Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-04
he BELONGED TO A SUICIDE CLUB,
And Left Note to the Coroner to Bring in
the Proper Verdict.
WAS A MEMBER OF WEALTHY FAMILY

/ w tuS WOuuus
Mr.. Gaden saw young Moorehead las
evening about 6 o'clock and made an ap
polntment to meet him at o'clock to-day
when they were to complete arrangement
for the production of the "Young Ameri
can" Gaden lived at the Coleman House
He called at the Thirty-ffth stree
house about o'clock today, went to Moore
heads room, and knocked repeatedly, but
got no response. Fearing all was not right,
he put his knee to the door, gave a push
and snapped the lock. He found Moore.
head in his night clothes, his face ghastly
pale. It was evident that he had been dead
for some time.
The Effects Of the Dead Man.
Gaden hurried to the nearest police sta
of the body, a messenger being dispatched
| for Coroner Schultze.
The policeman found five letters, sealed
and addressed, on table in Moorehead's s
room. There were also travelling bag and
| trunk, containing wearing apparel On
| the former was nickel-plated tag bearing
| the inscription, 81. B. Moore, New York "
Moore was the name under which the young
suicide carried on his different theatrical
ventures
The letters were addressed to sc. c.
Thomas, Dre1el & Co., Philadelphia"
'ME Lennon, Coleman House," ''Cabby
841, New York CITY," and 'Charles H.
Moorehead, Bridgeton, N. j." There was
also letter addressed to the Coroner of the
city of New York. They were all taken to
the station house, where the envelope ad-
dressed to the Coroner was opened. Inside
was found letter head of the Garland
Gaden 'fYoung American" Company, on
which was written:
Las A. M, Oct 8.
Coroner Of New York City:
DEAR SIR-I have committed suicide, as
per club. Please give verdict to such effect,
and obltge, Yours truly,
N. B.-My proper name is j. B. Moorhead,
of Philadelphia. G. C. Thomas, of Drexel s.
Co., Philadelphia, is my uncle. Please notify
him. j. B. MooRHEAD. JR.
A Brother Actors Story Told.
Young Moorhead spent last night with
Nestor Lennon, an actor in the :Black
Crook" Company now performing at the
Academy of Music Lennon was shocked
beyond measure when Gaden rushed into
the Coleman House after leaving the
station and told him of Moorhead's suicide.
Both men hurried back to the Thirty-fifth
street house and took charge of the dead
mans personal effects. Neither could as
sign the slightest reason for the young
man s deed.
'Why, 1 only left him at / o'clock this
morning, not much more than - hours
ago." said Lennon to THE DISPATCH re-
porter. "He dropped into the Coleman
House about o'clock and suggested that
we take walk. I acquiesced and we
strolled down Broadway, stopping at sew
eral places. We finally landed at Amberg's
Theater, on Irving Place. We drank some
wine, chatted little while with some
friends, and then left. From there we went
to Roster & Bial's. where We enjoyed the
performance right up to midnight. We
drank good deal of wine. but not too much,
I'm sure. He told me while we were at
Amber's that he never felt better in his life.
He Asks One Last Favor.
SIT was about o'clock when we reached
the Coleman House, and i said good night
to him. He took q couple of steps and then
turned, and with a more serious look than
I had ever seen him wear before, said: Il
want you to do something for me- why
certainly I said; what is it?' He took my
hand and slipped two diamond rings on my
middle finger. Never take them off as long
as you live he said. Remember what I
tell you. Never take them off, laughed.
'He said good night and went into the
hotel Then it struck me that all might
not be right / resolved to make Moore
head explain himself, and ran out of the
hotel to the street. About block away I
saw my friend talking to cabman.
shouted and started to run toward him
He either didn't hear me or did not want
to, for before 1 had gone dozen steps he
jumped in the cab and the driver whipped
up anG was off
Mr. Lennon had not seen Moorehead's
letter to the Coroner When The DIS
PATCH reporter showed it to him and Mr..
Gaden, and asked them if they could throw
any light on Moorehead's meaning when he
referred to ''the club" Lennon turned
white and gasped.
A Suicide Clubman's Death Kept,
''Now I remember He told me some-
thing last night about club he belonged
he Joined it in Philadelphia or New York,
I don't remember which. I thought he
was fooling and paid but little attention to
him." '.He's spoken of it before, hasn't
he?" asked Lennon of Gaden. 'It seems
to me that he has, but always thought he
was fooling," responded Gaden. Both men
refused to say another word on the subject.
"Moorehead was young man of wealth."
said Gaden. "He inherited fortune from |
Ql6pRr6uQIdLuoE, Suu LIS IdtueI, CQarleS ii.
of Bridgeton, N. j., is rich. |
Moorehead had graduated as a physician |
and had travelled much. He was the pro-
jector Of several theatrical ven
lures in Europe while he was
abroad, in all of which believe be made |
money. When I first met him he was a |
very heavy drinker. He went to the Kelley
Institute in Philadelphia for treatment
about seven months ago. When he came
out he was thoroughly cured, he told |
me, and would never drink another drop as
long as he lived. One day he told me that
if he ever found himself in the power of
whisky again he would blow his brains out.
For months after that he never touched
drop of anything. About three months
ago, however, I noticed that he was drink
ing wine again, but he never drank to ex-
cess. The company was to open at the
Chestnut Street Theater, Philadelphia,
November T."