The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-22

William n. Hofmeister, for fourteen years
and who was defeated Monday night by
| one vote for reelection. committed suicide
yesterday morning at 10 o'clock in his room
at the Planters Hotel by shooting himself
in the head. He lived but few minutes
after the shooting.
The revolver with which the shooting was
done belonged to George NJ. AckIey Of Kan
sas- City, who shared Hofmeister's room.
Ackley was delegate to the meeting Of the
Supreme Council Monday night In the Hsi
land building, in which, after a protracted
and somewhat sensational contest over the
election Of officers. Hofmeister was defeated
for reelection, together with all the old
officers. His successor Is R ]. T. White.
Chagrin at his defeat for reelection to the
office which he had held fourteen years,
added to domestic troubles, is believed by
his friends to have impelled Hofmeister. in
a moment of dependency, to take his life.
That the act was premedieated and not
prompted by a sudden impulse is believed
by those who knew him well, and who were
with him up to within few minutes before
he shot himself. Rumors that his accounts
with the Legion of Honor were tangled are
positively denied by his friends, and the
officers Of the organization declare that his
books were examined by the Auditing Com
mittee ten days ago and found correct, and
the report of the committee was approved
at Monday nights meeting
The theory of premeditation is borne out
by the discovery Of three letters found in
the dead mans pockets by the police. The
letters were written in ink, in a firm, steady
hand and were dated January TO- The en-
velopes were sealed, but they were opened
by the police In the Coroncrs presence and
read. One of the letters was addressed to
his wife. who is in New York visiting her
sister. 1t reads:
ST. Louis. Jan. 20. 1so2.-Dearest Mae, My safe
deposit box is 1886. Present inclosed crder My
IS $50 insurance in the U. s. Ins. Co. Is in your
name-pay what Is due to Estele's account. In
closed fnd check for what think is in the bank
Pay what bills you desire.
God bless you and protect you. Ny last mes
sage is all my love to you.
ALWAYS YOUR TRUE HUBBY
A second letter. addressed to George B.
Teasdale. 40 Fullerton building, St. Louis.
reads:
Dear George: You Frank Thomas and billy
Lightholder take charge Of my desk and
personal papers and destroy what is not needed.
The silver In the safe u my wife's. Private pa
pers in the safe destroy. Take charge Of the
clothes. etc. at the hotel I leave all to you
three. 1 cannot begin to thank you all for your
true friendship to me. Yours, WILL.
The third letter was addressed to the
Third National Bank, and reads:
st. Louis Jan. 20. 1s02.-To the Third National
Bank OF St. Louis. Mo-: You will please pay TO
my wife. Mae E, Hofmeister the balance to my
credit this day and obige.
W. H. HoTMEIsTER.
100 to 500 dollars
Had Friends and Enemies.
Hofmeister had many warm friends in the
Legion Of Honor. and many enemies as
well. and at each annual election for three
years his enemies sought to defeat him for
reelection. Just prior to the election Mon
day night hot campaign was begun to
oust the entire roster of officials of the Su-
preme Council. and Hofmeister made the
fight of his life to secure reelection. To
his intimate friends he intimated that IL he
failed of reelection. 1t was 'all of with
him" 1t was said yesterday that he had
on one or two other occasions threatened
to take his own life, but not much attention
was paid to these threats at the time, as
it was not thought he was in earnest. The
intense strain under which he labored dur
ing the week preceding the election, while
canvassing for votes, had a very marked
effect upon him, and when he declared that
reelection was case OF life or death with
him his friends watched him closely. Mon
day he purchased revolver and loaded it.
and when this became known to his friends
they kept a vfgilant eye>on him, fearing he
would do something desperate at the meet
ing.
Owing to the bitter wrangle over the
election of officers at the meeting a feature
OF which was the arrest Of o. F. Overlook,
Supreme Chancellor. on charge OF carry
ing concealed weapons, 1t was nearly 8
a. m. when. the session ended. Hofmeis.cr
and several friends left the building and
went to the Planters Hotel, where Hof-
meister has been living since his wife went
away. It was nearly 4 o'clock when Hof-
meister and Ackley retired to their room.
Hofmeister wrote the letters found later
in his room and then went to bed When he
was asieeo Acklex took the rsssases from