The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-08
. SILvERITE SELF-SHOT.
u L. DOWNS FOUND DYING IN GEN.
TRIAL PARK.

a Friend or Senator Jones or Nevada-He
stumped the west Tor bryan last Year
MIXED Up In the whiskey Ring Scandal
Insurance Money 20 Pay for his Cremation.
J. L. Downs, q resident OF Cleveland. o., until
recently and at one time a wealthy business
man OF st, Louis, No.. shot himself last night in
Central Park. He was taken to the Presbyterian
Hospital, where 1t was said he could not live.
1t was Just growing dark when Park Police
man Dobson heard a pistol report near the music
stand on the mall. He ran in that direction and
found u man in an unconscious condition
behind the Beethoven statue. with q bull.
let hole in mis- right temple. A 80.
calibre revolver lay by his side. When
taken to the hospital his pockets were searched,
and 1t appeared that he had planned to kill
himself. Tho following letter. written on Gil.
sey House note paper and addressed to Louis
Lange. President Of the United States Crema-
tory Company. Houston street, New York, was
among his effects:
This life has been insured thirty-hve long
years in the New York Life Insurance Company
for $4,000. oil paid up in full. As tho body is Of
no further use, the insurance company will pay
you it. Take charge of my remain 3 for the
Fresh Pond Crematory. j. L. Downs,
"445 Lincoln avenue, Cleveland, o."
In the letter there was also a "testamentary
clause of the crematory. 1t had been filled out.
and willed the body. according to the usual
form, to tho company. Tho latter document
was dated Sept. l; the letter was not dated.
Downs had started to write n letter to Free
man Barnum. manager OF the Gerlach Hotel. but
got no further than Win you have the Kind
ness to" Here it broke oil. Mr.. Barnum, who
was at one time Internal Revenue Collector at st.
LOUIS, said last night that for twenty-five years
Downs was general ticket agent OF the Chicago
and Alton Railroad, and that later he went
into u manufacturing business in st. Louis. He
lost his money after a time in unfortunate
mining speCulations, and driftcd to Cleveland.
Several years ago he went to. Europe to
study the money question and came back
campaign OF 1895 he stumped the West
for BRYAN and during Carter Harrison's race for
the Chicago Mayoralty made speeches in that
city. After Harrison's election Downs came to
this city. Mr. Barnum did not know where he
had been stopping, but said that he always APP
AS evidence of Downs's position on the Imam
cial question there were three note books in his
pockets filled with data in favor of silver. There
were many bitter denunciations OF Senator
other rich men,. Mr.. Hanna was declared
TO be worse than the Pharaoh of Egypt
who prosecuted the Jews. The sentiment was
also expressed that any man who said q silver
dollar was worth only 50 cents should be ar
rested and imprisoned as a traitor TO the Gov
eminent and the people.
Mr.. Barnum went 10 tho Hoffman House last
night 10 inform Senator Jones of Nevada OF
Downs's conuition. He said. that the Senator
was a sChoolmate and warm friend of Downs.
Downs is said to have been intimately associ-
ated with , number Of the men implicated in
the whiskey ring scandal which created such q
stir In the Vest in the carly EOS. 1t Is also said
that he has in his possession papers which would
the scandal which have never been fully cleared
up. He is IS years old.