New-York tribune., 1900-12-09
LAW STUDENTS TRAGIC END
AsToR BATTERY VETERAN SHOOTS HIM
SELF IN SIXTH-AVE.
pAFFLEs DETECTIVES WHO FOLLOW HIM
OUT OF THE CRITERION HOTEL AS NE
FLoURIsHEs REVOLVER.


Philip s sondheim. law student tWehtS- '
four years old. committed suicide oy shu".ns me
himself in the right tempI= at I:3O O'CLOCK iss'
oI.erirg at sixth-aye. and Forty-hrst-st., dying
almost instantly. He was q veteran OF tie
antsh-American War, having been lheihpe'
~ the Astor Battery serving in Mania ms
lived az the Criterion Hotel. Broao"aS atiN
Forty-frst-st. At the time or the shoo'tHe
avenue and adjacent streets were hitsA ~
nedestrians The man killed himseil win "
volver which he had used in the war Inc re-
mort of the shot caused & large crown u sa'e',
Central Ofice Detectives Armstrong ana
pa, r,sra leaving the Knickerbocker Theatre
when they were told by citizen that man
bad committed suicide In the Criterion Hotel
The detectives went TO the hotel. and were in
formed by the clerk that q shot had been heard
in a room on the sixth floor. They went to the
room designated by the clerk and tried to enter
The door was locked. The detectives then
raped repeatedly and finally received a repE-
who's :here?" asked a man from the inside
Friends" replied the detectives. thinking
probably the man would open the door. A few
minutes later Sondheim, iourishing a revolver
above his head walked out of the room and
into the elevator. The detectives tried to keep
close to him. but he threatened to shoot them.
They went down the stairs.
Upon reaching the first floor Sondheim walked
out into the corridor. still holding the revolver
above his head. and into Forty-irst-st.. followed
at a safe distance by the detectives. Each time
they attempted to close IN on Sondheim he
would turn his heels. and. pointing the re-
voIver. threaten to kill the first man who ap-
preached him. If you come near me I'll kill
you" he said.
TOO QUICK FOR THE DETECTIVES
The detectives decided the man was mad or
insane. and kept at a safe distance. following
him to sixth-ave.
In the mean time young girl had told Police
men Link and Hausmiller OF the West Thir-
tieth-st. station, who were duty in Sixth
ave-. that man hourishing a revolver
above his head. The policemen hid behind an
opening. thinking they would have an oppor-
tunity OF pouncing upon him and taking the
revolver from him. Before that opportunity
arrived. however. the detectives tried TO attract
the mans attention in another direction. and
haG partly succeeded, when they jumped in on
him He was too quick for them. however. and
before they could prevent him Sondheim had
sent the bullet into his temple
A physician. whose name was not obtained by
the police. was walking through Bryant Park.
He heard the terrific report made by the pistol.
and rushing 70 where the man lay prostrate.
tried 10 stop the flow Of blood until the arrival
OF the ambulance surgeon When the latter ar
rived Sondheim was dead.
The dead mans brother Solomon, a neckwear
salesman and his two sisters. who live in New
Jersey, had taken dinner at the hotel. and were
sitting in the dining room when the clerk in
formed them that their brother had killed him
self The women tainted. and during the night
remained at the hotel receiving medical treat
ment. The body OF the dead man was taken 10
the West Thirtisth-st. station. and later to an
undertaking establishment.
II is believed the man was insane. He
we'll known among the upper Broadway set. and
came originally from Buffalo II is said his
father a. his death left considerable money TO
be divided among the four children Philip hai
already spent his, and. IL is said had tried to
borrow some from his sisters and brothers. He
had entered a law school. but did not graduate
office. He seldom went to the office, however,
preferring 10 mingle with the Broadway set
He is said to have been veal known sport and
gambler.
CALMLY TOLD OF HIS PLAN.
Directly after being informed OF the shoot
ing. the mans brother. Sol. accompanied by a
friend. left the hotel and walked to where the
tragedy occurred. The was heard to say
to the brother. You might have prevented this
by a kind word"
Mr. Amer. the hotel manager. late last night
gave out his story OF the suicide. He said Sond-
helm had been stopping at the hotel for some
and lost heavily. He had appeared rational up
10 the last. Sondheim had never drank any
thing and did not smoke.
Last Tuesday he had called all Of his friends
and the employees in the hotel and had told each
one what portion of his clothing he was to have
after he had committed suicide The friends
and employees had laughed the matter off, think
ing nothing OF II. Sondhem at the time had
said he was to kill himself on Saturday. He had
told his sisters that he going 10 kill him
self, and when asked not to do had re-
fused. His brother, Sol. who was trav-
elling. had been telegraphed for. and arrived in
the city on Friday, going to the VendOme Hotel.
He, with his sisters, had met Sondheim yester-
day, and the latter had informed him that he
was going to kill himself
Yesterday afternoon he had summoned his
youngest sister to his room and had repeated
his threats. She had entreated and begged OF
Phillip not 10 kill himself. He had said he
would and pulling the revolver from his bureau
drawer said "See that spot on the WALTZ" fir
| ing at it, AS soon the woman had recovered
| from her surprise she left the room and went
downstairs This at $50 o'clock Sond-
helm had locked his room door. The shot had
| been heard by the detectives and several police
| men.
Mr. Amer had gone 10 the desk and had been
| had probably shot himself. The brother and
sisters had been in the dining room at the time
| They had been informed of the shooting and
| the brother had written note to his brother
| which was taken to the room by Amer and the
| detectives The door had been found to be
locked and bolted. He had been asked n coros
| out but had ordered them away saving he
would fire IL they didn't so. Amer had then
| put the note under the door. 1t had been read
| apparently. as a note had been placed under
| the door ny him addressed to his brother sol .
| Amer and the detectives had then gone to the
dining room with the note. leaving Instructions
| with some bell boys that IL Sondheim should
| emerge from the room they should be Informed
| When the note had been delivered to the
brother. SOL" he had refused to go to Sond-
| helms room In the mean time Sondheiun had
| left his room and gone to the corridor and tnto
the street. Sondheim's effects are all packed