The San Francisco call., 1897-07-14
This the Verdict Given
by a Coroner'S Jury
at Los Angeles.
Does Not Alter the General
Belief That His Death Was
Premeditated.
Known to Have Been Deeply Wor-
rled Over His Domestic
Troubles.

ner's jury tonight decided that Million
aire n. G. Creede, who died of TOO much
morphine at his home here last night.
had taken the overdose by accident.
Though this verdict officially disposed of
the suicide theory it does not settle the
matter in the minds of many persons who
have reason for having their own opinion
on the subject. 1t was shown at the in
quest that the wealthy founder of Creede,
Colo, had been in the habit of OCCASION
ally taking dose of morphine to quiet
the pain caused by neuralgia of the
stomach, to which he was subject, but he
knew the nature of the drug, so that he
could not well have taken an overdose in
ignorance.
some of Creede's most intimate &C.
quaintances are firm in the belief that the
wealthy miner, who was by nature fre-
quently morose and melancholy, espe-
cially since breaking with his wife last
December, deli berat tely took fatal dose of
morphine TO relieve MIN from the distress
of mind into which he had fallen and
from the fear of impending new trouble
on account of his wite's return to the city.
Mrs. Creede, whose every movement
after coming back from Alabama to Los
Angeles was reported to her husband, dis
appeared suddenly on the night the MIL
lionaire died and all attempts to locate
her have failed. She has not given up
her rooms at the Clarendon Hotel, but
she is not there and no one will say where
she Is al present.
IL is known that Mrs. Creede is prepar-
ing for another campaign against ner
husband, though when she acce pied
$50, 600 from him last Decem Der it was on
condition that she abandon her divorce
proceedings, agree to a separation, release
Creede from all future claims and go
away to stay. Creede paid her the cash,
but she did not keep her part OF the cam
pact.
That Creede was very much worried by
the re turn of his vile is admitted even by
those friends of his who strive hardest to
MAINTAIN the theory of accidental death,
and that he vas particularly distressed on
his last day was developed at the inquest.
The principal points advanced TO dis
prove the suicide theory related TO the
excellent financial condition of the de-
ceased and his devotion for his adopted
child, little Dorothy Waters.
Besides the elegant manor house he
bought on Flgueroa street he owned some
valuable Broadway property, where the
Tally-Ho livery stables are situated, ard
he had large cash deposits in several of
The city banks.
Toward the little child he had adopted
he displayed the foudness of a father. The
babys mother was Edith Waters, who
after attaining some notoriety from an
eIopement, went on the stage and made
little transient reputation. The actress
was willing to abandon her baby, and
Millionaire Creede and wife legally adopt
ed it. When the disagreements arose be-
tween Creole and his wife that resulted in
the separation the child, now about two
years and three months old, was sent to
Elsinore.
Stories of the dead mans liberality are
coming to light. He lett no will so far as
can be discovered, but it IS known he had
given $4,000 to his brother-in-l law, w. NJ.
Phifer who for the past four months has
made his home at the Creede house. and
had given thousands of dollars to other
relatives His liberalitv is described as
the kind attributed to lucky-strixe miners,
whose motto is "easy come, easy go.''
Though generous in his gifts of late,
CTeede was not given to lavish eXpendi-
lures OF the money that came to him from
the Amethyst. When his income was
running $1,000 a day he was living simply
and economically. Soon after striking
1t rich, he built a neat but plain log
cabin at Creede, and the woman who alter
ward became his vile occupied the posi-
lion OF housekeeper III this cabin for sew
eral month. She was then getting di-
vorce from her husband, and when this
was omplished they were married and
moved 10 Pueb o, CJlo., whore he pur-
chased small cottage at a cost OF $4,000.
He was not a drinking man. His tastes
were simple and his habits economical.
During The first few years in which he
enjoyed wealth he was inclined to be
mi erly. He received thousands of
begging letters, not only from America
but from European cities as we'll, but the
sympathetic tales had no loosening effect
on the purse-strings OF The new million
aire. His relatives and old friends in
Iowa focked TO him, and although he had
discarded them all twenty years ago and
even changed his name to more fully
sever all connections with his family, he
received his brothers and distributed
among them q few thousands.
One nephew, a boy 16 years old, who
came to Creede with an atte mpt to wrest
money from him by means OF The secret Of
his changed name, went away dlseraced
and empty handed, and the day after COM
mitted suicide in little town in Eastern
Kansas. All attempts TO blackmail him
were promptly re ouffed, and the new mil
lionaire proved that he was competent 10
take care of his own.
He invested the bulk of his fortune in
bonds OF the Rio Grande Southern Rail-
road and the Citizens Water Company of
Denver. His weaith has never shrunk to
any consid erable extent and it is even pos
sible that he had when he died as much
property as would represent the earnings
OF his mines.
Ola naturally morbid disposition Creole
was made more miserable by his money
and the worries it brought him. When
the necessity for him to go into the hills
in search of veins was removed his occu-
paion In life ended. and he was not OF
sufficient intelligence to find new in
terest in life. He read nothing except Of
the blood and thunder" nickel library
class of literature, and ne often said he
had exhausted the pleasures of travel in
his trips through Colorado, New Mexico,
Arizona. California and the Northwest.
The adopted name of n. e. Creede waS
taken in 1872, after his arrival in Sunny
side Camp, a section t::at in later years
became part of tbs more successful
camp of Creede. His home was in Leon,
Iowa, where brother, Judge John w.
Harvey. now lives, and another brother,
Jerome l. Harvey, was formerly Postmas-
ter. Jerome L. now lives in Manitou,
Colo, and since the family reconciliation
has been the favorite brother of Creede.
These brothers may come in for the estate