The evening times., 1900-10-16
PRICE ONE CENT.
DEAD BY HTS OWN HAND
Thomas Z. Lane Fires Bullet Into
His Brain at Midnight.
He Was the American Agent of the
Vickers Sons and the Maxim Guu
company-The Deed Witnessed by
His Young Daughter-A Son-in-
LAW of Standardized Blackburn.

Thomas r Lane. the American agent of
the Vickers Sons and Maxim Gun Com
pany of London and a son-in-law OF Sena-
| tSf-elect Joseph Blackburn of Kentucky,
fired a bullet from a .3S-calibre revolver
into his brain at his home, 1870 K Street
northwest, at I:36 o'clock last night. and
expired about thirty minutes later with
out regaining consciousness.
! The suicide was deliberate Mr.. Lane
prepared for bed, calmly loaded his re-
voiveF, and in the presence of his four
year-old daughter, Therese, placed the
muzzie OF the weapon behind his right
ear and fired the fatal shot
Mrs. Lane was in an adjoining room at
the time. and on hearing the shot rushed
to the side of her husband Blood was
flowing from an ugly hole just back Of
the lobe of the right ear. and that and
the smoking revolver told the story Mrs
Lane was prostrated She was able,
however. 10 arouse the servants and des-
patch them for Drs. J. Tabor Johnson,
w. P. Carr. ard James Kerr
DR. Johnson, whose home adioius that
Of the Lanes, was the first to arrive. He
physicians. and the three then went to
| work to relieve the condition of Lane,
whose life was fast ebbing Despite all
efforts, however, Lane never rallied, and
died few minutes after midnight with
| out recognizing his wife or any of those
about him
Coroner Nevitt was then notified. and
after viewing the body and learning the
ClTGnInsta ATTENDING he Sc
sued certificate OF death b. suicide
| The remains were then turned over TO
Undertaken Gawler and prepared for tur-
lal- The funeral arrangements have not
yet been completed. a brother and sister
cf Mr.. Lane from Summit N j. and
Senator Blackburn from Hagerstown
Md. arrived at the Lane home this af-
ternoon. in response TO kilograms an
nouncing the suicide.
Though 1t is not definitely known what
actuated Lane TO tske his life, a theory
is advanced by those in losi-
ton to know Mrs. Lane said this morn
ing, in the presence of several persons,
that her husband was recently informed
that he had Bright's disease, and was
warned that unless he was particularly
careful of himself he would not live long
The knowledge Of his condition is said to
have greatly disturbed Mr.. Lane. and to
nave caused him considerable worry.
Recently Mr. Lane had not been in
good health. He said the knowledge of
! his condition worried him. but he never
intimated that he contemplated suicide
He was at his Office at 722 Seventeenth
Street almost daily, though On several oc-
casians he remained al his desk but 2
short while On more than one occasion
it was noticed that Mr.. Lane had taken
stiInulants it was thought, fer the pur-
pose OF relieving his mental condition due
to worry. Mrs. Lane noticed, yesterday
that the condition OF her husband was
rather worse than improved and she
called his attention to the fact and ad-
Vised that the instructions of the family
physician be followed. Mr.. Lane appeared
morose but no more so than usual. He
remained about the house the greater
portion OF the day and about 80 O'Clock
last night went out, remaining away until
about 1890 o'clock. He conversed on gen
eral topics with his wife and appeared in
slightly better spirits than when he went
out
About 11:I5 o'clock Mr. and Mrs Lane
and their daughter prepared for bed Mr.
Lane was the first to retire and it is sun
posed that when he got into bed he took
with him his revolver and box contain
ing few cartridges. He was not oh
served TO do so, however. When little
Therese was ready for her crib Mrs. Lane
took the child to her room adjoining that
O1SupLSd llS IalGeT &II mother. The
child was about to get in bed when she
remembered that he had not kissed her
father good night. She ran lightly into
his room and Mrs Lane heard Therese
say, Good night. papa Mrs. Lane also
heard the child say, what are ycu doing
with the pistol, papa? Why do you put
loads into ito and even as the child spoke
the report of the revolver answered
both questions for Mrs. Lane, though the
child scarcely understood
When Mrs. Lane reached the side of her
husband, Therese was standing at the head
or the bed calling TO her father and cry
ing The child. though not fully compre-
hending what had transpired. intuitiveIy
fslt that something was wrong with her
father Mrs. Lane moved the child from
the bedside after she had sent servants
for the physicians.
When Mrs. Lane was told that her nus
band was dead her grief was un:ontrolla-
ble and she utterly collapsed. Her condi-
tion became such that the attention of the
physicians was directed toward relieving
her. She clung TO the Iifeless body of her
husband and could not be induced to leave
him until the arrival of the undertakers
Even then Mrs Lane would not leave the
room in which the body lay. In her hys-
teTical condition it thought that Mrs
Lane was not responsible and a close
watch was kept on her Under treatment
| she rallied later and was composed at a
late hour. J. ". Blackburn, jr neph-
| ew OF the Senator-elect. who was summon
ed to the Lane home by messenger, short
ly after the suicide, and who remained in
charge. said today that while he con-
! sideTed Mrs. Lane to be in a very serious
condition he thought she could be recon
| ciled and would recover under careful
treatment and nursing
Thomas F. Lane was thirty-fiye years
| cid and a native of New Hampshire When
| young he removed with his parents 10
Summit. n. j., where he lived until about
seven years ago. Since that time he had
made his home in Washington. though he
Travelled extensively in the interests of
firms he represented. About six years
| ago Lane met and wooed Lucille the
| youngest daughter of Senator Blackburn.
Marriage followed a short eourtship and
enc child Therese, blessed the union At
the time of his marriage Mr. Lane repre-
sented steel company Of New Hamp-
| shire and about three years ago resigned
his position 10 take charge of the American
| interests OF the manufacturers of the Max
| i'm guns. The position is said 10 have
| been a lucrative one.
Held Up in Chicago.
| CHICAGO Get 16.-Eugene C. Perkins