The morning call., 1893-05-10

All the signs point to an underlying
mystery in the case that even the Coro-
ner's jury may fail to unrayel.
The letters and Iapers found on the
body possess no value for an investigation
with the exception of a letter addressed to
the vile OF the dead man, and this was
not in his handwriting. 1t had passed
through the mails, but was unopened. anu
a nice legal point exists whether even the
Coroner has right to open II.
William ]. Morgan was born In st. Louis.
Mo-, about thirty-seven years ago, and
came to this city in 1854. lie engaged IN
the real-estate business and soon acquired
reputation as cleAT-sighied business
man. About year ago he purchased oil
George Bargate the then president OF the
Belvedere Land Company, the controlling
interest in that enterprise, which was con-
ducled at the offices OF Tevis " Fisher.
Morgan removed the offices TO his own
quarters. at 512 California street lie also
purchased Bargate's house at Belyedere
and resided there.
1t is peculiarly cOmplcating feature OF
Morgan's suicide that, while all accounts
represent him as having been in the best
of spirits mp to q brief hour before his
death, there was found on him new pis-
,tOl, box Of cartridges, OF which only one
had been used and a package OF
strychune containing enough to kill
dozen people. Moreover. the most ira
dictory reports prevail as to his financial
standing at the time, and, lastly. while one
account represents his domestic relations
as exceptionally happy. other vague stories
are told OF recent trouble.
Secretary Weston promptly had The doors
OF the Office closed as soon as the body had
been removed lie WAS unable to say
more than that 1t was only few minutes
before the tragedy that Morgan left the
room, apparently bright and cheerful and
Ike a man who only expected to be out
few minutes.
Edgar NJ. Wilson. treasurer OF the Belve-
dere Land Company, made the following
statement: Il attach no value to the T E.
ports that Morgan was in tinanci al
straits. I he annual meeting only took
place yesterday. The reports for the year
were presented and showed the company
to be in the most satisfactory condition;
better than ever before. L am the treas
urer and the funds are subject to my check,
so that il is impossible for any business in
connection with the Belyedere Land Com
pany to occur without my knowledge.
81 have just left Mr.. Walker Powell,
president of the Bank of British Columbia,
which keeps our account, and he told me
that the affairs OF the company with the
bank were ., X.
"As To Mr. Morgan's suicide it is perfect
mystery to me. There is no woman in the
case. The only theory | can advance is
that he was seized with a lit OF temporary
insanity. lie was not subject 10 any mem
lhl ulSSdSt, DuL liltI6 were LlllGS hitD lie
seemed little ratified for a nroment, but
not more 50 than any of us might be. My
own acquaintance with him has been
simply in connection with the business of
the company and his death at this time Is
perfect surprise to us.
Our annual meeting yesterday after
noon was harmonious in every respect
Morgan was reelected president. He was
Il splendid business man, attending 10 all
details with the greatest care.
LAS to the report that number of
proxies were found in Mr.. Morgau's pos
session there Is nothing surprising in that
at the time of an election.
Il happen TO know also that Charles
Wheeler entertained Mr. Morgan and his
wife at Belyedere last night and that they
had a very pleasant s0ciable home. lie
was az lunch to-day in the Bodie restau-
| rant in tie best of spirits.
There is only one other idea that occurs
! 20 me IN thinking Of the suicide. Morgan
| had suffered severely from pains in the
| limbs, the result of rheumatic fever; and,
| in fact, he has always been an invalid
| during the SIX or eight months / have
| known him. 1t was because of i'll health
| that he went to live at Belvedere. and !
| understand that while there his health
! somewhat improved.
as for the affairs of the Belyedere Land
| Company, all l can say is that since the
| company started, in 1890, it has been very
successful. The capital stock is $1,000, GOO.
and about 81, 0,O00 worth of land has
| been sold.
II consider Mr.. Morgan to have been
man of means. Certainly he must have
been worth more than 100000, for only a
week or two ago he qualified on bond
| before Judge Angeotti, In Marin County,
| and testified that he was worth S1l0.000,
clear Of Indebtedness,
Morgan was business-like. temperate
man. have always understood that he
| bappu 10 bOTpa lifa M in N
| way tangled uD with other women"
| William L. Fisher, of the firm of Teyis
| " Fisher, was entirely unable to account
for Morgan's suicide on any hypothesis
connected with financial trouble.
| c2"I feel perfect confidence" said he. "in
the credit of the Bplvedere Land Company.
1t is solvent and Morgan was not the Gus
tOdan of its funds.
Naturally, Of course, the Belvedere
Land Company required great deal of
time and attention from Morgan. and pro-
| duced more or less worry but my impress
sion is that he committed suicide under
| temporary mental arrangement.
| Il was we'll acquainted with Morgan.
| We used to have the agency of the COM
pany. and were, in fact, the 0riginators of
1t. When Mr.. Bargate sold out his inter-
| est an offer was made to US, but we de-
clined on general question Of values.
81 don't think there was anything finan-
cially wrong with Morgan. He was very
retlcent man, and his best friends knew
very little about him."
Every real estate man consulted seemed
to think that the cause OF Morgan's sui
eide must be sought for outside of any
trouble with the company or insecurity of
the latter's financial standing. "All real
estate Is dull now," was the general YER
dict; but there is nothing against Belye-
dere.
The only exception was gentleman in
the real estate business, who said he had
no more than theory to advance, but 1t
might be worth something. 1t was this /:
Belvedere, or KerShaw's Island, is united
to the mainland by a little strip of land
which is said to be artificially constructed.
The titles on the BeIvedere estate are
based on a Mexican grant; but Mexican
grants do not cover Islands. 1T lis
Just possible" said the gentleman, that
Morgan. who had put everything he had
into the land, may have heard that the
United States Government intended to
Drlng suit 10 recover the island, on the
ground that the connection with the
mainland had been made with fraudulent
intent. This, OF course, would have al
feeled Morgan very seriously, and may
have preyed on his mind i give this only
as an idea, not as fact, but | consider 1t
significant that Morgan had had an inter
view with the California Title Company
before he committed suicide"
1t is pretty freely reported that Morgan
had been solicited for payment OF several
small sums during the morning, one
amount of about 500 being demanded only
half an hour before he took his own life.
The appearance OF Morgan's face as he
lay at the Morgue showed clearly that the
man had been considerably worn, either
by mental anxiety or physical pain.
DIR. OBrien decided last night that an
autopsy was unnecessary, and the body
was removed to an undertaking parlor,
subject to the orders of the Coroner.
Morgan married granddaughter OF
Milo Hoadley. and leaves besides his
widow a daughter years old.