Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-22
A VERY SAD SUICIDE.
Mf. G. A. Kahn Kills Himself in the
Shade Of Reservoir Park.
THREE BULLETS IN HIS HEART.
A Deliberate Deed Methodicnliy
Conimittcd-Lettcrs to His wife
and FRIENDSHIP Cause for the Act
Except He Suffered from the Heat.


ter Of blooming bridal-wreath bushes, a
/ sad tragedy was enacted yesterday shortly
/ after the noon hour and the soul of
/ Mr.. Gustavus A. Kahn. manager OF the
\ Fourqurean-Price Company's millinery
! department, released by his own hand
| from its tenement of clay, wended Its
! way TO its eternal home.
| The suicide was one of the saddeet
which has occurred in this city in years.
| and though Mr.. Kahn had only lived here
a very short time. he had endeared him
| self to a large circle Of friends, VINO
mourn his untimely end.
Mr.. Kahn was a native OF AK de Chap
| peIl, in Germany. a little city nestled
down upon the Rhine. on the border line
between Germany and France. and he
spent greater part Of his life in Paris.
emigrating to this country about fifteen
years ago. He settled in st. Paul. Mimi,
and engaged I'm the wholesale millinery
business, meeting with signal success. He
married Miss Helen Werner, Of ST. Paul.
and their union was blessed eight years
ago by a little girl. who has since been
the light of their household.
ENGAGED IN BUSINESS HERE.
About February 18th last Mr.. Kahn
moved to Richmond and took charge Of
the millinery department of the Fourqu-
rean-Price Company conducting that
branch of the business on his own re-
sponsbility. From the very start this
venture proved successful. and about the
he z.al
his wife and child, and they came to
Richmond, and. with him, took up their
residence with Mr. \. Cohen, at No.
west Clay street Mrs. Kahn helped her
husband in the store, and the two were
as anectionate as could possibly be.
Yesterday morning Mr.. Kahn arose
containing of feeling badly, and would
not eat any breakfast. He went 10 me
store. though, as was his custom, being
accompanied by his wife. Nothing unusual
was thought of his actions, and about 10
o'clock ne left the establishment and went
uptown. He did not return, and as his
wife did not find him at lunch when she
went home. she took something TO the
store for him to eat.
Ere this. however, Mr. Kahn had passed
from this earth to another land.
DEAD BUT SITTING UP.
lie must nave gone ulIttAlN AibAAA NiAN
store 10 the reservoir. though no one
noticed him particularly out there. 1t was
about 3I5 o'clock that his lifeless body
was found sitting erect on bench, on
the end of which his left foot rested. tie
had then been dead several hours, II is
thought.
IL is coniectured that Mr. Kahn shot
himself about noon. as at that time some
Of the park employees were eating their
luncheon, and heard the report Of pistol
fred three times in rapid succession. rms
is not an unusual occurrence out there,
though. and no attention was paid to the
firing. About / o'clock one OF the park
policemen passed the bench on which Mr..
Kahn's body was then sitting. and, peer
ing I'm through the bushes at him, con-
sidered him TO be asleep. and passed on.
Shortly after O'Clock, though, some lit
tie girls who were playing about the park
entered the bushes, and. observing the
deadly pallor which was apparent on the
deceased's face. at once surmised that he
was dead. and cried out in alarm.
THREE BALLS IN HIS HEART.
Three gentlemen who were seated near
by heard the cry, and repaired at once
to the spot. and found the body. as de-
scribed. with a pistOl-a Smith * Wesson,
38-callbre 6ve-shOoter-lying on the bench
beside II. They at once notified the park
authorities and Coroner Taylor was sum
moned. as were also the county officers.
DR.. Taylor and County-Magistrate J. T.
Lewis both responded promptly, but a.
the Reservoir Park is city property he
city has exclusive Jurisdiction there and
Coroner Taylor took charge Of the body.
Upon examination he found that the
deceased had fired three bullets into his
heart, through his left side, and had
gone about the deed in a most deliberate
and methodical fashion. He had unbut-
toned his waistcOat and opened 'hc
bosom OF his shirt placed the muZzle OF
the revolver. which was a self-acting
weapon against his left side, and pulled
the trigger. holding II back until three
cartridges had been discharged. The balls
took effect in a row, one directly under
the other. and all -hree entered the heart.
They must have been fired In very rapid
succession. as either one was sufficient
TO produce almost instantaneous death.
Mr.. Kahn was very neatly and stylishly
dressed, and but little blood had flowed
from his wounds though a large clot
Of the fluid had coaguated on the mouth
Of the revolver, evidencing the fact that
the weapon was held close up against the
flesh.
LEFT THREE LETTERS.
In the pocket Of his coat were found
three letters-one addressed to Mrs. G..
A. Kahn, at No. west Clay street; the
second to Mr.. A. Cohen, at No. 7O9 east
Broad street. and the third to Mr.. Edison
II. Smith, manager for the Fourqurean-
Price Company. These letters were de-
livered by Coroner Taylor In person, ex
cept the one to Mrs Kahn, and that was
not handed to her until after o'clock.
when she was preparing to leave the
store for home.
1t was couched IN the most endearing
language. and throughout 1t evidenced a
wealth of love. After pleading for for
giveness for the act he was about to
commit, the unhappy man spoke OF his
little daughter, and told his wife 10 go
back to st. Paul to her mother. and 10
rear the little girl as best she could The
rest Of the letter was of a personal ma
ture. and was not given out for publca-
tiOn.
FEARED THE LOSS OF REASON.
The letter to Mr. Cohen was as fol-
lows:
april 81, 1886.
Friend Cohen:
do not Judge me too severely for
taking such step, but ] see nothing
else left for me. excepting losing my rea-
son. Many thanks for your goodness
TO such utter strangers as we are to you.
Be kind to my poor wife and child, and
help them 10 leave the city, for they
must 20 back TO St Paul Farewell.
Your unhappy friend,
&c. A. KAHN"
HIS LETTER TO MR.. SMITH.
The letter to Mr.. Smith was In these