The times., 1901-03-12
THE SUICIDE OF DIP. LBECH
A Government Employe Ends His
Life With a Razor.
His Nifc's Threatened Action for Di-
vorcc said so Have Been Rcspon-
Sibie for the Deed - BODY Found
in "a Closet by His LnndiUdX.

/ His " ifc'S Threatened Action Tor bl-
vorcc said so Have Been Rcspon-
sibie for the Deed - BODY Found
in Closet by His LnndiRdy.
! Overcome with domestic troubles and
| threatened with legal separation from
| his wife and his little boy whom he
idolized Daniel Paul Leech, who for
more than a quarter OF a century had
| been an cmploye of the Government
Printing Office bindery. went to his room,
closed himself in closet, and killed
| himself by cutting his throat with
razor. The body was found shortly be
fore noon Yesterday by Miss Josephine
Martin, the daughter of the woman in
whose house he roOmed at 455 G Street
| northwest IT was removed to the
morgue and afterward taken charge Of
by President Fceney of the Bookbnders
Association and turned over to Under
taker Harvey. 10y whom it will DE pre-
| pared for burial The interment will be
at Arlington.
NIr. Leech was about sixty years of
age. was a Mason of high standing, and
a member of the Union Veteran Legion.
He formerly lived with his wife and little
boy at 81 f Street northeast. on New
| Years Eve he and his family left Wash
ington for Philadelphia. his native city
to visit his wife's relatives. lie was
alone when he returned to this city and
shortly afteTward he gave uD the house
where he had been living and rented a
third-story back room at 455 G Street
! northwest of Mrs. ]. f Martin. He was
very quiet and regular in his habits and
but few of the other roomers in the house
knew him. He frequently received letters
Dill
not until yesterday that their contents
were made known. Saturday evening be
tween and o'clock Mrs. Martin saw
him leave the house. Shortly before 10
! o'clock that night she heard him slowly
ascend the stairs and enter his room.
Sunday morning Miss Martin tried to
! get into the room several times to
straighten up the room. but the door was
I locked. and she at last concluded that
Leech had made up his own bed and
locked the door as he went out to spend
the day. Yesterday morning Mrs. Martin
went to the room about II . clock and
I finding il still locked became somewhat
alarmed and calling her daughter COM
menced an investigation. She found that
his key was on the inside OF the door ana
I failing to get any response to repeated
raDping. she pushed the key out Of the
lock and could see through the opening
/ Lcech s clothing lying on a lounge on
3
ly convinced that something was wrong
ana opening the door with another key
she entered. The bed had been slept in
apparently. but was empty.
Miss Martin glanced in the direction OF
the closet. and, noticing blood on the car
pct hurricdly left the room and sent for
! policeman, who notified the Coroner.
/ When Superintendent Of the MorgUe
( Shoenbcrger arrived with the dead wagon
lac found the body lying in a pool of blood
jammed down ina corner of the closet.
Besides the body was a penknlfe, a box
of cartridges and an open razor. covered
wit hbiOOd. On the shelf above was the
{ case from which the razor had been taken
and pistol. Two of the cartridges which
il contained bore the imprint of the ham
meT. but Were still uneNploded. I he WASH
basin in another part of the room con-
tanned bloody water and smeared towel
/ iay beside it, 1t is thought that Leech
first attempted to Kill himself with the
knife and. on failing To do 50, WaVefed IN
his determination and washed away the
blood. Afterward, il is believed that he
entered the closet and closed the door
I'm order to muffie the sound OF the eN-
Dlosion OF the pistol with which he at
tempted to shoot himself.
The cartridge failed To explode, and
reaching lIu to the shelf which was at
hand he took the razor and drew 1t with
such force across his throat that the
veins and arteries We're c0InpleteiN SeF-
cred He must have dird almost m
stantly His hands were still at his
throat The door had been pushed open
by his feet rs he fell in the corner OF the
closet
were found many letters from his wife,
who signed herself Annie. that were post
marked Philadelphia, but no street al-
dress was given 1ncse letters were all
kindly in tone but stated that she could
moi live with him any longer and referred
to contemplated proceedings for divorce.
There was also friendly letter OF ad-
vice Oh the subject from James Carson.
a produce Gea1e at stalls y and - Broad
street Market. Philadelphia. inspector
Boardnau telegraphed to that address
Immediately uUon the finding of the
body but up 40 a late hour last night NJ
word had hecn received I'D reply. Nprd
was aisu sent 10 Il brother OF the suicide,
who lives AT 22l3 North Fifth Street,
Philadelphia.
4 bank hook showing ii balance To his
credit with the American Security and
Trust Cumpany of about $500 WAS found
among his effects. while $lit.52 was found
I'm his pockets. Everything was taken
charge Of by the police. Leech was
about sixty years of age
At the first call for troops at the out
break Of the civil war Lesch enlisted IN
the Union Army, being only sixteen years
old at the time lie served through the
war and for eleven months WAS held a
prisoner AT Anders0nNi iilc. After being eN-
changed he went to Chicago and learned
the trade of q boOkbinder. From there
bt- went to New York. bat did rot remain
long I'm 1874 hc came TO Washington and
Printing Office. where he has been en-
uloved ever since, II" was member OF
Fucqmpment 60 Iniuu Veteran Legion,
Of the Grand Army OF the Republic; of
T. u. French Lodge No. -, Columbia
Commandrv No. y, and Columbia Royal
Arch CHAPTER No. +. The funeral arrange
ments viii not be completed until word
is received from his relatives IN Fhiia-