The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-09
VS.. THORN, JR., A SUICIDE.
sHoT HIMSELF ON SUNDAY AT HIs
FATHER's HOUSE.

ne wss Frospers-s, He.Ithy. s.s APpsr
sutly HAPPY, srs ME Friends ne Net
Uusersts.s Hts Aet-Mrs Tsuspig Aiso
Used = Pistsi-A ptr, OF - Tries -
Kill Her-eir With Ti.et-rs or iodi-s,
William s. Thorn, Jr., member Of the oil firm
| OF NJ. II. Dingee a Co. Of o39 Water street, and
elder son Of William g. Thorn, ex-President Of
the Second Avenue Railway Company. killed
himself at his fathers home. 136 East Seventh
eth street, shortly before 4 o'clock on Sunday
afternoon by firing bullet into his right temple.
Although the case was reported to the police on
Sunday evening II was not made public at the
Coroners office until yesterday afternoon. Cor
oner Schultze and DIR. O'Hare called ct the house
In the morning. but were unable to learn Of any
motive for the suicide. II was said that no one
knew Of cause.
Young Thorn was rs years Of age. was mar
ried, and had two Young daughters. In 1873,
when hardly more than hoy. he entered the
service Of the Chicago. Milwaukee and ~. Paul
Railway Company ut their Offices In this city,
and soon became tho assistant secretary Of the
company. He married, at the nge Of 81, tho
youngest daughter of Charles 4. Dingee, whose
family Is well known IN Brooklyn society. He
remained with the railway company until last
March, when he went into the oil business with
his brother-in-law. Montgomery H. Dingee. and
JOHH IL Dhlsteu. ho also 1OIneu bno Ueu SJHI
Manufacturing Company. the business Of which
Is the making Of lubricatlng oils for bicycles.
Mr.. Thorn lived with his family at 1913 wash
ington avenue, Brooklyn. In July he sent them
to Green's Farms Conn. for the summer. He
usually spent Sunday with them. but, as he was
travelling for his firm most of the time, he did
not make regular visits. The Brooklyn house
was closed. and upon his return to town from
his trips he usually put up At his fathers house.
Mr.. Thorn got back from one of these trips on
Wednesday. He was not feeling very well, he
said. and for the next few days he spent little
time at his Office. On Sunday he went for
walk with his mother. Before returning they
called at the Gilsey House. where Mr.. NJ. II.
Dingee lives, and the partners had a short bust
ness talk At that time Mr. Thorn was in the
best spirits.
After they got back home Mr.. Thorn ate
luncheon, and, shortly afterward, went to his
room. The family thought. when he did not
come down again. that he was taking a nap. An
hour or 70 later a pistol shot rang through
the house. and one OF his sisters rushing to his
Mr.. Thorn's wife was telegraphed for at once
but did not get to the house until midnight. Mr..
several years, and is now At the point OF death,
was not informed OF the shooting for fear OF It's
obn pnGee Of s ntoo nrenue
Ign, and Edward 4. Bedford and Frederick H.
Bedford. who are connected with tho Standard
oil Company, are brothers-in-law Of young
family, said to a suS reporter last niaft;
Thorn's act. He was in good health, had
charming family. and was unusually prosper
was insane at the time Of the shooting, but no
aberrancy Of the mind was ever noticed. He
future was lie was the last nam hs
world ! should have suspected Of thinking to
ii never knew him to be melancholy, and his
domestic affairs we're as happy as could be. lie
could not have been worried about his business
than he ever did in e ii, lie. s PAPERS papers %re IN
my hands, and after going over his accounts l
MIR. Thorn has, at times, drank 10 excess.
His life as travelling salesman was largely the
cause OF that; One OF the first questions asked
was whether he had been drinking. She said
that he had not. She assured me that, so far as
on Wednesday. Therefore don't think that
drink would be any explanation at all"
Mrs. ARMENIA Tsptis OF 10y We West Il Eighty Eighty:
Sa a. 9Ss
temple. She had been out walking in the morn
ing. and on her return stopped in TO see neigh;
very well she appeared to be in good spirits.
After making an appointment to take walk In
little daughter was in the house, and MIs. Taus-
sig talked with the child for "a short time and
Ten minutes after this, Annetta. the daughter.
called for her mother, and getting no response.
S 'hs her Sr
face downward on n sofa. The child spoke 10
her, but no answer came. and then she tried to
shake her, thinking that she was asleep. As
she did this, she saw n tiny stream of blood
trickling down from her mothers face. The
child screamed for help and the servant came
running mp. Mrs. Taussig was still alive. and
an ambulance was summoned which removed
O'Clock. The revolver beDnUed IN Mrs. Tuussig's
brother.
since then Mrs Taussig had hardly been herself.
She was threatened with nervous prostration,
but lately she had been In better health and
that she intended to take her life. Mrs. Taussig
was 20 years old and was the widow OF George
John weidner. 20 years old. a German glass
b,owsr' living with his wife on the fourth hoor
% XIII s night
earned good wages, the neighbors say, but was
intemperate Lately he had been drinking
yerging on delirium tremens. Yesterday morn
ing he went to work us usual. No one saw him
shortly after 7 o'clock last night his wife got
sh s Ssed%s called siFssamPPs
liceman Guiigan. The policeman detected
the SdOr Of sTOOIS acid 5o,, and found
and blistered mouth showed that ho had
bulance from Gouverneur Hospital. Weidner
had cut himself apparently with piece OF
broken glass. He refused To answer questions.
and began to rave. He was put in "a straitjacket
aud removed TO the hospital. His condition was
considered precariOus.
Some bows playing in the street near Frank
Sleyin's house 3+l West Twelfth street, about
40 o'clock last night. saw neatly dressed,
good -looking young girl sink down on the stOOp
and begin t0 cry.
A few moments later they saw her take sew
eral swallows from n bottle and then replace
the bottle In her pocket. She cried more then
over then, and one OF the boys went into the
house and told SleviB.
Al first when Slevin questioned her the girl
refused TO answer. Finally she drew the bottle
from her dress and handed IL TO Sleyin. IL was
labelled "rineture of Iodine"
Sleyin then called a policeman who took the
girl to the Charles street station, hurry call
Tor an ambulance brought DIR, Murray from ST.
Vincents Hospital, The girl had swallowed
only small quantity of the poison and was so
little hurt that DR. Murray refused To take her
10 the hospital.
The girl said that she was Nellie Finnin. Is
years old. and that she and brother lived with
Mrs. Agnes Maher. an aunt. at az East lO5th