Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-05-07
THR0' THE BRAIN.
Suicide of Hon. George A.
Phillips at Watervi||e.
thought to Have Been Despondent
Over Business Troubles.
Had Been identified With Many Business
Enterprises on River.

Waterville, May 6.-tSpeciaD. This
community was terribly shocked at
lbout 80 A. NJ. today by the report
that Hon. George A. Phillips, Well
known, highly respected and at one
time one of Waterville's wealthiest citi-
2ens. had committed suicide by shoot
ing.
The Journal man hearing the report
-arly went to A Silver street and asked
f the report was true. The lady of the
place. would say nothing about the
matter but referred the reporter 10
DR.. +. C. Thayer, the attending sur
seon.
Dr Thayer was found in his Office
and when asked if The report that Mr..
Phillips had committed suicide. replied
substantially as follows:
About O'Clock. this morning. ! re-
ceived call to go to Mrs. Getchell's.
il Silver street, 10 attend Mr. Phillips.
When arrived there found Mr.. Phil
lips in bed with 4 bullet wound in the
right temple. / saw at once that the
wound was fatal. Mr.. Phillips was Of
course unconscious. the bullet having
lodged in the brain, but he was breath
ing. | could tell by his breathing that
he could live but short time. might
probably die in half an hour. | did not
probe the wound because | did not
think ii necessary as nothing could be
done to save his life. The course of the
bullet was obliquely. | had seen Mr.
Phillips, but not professionally, within
| a few days and he was then as we'll as
| usual. He had always been a remark
ably well man."
Mr. Phillips died about noon. not
having recovered consciousness.
DR.. Thayer, like everybody else. had
no knowledge of the cause of the act
| on the part of Mr.. Phillips but the
| doctor with others inclines to the belief
| that financial reVerses which in the
| past year have been severe, had un-
| dermined his mental system and that
| it was while in a state of temporary
| alteration of mind, he sought to end his
| life and troubles at the same time.
| Mr.. Phillips age was 6S years. For
many years he was prominently identi-
| fled with the lumber interests of the
| Nennebec, at one time conducting a
| large saw mill at Fairfield and for a
long time was interested largely in the
then well-known firm of Lawrence,
| Phillips & Co., of Shawmut
| Last winter, with his son, C. NJ. Phil
| lips, he constructed a fine new mill at
| Farlningdale. At one time he was
| large owner of timber lands and was
accounted Il very wealthy man. Bust
| ness reverses came thick and fast ii is
said and, last March, the new mill was
badly damaged by the flood.
| Mr.. Phillips was a man of the highest
| honor and always met his business OBJ
| legations to the last dollar. and it is
no wonder that a man of his character.
honest, industrious. prudent in all
| things. yet generous. public spirited.
Jealous in the promotion Of the welfare
Of Waterville, should in the hour of ad-
versity. extreme and cruel, break down
mentally. and then do what in the full
| possession of his mental faculties. he
would abhor.
| On every hand there is heard the
most sincere and genuine expressions
OF sorrow and regret that so good a
man should come to such terrible
end. Not a citizen on the street not a
man who ever knew Mr.. Phillips but
| what speaks in the warmest praise of
| mn dS IL tlliIfI ana Il man, giving TO
| him the credit for much that Water
| vile has reason to be thankful for--the
growth of her industries. the establish
ment Of solid business relations with
the business mart of the world.
| When, years ago. the magnificent
water power Of Ticonic falls was almost
| i'll its natural state, it was Mr.. phllips.
| who conceived the ida of bringing
| mammouth industrial institutions TO
| this city. He ii was who secured con-
troll of the water power and arranged
for its development in the future. and
which was the initiatory step in bringing
here the great Lockwood Corporation
and the magnificent plant of the
Hollingsworth & Whitney pulp and
paper mills.
Mr.. Phillips was one of the most
earnest workers in inducing the Maine
Central Railroad to locate the car
shops. At all times his interest in the
well being of Waterville was on the
same plan with his individual interests
lie is survived by three sons. Charles
M. of Fairfield, Edward of Westbrook.
and John, who is in the Office of Law
renee NeWhall & CO.. of Shawmut.
There has been a rumor in circula-
ton that Mr.. Phillips had assigned to
II. ID. Eaton. Esq, for the benefit OF
his creditors, but the Journal is author
lied to deny the report
G. NJ. Phillips said, today, in speaking
of the financial condition of the firm.
that it's liabilities were about $50, 900.
with assets of about $150,OO0 This is
in logs, mill privileges and timber
lands