New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-02
HE KILLED HIMSELF IN BED.
SUICIDE OF A BRITISH ARMY OFFICER.

MELANcnoIIA THE CAUsE-A GUEST AT THE
HOTEL VICTORIA.
Algcrnon Horner, captain in the English Army, and
supposed to in the Secret Service Of the British Gov
ernment deliberately committed suicide yesterday about
noon. in his at the Victoria Hotel. by shooting
himself in the head. The weapon used was n Hopkins
Allen 2-calibrc revolver. The only mark upon his
body the bullet hole in the right temple lie was
dressed in his nlgtclotes and found lying in bed
covered with the sheet II he had Just fallen asleep
The pistol was grasped In his right hand. wmch lay
upon his breast There was 10 blood except few
drops on the collar OF his shirt.
The body discovered last evening about z
O'Clock. 4 note came for him, and the clerk, o. p.
Breen, sent boy up with It, The messenger came
back and reported that he could get response to his
knock. Mr.. Breen went up and found that the key
the outside of the door. and that the bolt on
the inside drawn. As repeated rappiDgs failed 20
elicit any reply, the engineer was sent for, and
the door was forced. Captain Horner was lying in
bed, with his eyes closed, apparently asleep, and
1t WAS not until they approached nearer that
they saw tho pistol and the small black hole in the
temple which told the story.
Deputy Coroner jenkins and the police were at
informed. When the coroner arrived he said
the had dead several hours. The bullet had
penetrated the brain and found about half an inch
below the surface, the left side OF the head Death
for the removal Of the body, and Roth, the under
taker, of No. 524 sxth-ave., took charge of
the body and moved II to his SHOP.
Captain Horner tall, athletic man, with broad
shoulders, and weighed about 1G0 pounds His means
were ample. and he occupied Of the best single
apartments In the Victoria. lie had been stay
ing at the hotel off and on for the last
three or four years lie the last time on August
80, and remained at the hotel up 10 the time OF his
suicide
The only reason that can be assigned
for the decd is melancholia. lie was a
warm friend OF Alexander NJ Denison, tho
actor, formerly of Mr.. and Mrs. Kcndals COM
pany, who killed himself last week in his apartments
at the Arno. Since that day Captain Horner haG
seemed much depressed and talked continually Of the
sad fate of his friend. lie was on the Inman Liner
City Of Richmond last June when the vessel was on
fire on her eastern "Trip. The Kendalls also on
board The long tension Oh Captain Horner's nerves
seems to have helped TO unsettle them and he often
told the people at the hotel that he not the same
man after that experience.
hood of the hotel SATURDAY night and went mp to his
room about O'Clock yesterday morning At 10
o'clock one OF the servant girls saw him take In the
him until his body was found.
several sleeping powders were found In the room
which seem to show that he had found it necessary to
resort TO them to quiet his nerves. He
had many acquaintances in the city. but rs far as
known. no intimate friends ,,,-,o.
that the suicide authorized agent Of the Reuter-
Telegraph Company OF Europe ne d+ ioa c % ReSpe onpS
ride from London. but they could not say in what
part Of England II was Last June his mother died
and that probably helped to =. increase his his
orally understood among. his friends that , ne
was in the secret service OF Lord SalsDurys Govern
ment but of this nothing definite could be learned last