New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-25
"WILLIE" DAY A SUICIDE.
HANGED HIMSELF NEAR HIS ATHLETIC
CLUB.

DEsPoNDENCY OVER HIS RECENT ARREST FOR
EMBEZZLEMENT SUPPOSED TO BE THE CAUSE
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE DIsCREDITED
STORIES OF A WOMAN IN THE CASE"
The body OF William ID. Day. champion long
distance and cross-country runner OF the world,
found suspended from the upper branches
of a small wild cherry 1870 yesterday MORN
Ing by John Vince and Edward Manager. two boys
who were herding cattle in the dense underbrush
between Avenue a. Bergen Point. and Newark
Bay. The cause of the suicide is supposed to be
grief on account Of his recent arrest upon the
charge OF embezzement. The self-murder was
committed only few rods away from tho club
house of the New-Jersey Athletic Club. and within
full view Of the track where he had performed
many brilliant athletic feats. He was entered in
the two-mile match of the Olympiad to be
decided on Labor Day. and until the news OF his
death reached the club IL was fully expected that
he would defend the colors of the New-Jersey
athletes with all OF his old time dash and daring
Appearances indicate that the suicide must have
taken place about 1890 Wednesday morning and
when the body cut down by the authorities
it was found that modification had begun.
Willie Day. he known TO his intimate
friends. and. In fact. to the athetic-lovng public
generally. had long been general favorite through
New-Jersey. Retiring IN disposition his career
on the track won him a wide reputaton-a repu-
tation that was deserved. 1t something Of II
shock to the community when it became known
that Day had been arrested upon the charge Of
embezzement preferred at the instance IL Is saih,
of his employers-the Manhattan Laundry Com
pany. OF Jersey city. 1t is claimed by Manager
Slower and others connected with the laundry
company that they were in reality not responsible
for the arrest The companys side or the story
a statement of Day. who acted as an agent
for Bergen Point and its vicinity findihg ines, ines
of collection agency in New-York The New
York lawyers did not seem to have any Deter
n
from pay and finally. last resort one OF the
attorneys named Pheen swore out a warrant TOT
VI The amount that he was charged with embezz!ing
was only Nl2 he had ha b no 6irerence Of
opinion concerning the amount due the Manhattan
ihat was due him for services In making collections
His friends told him that at the very worst tne
COMPANY could only bring a civil suit against him
and The arrest was blow entirely unexpected by
the young man. Exaegerating the Effects oil tne
exposure as well the financial complications
leading w TO the arrest. ne is supposed TO have
taken his fe while bowed down with siiei anu
shame.
ARRESTED ON TUESDAY MORNING.
He was arrested by Detective McNally. OF Jer-
soy civ and Patrolmnn Anderson, OF Bayonne
AT the New-Jerscy Athletic club house Tuesday
morning He was a: once taken 10 Jersey ''V'
and that night released on bail Allan Benny
becoming his bonlsman. II was expected that ne
would appear before Justice Potts 10 answer Inc
charge Wednesday morning. but Judge ana attor-
Mr. Kenny said that possibly Day might have been
detained while on his way 10 the courtroom. lie
said that the young a'hlet" would certainly put III
an appearance later and the cage was adjourned
until Friday morning.
Al the very hour young Day was making prcpa-
rations to swing himself beyond the jurisdiction OF
any earthly tribunal I'nohservcd h. sto,e INTO
the attic 81 the clubhouse % theNNew-J'rsey AIN
lctlc club Whipping knife from his pocket u"
GU, away a portion ~ tn ropes that hai so ot''h
hoated flags In honor Of his victories Ih'sr '"fs'
cotton cords he placed In hts pocket and sanni"rei
slowly into the ofrce - thu club Upon the wall
was silspeaied q large poster announcing the LABOR
DAY games the nrst week n September. Inc pos
ter had on 1t IN large letters the following "or's.
Two Mile Scratch Race W; - DAY;
soca,jon George JARVIS. y Y. a. G. George orion
Of y Y A e. IL J. Walsh. Of y A n. y T.
DaY glanced AZ the announcement and laughinsy
remarked We'll boys guess mu,, run ms nr'
But guess WIN run ' icsS. INK Ike ' iss,
my nams pTiniei Ia asi S wcrds that Day
heard TO utter He turned To the rrhdlhs-r,r,C,n,
and picked up the New-York morning papsr' FIVE .c
minutes later ne left the room and ih9us, no one
noticed IT then. loungers at the cluD attc' M,
nraS seemci haf ' AMI axei. ,,,,.,
They picked up the paper tha' ne ~, ~ h,NIng
prominently the story OF his arrest upon the e""'s'
Of embe2zemcni.
THE LAST TIME HE WAS SEEN ALIVE
As Day ran out Of the clubhouse toward the strip
% woods that stretches from Newark Bay to "rs'
F!fth-st Bergen Point he tried TO jump u'.'"
and tumbled INTO The water Two M,i"rn. Mn hin
HYDE and Mrs Lows. ~ bergen rom. -" , 80
fall one Of The women 'Sughl"sy ,nnnar tha1
the other willie Day Is a better rum -,
jumper" lie sprang ~. un.nl11''i, ~ M fhicb~t
,carcGy y soea a "i we bay alive .ficr that
Rut he was apparently cool ana On m IN az VI "
a. Took mn a his his ha his coai 81. AMI
Then he twisted me coon Co'' XIV, ,king ..lp
KNOT. and haif-hitches Then he gave another WIS.,
ana another turn to the coTi ana Ia, ,h, ~ Inn
n nonsble f5r a person to tie himself up in this
fashion but Day was clever ynchsinah' ,,In '" nn
Give the average sailor points IN Tying Khp,s Az
tvlstng cords Then he must have cilmDrd 10 VI.
tor Of a iittle wil-cherry tree This tree IS n n,s
ovrr dftern feet in height and all the nm" ar
small. Twisting the cord around his neck ,, sw g
himself from the largest linp upon tm' dam s,r,g
rones around his limbs prevented MN l"m S"ub'
IWbon TIE authorities were summoned they cut
tho limb down and made an examination oil W.
body He had in his pockets AT me nm o,'rS
70 cents ana lead pencil. Inc Dody was ~ o"'
All he rndcn-ave home Of the family all Know
odee If The motives for the suicide wa' denlti'
lis three brothers. Thomas u; Day. jr Nv s",
York lawyer and Newton and FRANK pa III, hni
Tbnmas ID Day IT,. said that II the wishes OF me
family were followed only death noic" "H Hrntb D
ba6 n lie oy shrnn rom ali noorety and that he
was sure that he would prefer 10 nave "o'""'s
pI nay Was only twenty three years OF age lie
was the Of colonel Thomas ~ P Gr{ycans "J IN he
Iavs before the war. Many years ago they re-
moved TO brooklyn and afterward TO NeW 1900,
Ono Of his sisters married Colonel T. lbrihkiey
Snow,Ien OF Tenn essee. The other ~ MITE MA"
X Harris OF Philadelphia. ,,. l.,
e,ghty -four years OF age Mrs Day Is oyer oyer s uI
~ years OF age and II Is feared that they wiz
nn, lone survive the shock caused by the death OF
their son.
IS THERE WOMAN IN THE CASE?
As usual II Is said that there IL "a woman III 'he
case" II Is said that young Day called upon
friend a week ago and told him that ne was IN
,rouble with "A woman; that IL was necessary 10,
Kin, "a have $50 at once. that II he could not srt
it he would leave the town and that ne w0u'd ,o
,ake mart I'm the Labor Day races Reports naE.
also been in circulation during the afternoon 'nat
he was bounded to death by q relative Oh lne