New-York tribune., 1901-08-24
MILL OWNER DIES BY GAS.
POLICE REPORT CALLS JAMES W.
LYALL'S DEATH A SUICDE-FAMILY
DECLARE 1T WAS ACCIDENTAL.

James ". Lyall, sixty-eight years old. a
wealthy manufacturer Of cotton goods, living
a. Ne. 31T West Eighty-eighth-st-. was found
dead in bathtub at his home by his son Ar
thur early yesterday morning The gas was
turned on in the room. and the police reported
the one OF suicide.
The son said that the bathtub was half filed
with water, as If his father had intended to
take a bath. It is the theory OF the family that
Mr.. Lyall was overcome by faintness and fell.
striking the gas bracket in such a way as to
turn on the gas. There was a cut on his fore
head They say that he had no reason TO COM
nit suicide, as far they knew. except that
he had been in good health for the last
months. Mr.. Lyall had a mandatory at Pas
sale. ". J.. and Thursday he went there
Mr.. Lyan leaves two sons and three daugh-
ters. Mrs Lyall and two Of the daughters are
at the family summer home. at Twilight Park.
in the CatskiIls- The other daughter. Mabel.
and the Arthur dined with their father
Thursday night. The other is also in
town.
At the office Of ]. & W. Lyall, No. So Leon
ard-st.. the dead mans nephew said that he
could not credit the police idea Of suicide. as
Mr.. LyaH was OF a particularly calm and san
guine temperament, and had unusual nerve
Mr.. LyalI had been in i'll health for some time,
and the last time he was at the office was
Wednesday when II was noticed that he ap-
peared very feeble. Even then he displayed the
equa BILE spirit which had always characterized
him.
Mr. Lyan was the president OF the firm Of j.
& ". Lyal owners of the Brighton Mills, at
Passaic. n. j.. and of a plant for manufact-
uring looms and other machinery used in the
making of cotton goods This plant. whlch
was for thirty-five years in West Twenty third
ST. was moved to Passaic in last January Mr..
Lyan invented the positive motion loom, which
largely revolutonized the manufacture Of cot
ton goods; a cap press, for CompresSing the
cotton of the shuttles, and various improve
ments and devices which have been widely
used in the cotton goods industry.
He was born in Auchterardar, Scotland. on
September 13, 1896. and brought 20 this
country when he three years old. After
receiving a common school education he went
into the cotton goods business with his father
and was subsequently associated with Charles
Pratt. now of the Standard OIL Company. in the
Chelsea Jute Mills then at Twenty -hfth-st. and
Ihlrteenth-ave, but now situated at Green
point. Afterward he with his brother
David LyaI, in the firm of Buchanan & LyaH
owners of the Planet Mills. BROOKLYN and with
the United States Corset Company, which
manufactured the first machine made corsets
by the Brighton Mills.
The two brothers, James and William. estab-
Hshed the Brighton Mills twenty-five years ago.
The mills are devoted to the manufacture OF
bedspreads and special cotton fabrics
Mr. Lyall served with the 18th New-YorI In
fantry in the Civil War. While m the service
ne invented a varnish, which was used by his
father, who manufactured knapsacks here
Mr.. Lyal was a member Of the 81 Andrew
Society and the Twilight, West Side RepubIi-
can and Burns clubs. In 1864 he married Miss
Margaret Teford. OF Meredith Hollow. near
Delhi. y. Y.