The Portland daily press., 1897-11-18
SHORT IN HIS ACCOUNTS.
Suicide of e. p. Coffin Well known Show
hogan Lawyer.

Boston, November 17.-E. L. Coffin of
Skowhegan, Me-, died at the City hos
pital this afternoon, as the outcome OF
a desperate effort to end his own life. He
registered at the Quincy house last night,
and at about 10 a. m. today was found
in bath tub filed with water. He was
nearly. drowned but was revived. Then
he stated that he had taken morphine or
some other poison, the nature of which
he declined to state. The.physicians who
were called sent Coffin to the hospital.
MIR. Coffin was accompanied by Clarence
Scott of Oldtown, lawyer, who claims
that he is acting for the high court of
Maine, independent Order of Foresters,
of which Mr.. Coffin was secretary.
Mr.. Scott stated that about a week ago
a shortage of about $500 in the accounts
of the treasurer appeared and when
charged with taking it Mr.. Coffin ad-
mitted that the money was missing.
"He said that he thought he could
make the deficiency good, continued Mr..
Scott. "Be thought that his cousin, who,
he said, was high official in the General
Electric company at Lynn, would help
him out. 1t was decided that 1 should
accompany him to Boston, while he en-
deavored to get the money. We were to
start out this morning.
MIR. Coffin is forty-flve years old, and
we'll known in Skowhegan. He has wife
and one child.
AT the Office of the General Electric
company reporter was told that Presi-
dent Coffin was in New York and was not
expected back for several days.
The presidents secretary said that he
could not say whether E. P. Coffin was a
He could say, however, that no one
from thu Quincy house had recently made
any effort to see the president of the
General Electric company at the COM
pany's office, nor had any message from
E. P. Coffin been received
BUCKET SHOP CAUSED TROUBLE.
Skowhegan, November 17-Edward p.
Coffin, who attempted to commit suicide
in Boston today, has been in practice here
as a lawyer for sixteen years, and is con-
sidered one of the brightest men in his
profession in Maine.
A few days ago it was rumored that he
was in financial difficulties in connection
with the high court of Maine Indepenie
Order of Foresters and secret meeting
of the high court officials was held here
Monday
No arrest WAC mazda and SIX wac Iasrnad
that Mr.. Coffin had arranged to go to
Boston to seek aid of relatives. 1t was
known that he had wealthy cousin in
Boston,
Among Mr.. Collins acq uaintances the
trouble is attributed to bucket shop
speculation and dissipation.
Coffin has bsen hard pressed for money
for long time. He has played the bucket
shops for the past three years and has
been steady loser. Those in a position
to know say this has caused his downfall.
He came prominently before the public
about six years ago when 1T was dis
covered he had been secretly married to
Miss Bell Lawton, daughter of L. W.
Lawton, number of years. At the same
time he was engaged to a Skowhegan
school teacher, and when his wife, who
had never been acknowledged, found it
out, she at once made the affair public.
Later she obtained divorce, and Coffin
married the school teacher, whose name
was Miss Lord, prominent society lady
of Steep Falls. One child has been born
to them. Cofin's mother is dead; his
father is one of che prominent business
men of the town.