The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-15
HE WAS TIRED OF LIFE
Fred Tilt Ends All by a Dose of
Laudanum.
O~ESPONDENCY THE CAUSE
Financial Embarrassment Believed to Be
the Reason for the Act-was
wer-Known Gambler and
Race Horse Man.

Fred p. Tilt. a well-known gambler
and racehorse man who made his head
quarters at Helena. was found lead in
bed in his room In the Mantle block at
16 West Broadway yesterday afternoon.
He had committed suicide by taking
laudanum some time Thursday after
noon or night.
Tilt engaged the room about two
weeks ago. paying in advance for two
weeks. He had with him a woman he
said was his wife. but who is a sport
ing m n couple occupied the
room together several days. when the
woman went away and Tilt was seen
about house but little after that.
The last seen of him was Thursday
afternoon between . and 3 o'clock. AT
that time George @. Beckwith. proprie-
tor of the lodging house. saw him 60 to
his room. and as no one appears to
ave seen him alive since that time.
and from the advanced stage of decom-
position in which the body was found.
IL is supposed the act was committed
not long after the time he went to his
room.
Yesterday morning the chambermaid
Of the lodging house went to Tits
I room NJ tne Qrudl nOuT 10 put u IN
order. She unlocked the door and
started to go in. but seeing a person in
the bed. supposed the occupant of the
room was sleeping and closed and
locked the door again. Later in the
day the girl informed Proprietor Beck
with that Tilt was not yet up and he
went TO investigate. Unlocking the
door, he went In. A terrible odor met
him and he knew something must be
wrong. Going around to the front of
the bed he looked at its occupant and
saw that he was dead. Mr.. BeckwIth
Immediately called a messenger boy
and sent for the police and then noti-
fed the coroner.
whe, found the lead man lay on his
right side with his head almost of the
side Of the bed, as though he had been
in the act of attempting to vomit when
life went out. On the center table was
a note which revealed the fact that
death was by design. but II assigned
no reason for the deed. and as there
was nothing Immediately in evidence
TO indicate what method had been
adopted. there was considerable mys-
terry as to how the man ended his life.
until later when an empty bottle that
had contained laudanum was found I'M
der the BED. A beer bottle about half
empty. a glass and the wash bowl
were by the side of the bed. The note
found on the table read:
Wire my father, Thomas Tilt. Brit
ish Exchange hotel. Goderich. Ontario.
Canada; also Florence Preston. Elk
horn"
The only motive ascribed for the sui
eide IL the superstition that Tilt was
without funds and, becoming d%espond-
ent. decided TO end his life. This infer
ence was drawn from the fact that lit
tie or no money was found among the
L.. ..-E - o "a rA-
and letters found In his pockets. One
telegram. dated at Elkhorn, Sept. IL.
and signed Florence. read: Have sent
money 20 Falls by mail. also $40 to
Butte" Another, dated at Elkhorn,
Oct. 10. and signed Bertha. said: Have
sent money. Letters. also dated at
Elkhorn and signed by the two names,
gave the inference that Tilt depended
upon the woman. both signatures be-
ing by the same person. for funds. and
in one reference was made TO the hope
OF the writer that she would soon be
able to supply more money. As no
other reason for the suicide h known,
II Is taken for granted that despond-
ency over being o OF money was the
cause.
After the coroner had viewed the re-
mains the body was taken TO Sherman's
undertaking rooms where an inquest
VIII be held mis- afternoon at 4 O'Clock.
Tilt was about 30 years OF age and
was a dentist by profession, but had not
followed the business for some years.
He came 20 Montana some years
and made his headquarters at Helena.
After coming tn Helena he abandoned
his profession and has since been a
gambl .r and a follower OF horse racing
during the racing season. The woman
I'm the ease is = handsome sporting wo-
nan named perihs Hegner. but known
as Florence Preston. During the race
meeting she vas a conspicuous figure
at the track. At the time of the sale Of
the BY Holly string OF horses at Ana
conda Tilt purchased the 4-year-old
mare Lorena H.. the woman furnishing
the morey and the mare being started
In Tits name. The purchase price was
s440. The mare was a very fast animal.
but ran in hard luck. n the couple
are said 20 have lost heavily on her.
After the Hamilton meeting the couple
came to Butte and Tilt put in his time
playing the races and gambling and the
woman went 10 Elkhorn. Tilt seemed
TO have plenty Of money up TO very re-
Gently. He was very we'll known among
gamblers, and, except when drinking,
when he was ill-tempered, was very
generally liked. He had no relatives in
this country.
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