The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-21
LEONARD R. WELLES DEAD.
hrs BODY FOUND IN a PATCH OF
WOODS At WORTH PbAINFIELD.

The Former Broekiyn Poiioe csmnissiener n
srioide. Having Cat lliu Throat with y
Raror-He Escnptd Frstu Dr. CeoieS's san-
itnriun On LssS wednesday Arterneon.
PLAINFIKLp. N. j., Feb. 2o.-Leonard r.
Welies. former Police Commissioner OF Brook
Ign, who wandered away from DIR. 7. II. Cooley's
private sanitarium at North Plain1eld on
Wednesday afternoon last, was found dead in
the woods about thfee-quartcrs Of q mile away
from the institution at g o'clock tonight. His
throat Was cut from ear TO- ear. and the
general appearance Of the body indi.
Gated that he had been dead for some
time. The ground around tho spot
whore he was found was undisturbed,
and there Is little or no doubt that he COM
mitted suicide. The knife or razor with which
he cut his throat was not found. A search was
made for It. but IL was too dark 10 accomplish
much. and 1t was finally given up until morn
ing. the party returning to this city with the
body.
II Mr.. welles went straight TO the woods on
Wednesday afternoon after leaving the SAM
tarium and killed himself, It 10 remarkable that
his body was not found before. Searching par
ties have been in the woods since Thursday
morning trying to get some trace Of the missing
man. but couldn't fnd tho slightest clue TO his
whereabouts.
Young Frederick welles explained this to-
night by saying that tho searching had all been
done at n distance of several miles from DR..
Cooley's place. no one having an idea that any
trace of him would be found so close at hand.
Tho finding Of Mr.. Wolles's body was due to
the reward OF $3.50 which was offered by the
family on Friday for any information leading to
the discovery OF his whereabouts. All of tho
idlers in town have been searching the woods
since the offer was made, and to-day they were
tninad NV N number of man who fh0upht IL
worth while to put in their Sunday in making
q try for tho reward.
Charles Farlee, q young truckman, started out
to search the woods this afternoon. He lives
near the sanitarium, and while the others
were searching at q distance, he secured
the woods in the immediate vicinity. At
about 8 o'clock he came across the body In
q lonely place on tho Johnston farm, near lthe
foot of the Watching mountains, He imme.
Welles. who. with about twenty of his friends
another section Of the woods.
No yalua6les were found on MI; Welles'' body
Which he wore around his neck. He left his
had at the senitaiium before he went
SSSniSh; S Mh'f Killed q himself Ss In1 is snHs mystery %srS
that will not be cleared up until tho
have was his penknife, and that was left at the
sanitarium with his other things. DR.. Cooley
iala at any time Without vii its being noticed. and
might even have gone INTO the kitchen and
taken a knife from there unobserved. Frederick
dertaker. and 1t will DO shipped to Brooklyn
MI. WSeGiies's relatives and DR.. Cooley have In
sisted all along that no was not insane when he
left the sanitarium. He was supposed to be
s sSe sraafm dfam at aef the sa niSstiraa0R Ma sn Growing %nheE
better steadily. Tonight 1t is said that he must
have. had an attack of melancholia. during
Mr.. WelIes came to br. Coolsy's sanitarium
in the fr9t week Of January; Tho pressure Of
Of 1897 was great, and he broke down
under i: He stuck 70 his desk assid =;
$50 promotions that were to be made before the
consolidation Of Brooklyn and New York. When
and his plans were otherwise upset by his polit-
ical opponents he broke down.
Brooklyn, which he was unable to Investigate
because his physician refused 70 allow him to do
s snssl To 5fo az 81, h aaTth fcr s spsss na%, 9 for nervous he was
His wife came with him. and has been living
Mathers: her husband. and Frederick Welles.
MI. Wclies's condition were very encouraging.
and just a few days before his disappearance It
Ess h saas a sheI two hs w wseEs more nc sU Of t 70 teasra 10
1t was at $3.50 o'clock Wednesday afternoon
that Mr.. Wellcs left tho sanitarium. His daugh-
ter had Just been out to visit him and Mrs.
Welles had gone to the station to see her off. Mr..
Welles was allowed to take walks in the after
| moons. and nothing was thought Of 1t whom he
started toward tho woods at the conclusion
of his daughters visit. He didn't return at
dinner time and when keepers were sent out for
him they could get no trace Of him. A man was
found who had seen him entering the woods.
but that was the last seen OF him alive.
MIR. Welles lived at 231 Gates avenue. Brook
Ign. with his wife. son, and daughter. He wac
born at Wethersfield, Conn.,. in 1882, on n farm
purchased by his ancestors from the Indians
and held by the family for over 200 years. He
| was n relative OF Gideon Welles, Secretary Of
the Navy under President Lincoln.
He was educated by his uncle, Amos Pills
Blackwell's Island. and worked himself in the
Connecticut and Illinois State prisons and in
the Albany and Auburn prisons in this State.
For eight years he was superintendent Of the
immigrants depot on Wards Island. Then
he went into tho leather business. He
| organized the firm of Welles & knight of "a
Gold street, New York. When Mr.. Knight
withdrew he took his sou in the firm, which Is
at present Welles s. Welles.
He was appointed Police Commissioner Of
Brooklyn by Mayor Schieren. and administered
the duties Of the Office successfully. He was o
member of the Lincoln Club and of the Hide
and Leather Club of New York.