New-York tribune., 1895-06-12
SHOT HIMSELF IN THE PARK
CHARLES WALTON OGDEN COMMITS
SUICIDE

DEsPoNDEHcY CAUSED BY ILLNESS SAID TO BE
THE MoTIvE-A PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN
AND A vEsTRYMAN OF THE CHURCH
OF THE HOLY cOMMuNIoN
Charles Walton Ogden. well known in business
circles and a vestryman Of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church of the Holy Communion. at Sixth
ave. and Twentieth-st.. committed suicide shortly
before o'clock yesterday afternoon In Central
Park Dependency caused by Illness. and per-
haps increased by the mans strong religious
feelings. Is supposed to be the OF Mr.
Ogdcns act Park Policeman Thomas Williams
patrolllng his beat on the West Drive when
his attention was attracted by the sound of a
pistol shot in a clump Of pines just west Of the
driveway. The spot Is close to an old frame house
which dates from Revolutionary days. and which
stands near tho Block House He pushed through
the bushes and found the body OF n man lying
upon the ground with new revolver near the
outstretched right hand. Blood was flowing from
a bullet hole just behind the right ear and the
man unconscious.
Williams called another officer to his aid and
telephoned for the park ambulance. In which.
under charge OF Or. Goldsmith the wounded man
was conveyed 10 the Presbyterian Hospital a
prisoner Park Policeman Neufer being detailed
10 guard him Mr. ogden was carried into the
accident ward and IN hour later he died. without
having regainrl consciousness
just after Mr.. ogden had breathed his last
a carriage containing his wife. son. daughter
the Rev. Dr Henry Mottet rector IF the Church
of the Holy Communion. and a woman friend
drove up to the hospital They were admitted
to the room IN which the body lay and gave
way 70 paroxysms OF grief. After time the
IA,
remained with the body re-entered IN" car
riage and were driven home.
THE SUICIDE CAREFULLY PLANNED
The revolver with which MIR ogden ended his
life had just beer purchased and Mr. ogden
carried Il % the Park In he box In which 1t
had been packed by the makers. He also car
ried a fun box Of cartridges. In his pocket were
n ,wo.ounce bottle Of aconite and larger bot
tlc full. and labelled "Dobells solution Both
bottles bore the labei of Reuben X. Smith drug
gist of NO 1876 Ninth-ave. Mr.. ogden had swal-
lowed nearly half the acOnite. and Or. J. II.
Hartwcn who attended him at the hospital.
said that either the bullet wound or IN" poison
would have been sufficient to cause death
In the pockets besides the two bottles and
the cartridges were $50 % I'm money and one
Of tho dead mans business cards on the back
ot this he had written tn pencil. NOTIFY
friends"
terAay morning and T. feared that he
might d. himself harm h!s son. Charles W. Og
den jr went Immediately t. Police Hetiluhr-
ters ~. said he did not care q give his own
name nor that u the man ior whom he wished A
general alarm sent out. but he requested that n
man answering the dcs riptiOn Were found the
Rev Dr Henry MOttet of No. ~ West Tw"niieth-
:, be Informed lie described the man a. ifty-one
years old Ave feet nine inches tall with blue eyes
brown hair plentfully streaked with gray brown
heard and mustache. HIS only Je"elry. MT, ok-
..tt nail If
From Headquarters he went q the Arsenal IN
Central Park and reported the description to Ser
gsan, Muholiani. who was at the desk As soSn .S
as Policeman Williams reported the suicide In the
afternoon. Sergeant Mulhoand recognized the
description and ordered the officer T. go down
town 10 40 80 West Twent!eth-st and inform Dr.
MOttei
when seen al his home No. 81 West twentieth
st last n!-ht Charles Walton ogden tald tnat
his fnther ha suffered from IN attack ~ IN yripp"
"A year ago and from another "A year hr'oIr mat
During the last winter he had been In ThoHas-
VILE Ga and In Virginia He had only r"turh"u
A few days ago The dcsponiency caused oy ms
illness was probably the cause ~ his SUICIDE ana
this might have been aggravated by MS re-
igous fervor. deranging his mind
MIR. OGDEN's CAREER
Mr. Ogden was vestryman ~ the Church ~
the Holy Communion and close friend ~ Ir.
Mo,,.t He was son II Joseph ogden. who at
the age Of eighty still lives with his son
family, He was nfty-one years old. ana was
educated in Columbia College In Inc class ..
1864 Mr. ogden married Miss Louisa Frazier. ot
Philadelphia twenty three years ago. ~" leaves
two children. Charles W. ogden. il. twenty Two
years old. and Mary. twenty years oll lie vas
a member Of the firm Of ogden wallace. deal
.rs I'm iron and steel a, Nos. oI7 to ~" Green
wich-st his partner being Theodore WaliaIe o'
Montclalr y J. He was a member "i tne
church club Metropolitan club. the University
club and the Riding club Aside from his busi-
ness and his family. his time was devoted ID
the interests of the Church ~ the Holy Com
mun.On.