New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-24
A BANKERS SUICIDE.
, p1AKELY CREIGHTON TAKES POISON.
..uSp DEAD IN HIS oFFIcE-A LETTER Elk
PLANNING THAT HE HAD SUFFERED
FINANCIAL LOSSES.

VYAINING THAT HE HAD SUFFERED
FINANCIAL LOSSES.
onrn;.. was caused in Wall Street yesterday by
~. information that ]. Blakely Creighton, senior
-.,,her Of the firm Of J. B. Creighton q Co.,
h.nters and brokers. at No. 72 Broadway, had
.onmitted suicide. Mr.. Creighton was popular
nan among the brokers and had such haPpS
a,.nosi,iou that none of his friends had imagmeo
.,.h an end of his career. One of them said' aiter
=. heard Of the suicide: Creighton was oie-
h.rted fellow, and always had a smile ana iesV
,.ady. He was about the last man in the "oriu
would have expected to kill himself III M h"e
suIy SIS left he would give the money 10 nenu
IN need He was thought to be in comfortaoie cif
,umstances. and lie had q young ana charnnng
vife." =,
Mr.. Creighton was thirty-two years DID, snort
and stout. with. q round, boyish race ~hlch
,.bitually wore q pleasant look. He must nave
nI,ed himself on Wednesday night His body
..s found in his office. on the second floor Of
d. Broadway building. yesterday morning.
The office is a large front room. in which are
s-enl desks lounge and few easy chairs
A the end Of the lounge is q sewing machine, look
nr oddly out of place. Paintings OF various
bnas stuffed birds and deer heads adorn the
,.lls A stranger in the room would naturally
aink he had got into hotel lOunging- room by
mistake The only thing in it, except the desks,
,hat indicates business is a stock-tickcr, near a
front window.
Max Knudson is the ianitor Of the building, and
4. and his assistant. John Anderson. were busy
dustine the Offices yesterday morning Anderson
went into the Office of J. b. Creighton & Co.
and saw Mr.. Crcighton's body on the lounge. At
first glance he thought Mr. Creighton was asleep.
hut q second look at the figure alarmed him. and
be went to call Knudson. Together they made
an examination and saw that the broker was dead.
His body was cold and stiff. Knudson called in
two policemen. They noticed revolver on the
wvuc-machne Some blood had flowed from
The dead mans mouth On q desk in the room
were three letters. Two of these were scaled and
were addressed to the brokers' wife and sister.
sMn j. b. Creighton. Ncw-York.' and Miss E.
sc. Creighton, Morristown, y. j. With the let
sr 10 his wife was jewel-box. marked private.
The third letter was open and intended for the
public II was follows
To whom IL may concern: l have been through a
square business ngh have lost the battle and now
shen my poor brain is aching with pain aud so badly
hat has taken poor Jacks best efforts to hold his head
above water. give way the word OF God and end
H. that in The future would doubt he useless bid
t'ehy to all my kind friends and wish them sincere and
tgsif,Il J. BLAKELY CREIGHTON.
b. careful and notify my wife kindly.
The policemen thought that Mr.. Creighton had
dot himself in the mouth, and report to that
eject was sent to Police Headquarters. Later it
vas discovered that the revolver had not been
discharged There was 10 poison found in the
BON. either, hut an investigation led Coroner
70 believe that Mr.. Creighton had swallowed
pme poison and had thrown away tie bottle which
lad contained it. Then he had lain down to die.
having revolver handy if the poison failed to
10 It's work.
Mr.. Creiehtons partners in the firm reached the
Office son after ixc news f the suicide WAS som
10 headquarters. They are II. NJ. Brigham ana
s. Van Vechten. Both SAID that they were not
aware of any business trouble that could have
driven Mr. Creighton to suicide. Mr.. Creighton
bal been in Wall Street since he WAS boy. lie
had begun as stock messenger in a brokers' office.
Later he had been a clerk in the employ of Bates
d Co. Five years ago MIR Creght IN became a
member Of the firm of W. p Wight & Co,
then occupying the office in which he ended his
Life. That firm was dissolved abont year ago
AID Mr. Creighton became the head of the new
firm, with Mr.. Brigham as manager and Mr.. Van
vechten as the Stock Exchange member. Arthur
T. Caiin, son of the late III. Is.
Clafin. was a personal friend Of Mr. Creighton
md had a desk in the Office, but it was said by
both Of the remaining partners that he had no
sterrst in the firm.
Mr. Brigham said Il cannot understand the
|nnducr of Mr.. Creighton. unless he had become
|nddenly insane. So far | know, his affairs
|verc prosperous. The firm is solvent and we
kaall he able to meet all our contracts. Our
sanding at the bank is not impaired. or course
fae firm will he dissolved by Mr. Creighton's
path, but the business will so on again. MIR.
leighton had not been in good health lately
Mr. Creighton was son of the late Commodore
Fohn Creighton, OF the United States Navy, and
pas born in brooklyn. His grandfather was Ad-
Par of lol!. Six years ago Mr.. Creighton was
ksrred 10 Miss Sarah Tracy, who was several
bars younger than himself. They had no chill
ben; In the winter months they occupied rooms
ee-, fronting the square, and they lNea at
|archmont during the summer months. After
Re return of Mrs. Creighton from the country
|,bout two weeks ago. however, they hired st
II rooms on the third floor of the Hotel Eeresford,
" Eighth-ave. and Elghty-first-st., overlooking
Central Park. Last week Mr. Creighton was away
toui home several days and nights in succession
BE said TO friend at the hotel that he had taken
I rest and felt better. AS he had not complained
y illness the explanation was n0t UNDERSTOOD.
Hi friend heard on Tuesday that Mr.. creighton
had met some serious business reVerSeS. MrS'
Creighton had been told by her husband not u
look for him home on Wednesday night, as he
expected 70 be kept downtown until late houT,
w' she did not rest, worrying on account OF MS
absence and at breakfast yesterday morning hcr
face plainly showed her anxiety. She haH runS
for messenger to send note of inquiry 70 her
asband's office when the information OF the sui
ode reached the hotel. Her brother had gone to
be Office in Broadway and hal exhibited nncon-
tlabe grief Young Mr.. Tracy had thrown
fmself on the lifcless body eXcaiming "Oh;
ack! Jack Why did You do this" He had
ssbb"d for a time like child. Then ne had
ke 10 Mrs Haush, q friend. imploring her TO 90
Il once to the Hotel Bercsford and break the
|sws as gently as possibly
The clerk in the hotel had received message
h telephone. announcing the suicide. when Mrs.
|aush entered and asked to be shown 10 Mrs.
(tsrhtons looms just thcn Mrs Creighton
Pied down TO the clerk through the spcaKln2-
Ebe, asking why the messenger had not arrived |
Il the clerk and Mrs. Baush went 10 her room
|sy heard Mrs Creighton plavinS rervonsly on
q niann Mrs ll..LSl, f1ld Mrs CrClChtOu WHAT |