The San Francisco call., 1897-08-25
Los Angeles Lighting
Company AttaChe
Ends His Life.
Tragedy Follows the Discovery
of Secretary BlaCkman'S
Shortage.
Believed to Have Some Connection
With That Officials Alleged
Pecuiations.

Los ANGELES, CAL, Aug. A.-Captain
Montford G. Bolton, an Englishman who
had won stinction in East Indian and
Egyptian wars and possessed tue Queens
tokens for bravery and faithful service,
died by his own hand to-day and under
circumstances that give his friends double
cause for regret. Captain Bolton has for
years been the head bookkeeper for the
Los Angeles Lighting Company, and was,
socially and in business way, close to
w. R. Blackman. the company's secre-
tary, who is now in Jail awaiting trial for
seIf-confessed embezzement. That the
suicide was involved IN the theft of money
from the company is suspected, but not
asserted positively, and President Cline
will only say that if the deceased was
snort in his accounts it could be but for q
small amount.
Yesterday the hookkeeper was repri-
manded by President Cline for some de-
linQuency, the exact nature of which is
not generally known, but it was of SUI
tcient importance as to greatly distress
Bolton. He turned over his books and
cash, wrote his resignation and went
home before the usual closing time last
evening, and some time early this morn
ing put a bullet into his brain. Before he
committed the act Bolton sent 10 his
friend and colleague in the office, Tom
Beatty, note as follows:
Dear Tom: can't stand the racket It may
be all over with me by the time you get this.
am almost crazy. NJ. 6. B.
The reference 10 his distressed condition
may have been meant for the trouble he
was having with an abscess in his face
and that is what Beatty first thought OF
as he sped to the house of his friend, only
to tind nim in the last throes of death, the
deadly revolver at his side.
Though the abscess may have had much
TO do with affecting his condition, the IN
cident in the Office yesterday is considered
to have precipitated the crisis of his life.
Though BIackman, in Jail, says that Boil
ton was not involved in his peculations,
the experts engaged in Strengthening out
the books OF the concern have been care
fully overhauling those that were in
charge of the latter.
Before he took his life Captain Bolton
wrote and addressed letter to President
Cline, but the contents of this missive,
which would doubtless throw much light
upon the tragedy, are carefully suppressed
by the recipient, who also maintains great
reticence in speaking OF the probability of
a shortage.
W. R. Blackman when seen in the
County JAN SAID:
81 know no reason why Captain Bolton
should have killed himself, and l dis
tinctly wish it understood that do not
wish to be represented as suspecting him
of any part in the trouble in which l find
myself.
Captain Bolton kept the CONSUMER
ledgers,' from which books Mr.. Cline
ascertained that there was a shortage,
and he also had duplicate key 10 the
cashbox. l have always considered him
a man of high honor and integrity"
The deceased was not married, and, it
is thought, had no near relatives in this
country. He was for time quite promi-
nent in social circles, but lately has been
something of a recluse, living in bachelor
quarters