair degree Of
.".lt' zen hr iiopshf himself ILL., II" hal been
uii.lcr '.r c.lr.. - iuul"r # well known medical
rN;r.l, ~ ia, and othc: cities. bat non" vi them
dd nn al.v good. ior ne reason. ~ he often
.
1.c n ltH' iiprl Whsrh hr W.> suffering. Many
e r.r diseases wA.rh he 'hoatur were consuming
l. IS c".- wrrr 81 pvlrl; Mental origin. though he
e., all i.n' hc U.1 a, t. understand it. and he
;!r Il Lioic ~ lu.. llnaf:on than from any other
. aiii rf.rI..
- :r;.- nr ~ npnth Mr. k"rnnhan WAS
-"' '.% >" .''. 3" ii,s''nn:'. a.'! h"I been heard
T., >1I a''' l",:rI h!> room that he bad pt,scd Z.
>.ctp.">> r.-h. A." only srrp that he got of
lat" w.s bsoU-i: tbout hy the Use oi narcotics.
Il = i..!cN,l thh' ~. boss of sleep was due 10
w";yl'lr:I a'r,rt his h"I'th, whlch combined
L,":c i.lu drcc"d aa mel nc,.o!y, though 10
iloa ,...> "rlpUs.
>uun.~> ii-:a' hr appeared at the Delta Phi
'lah - usUa. l":, riub has bachelor apartment
,ui Mr krrnoc,an had handsome sntr Of rooms
-. tl, >.co!d floor. He dncd with several friends
au,l riat',i c4,rr:iliy with them for an hour Or
n.re" .t;". tu."r. ih'n h. i"ft -" rMb IN full
,!r,.>, .,i lritiucl 1T lalu-:i' II Is n"t known
ci,. =; rlt 'hr "t"i-. nut J. i fhouEhf from
~,.f : >,ii 80 ri' ""h steward un Ills return that
H.. n,. h'-u +" H." Theatre. H." went 10 his room
4 al"..' ""i"rh yesterday nI"rnlr-. hut dIi not
r.t.rl a, b" WIS .."ari walking up and down tho
i..or 80: -," tlm" Th" h"i>' was closed for tllc
n.-t;. H.f II. k.rnor!iiu. III the >"l:iUd" Of his
g.. :ti. r So, I'icnliN debating the question of
r:.un- ul> .!.r. lie uu l"i :omoy" any OF his
ci"'ur-. and lie >'ris-1r vas Kept up until 80
,',lur> W'rn - ,.,Hl'," that A. GIp no. care -
i've o;-rr il' vs. tIr'n sitting on the edge OF
l II. h'. ,'! .k'u- a revolver from his pocne- lie
-; e." ;'l'r ol Inc Wcapnn against his forehead.
p.l,! '.... '.l-~rr. tell back The bed. and In a
il.o.iri.' dead. iur pistol was a tVr'I-ioIr
clii, r" >r!'h !, W.,>pu and the biz bullet
p',n-i"i f:i,p-h r!r train and came ont of tile
ln,. >iarp report "' ~" pistol rang through the
r,uh., o.>.' ,r'l -" k"'.''i 'c inmates. III" club
u.nl,r, W'r' r. ,r.' cNrlt"i. and feared 10 ven-
t..r ir III : 81: r':r. 3D., '''i Thought thar per.
i..,> >.,.,, !.:.ilr i.u. -"l ut" III" building and
v~ i"pal'. ,uI VICTIMS >"rc "u" rang up Ed
- ri lu:i-!'r ;ir >'rr lr'!. VINO ran ont info the
,:..p,,l. "i Sc Nest r. :lir'!.si station. The
- .r: -r,r A"i i.mHeh t.' h"n>' ard finally