Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-07-19
TURNED ON THE CAS-
}. |. RAY COMMITTED SUICIDE
Body Found Sunday Morning in His
Room at Brooks House-ln ~
Health and pondent-Liveryma
in Brattleboro 40 Years.

Dead with the gas turned on the
body of John l.. Ray, for over half a
century a prominent figure in the
business life of Brattleboro, was found
in his room at the Brooks house Sun
day morning about s o'clock. The
developments a little later showed
that suicide had been premeditated
The odor of gas was detected in the
corridor by Mrs. c. Menzies Miller,
one of the resident guests of the house,
who sent a notification to the office.
Thomas Heaphy, the porter, who was
at the Office desk at that time, went
at once to the second floor. The odor
of gas was hardly dscernible to him,
but his suspicious were aroused at
once when Miss Mack, a chambermaid,
attempted to open the door to Mr..
Rays bedroom and found it locked, as
it had been Mr.. Rays custom to keep
the door unlocked. Mr.. Heaphy
climbed up to the transom, which was
closed tight When he pushed it open
a volume of gas rolled out. Looking
through the opened transom he could
see the body of Mr.. Ray lying on the
bed, clad only in underclothes. Using
a long stick Mr.. Heaphy was able to
reach through the transom in Mr..
Rays sitting room and throw back the
night lock. From the sitting room he
entered the bed room. The windows
were opened at once, and Dr. Ander-
son, the physician who lives in the
house, was summoned Immediately.
He stated that life had been extinct
six to eight hours. All the windows
had been closed, and the door leading
from the small sleeping room to the
sitting room had been closed. On the
bureau was Mr.. Rays gold watch and
beside it a note written with pencil
saying "a present to Charlie" mean
ing Mr. Rays only brother who lives
in Lincoln. Mass. Mr.. Rays partner
in the ownership of the American
House, G. A. Boyden, and Lawyer H.
C. Barber who had acted as Mr.. Rays
agent in handling business affairs
were notified.
The news of Mr.. Rays death was a
great surprise and shock to people in
Brattleboro. He was a friend to al
most every person in town, and while
many knew that he was in poor health
and was at times in a mental condi-
tion bordering on meloncholia, few had
suspected that he would ever meet
death in this manner. His intimate
friends had noticed that he had been
in a failing condition the past few
weeks. On Saturday he asked Thomas
Heaphy the best way to get to the
Brattleboro Retreat without attract
ing attention. Mr.. Heaphy knowing
that Mr. Ray would argue the matter
if urged not to go, told him to walk
out the north entrance to the Brooks
House, and then up the street to the
Retreat This ended the conversation
of this subject. week before he died
Mr.. Ray told Mr.. Boyden that he was
going to bed, never to get up. He had
made similar remarks before when
greatly depressed and Mr.. Boyden did
not attach particular significance to
them on this occasion. Mr.. Ray had
stayed in his room a week or more
before he died.
Mr.. Rays relatives were informed
by telegraph of the sad end. The son,
John j. Ray, the widely known fur
nishing goods dealer in Boston, and
his wife and one of his employees.
David Walsh, reached here Monday
noon, and Monday evening Mr.. Rays
brother and sister, Charles Ray and
Miss Annie Ray, came here from Lin
coin, Mass.
Mr.. Ray attended services at the
Universalist church, but the pastor,
Rev. Mr.. Marvin, being absent, Rev.
Mr. Osgood of the Unitarian church
offlciated at the funeral which was
held at the Brooks House Tuesday af-
ternoon. Selections were sung by
e. H. Miller. The burial was in Pros
pect Hill cemetery.
Mr.. Ray was born in Lincoln Mass,
Oct. 20, 1921. His boyhood and young
To-.
on the homestead in possession of his
fathers family. Mr.. Rays first i'm
portant work as sub-contractor in
building the Vermont and Massachu-
sets railroad brought him to Brattle-
boro when he was about % years
old. Sidney Dillon was the main
contractor in charge, but Mr.. Ray
was one of his most active and
efficient lieutenants. After the
completion of the railroad Mr.. Ray en-
gagged in one or two small business
ventures in Brattleboro, and then es-
tablished a livery business in the old
barn which then stood directly OPP
pOsite the American House, and was
owned by Col Joseph Goodhue. Later
Col Goodhue built what is now Rays
building, and Mr. Ray moved his live
cry to the quarters now occupied by
Henry R. Brown. Mr.. Ray, on account
of i'll health retired from business ten
years ago, selling the stable to Minor
& Bowen.
Mr.. Ray has been one of the owners
of the American House many years.
Stearns & Ray bought the American
House of Goodhue S. Tate just before
the civil war. Mr.. Stearns was sue
ceeded by G. A. Boyden, the longtime
landlord of the house, who has been
Mr.. Rays partner in the ownership
of the real estate many years.
Mr.. Ray married in June, 1850, Miss
Addie " Pratt of Vernon. The death
of Mrs. Ray took place in November,
1899. Mr.. Rays only immediate rel
atives are the son, brother and sister
referred to above.
During the 40 years that Mr.. Ray
was engaged in business in Brattle-
boro he filled an important place in
the community life. He probably
owned more good horses and handled
more first class livery stock than any
man in New England. He had great
pride in his business and made a sue
cess of it by giving strict attention to
details. He was a man of independ-
ence and positive views, with some
noticeable personal peculiarities of
speech and manner which gave him a
reputation and acquaintance far out
side the town of his residence, but he
was warm hearted generous and had