New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-26
MYSTERY IN HIS SUICIDE.
FOLLOWS HITCH IN LOAN.
Lazcyer Shoots Himself When Ne
gotidtions for 500, 900 Are DELAYED.


A few seconds after he had ended successfully
negotiations for loan of $4,000 yesterday af-
ternoon, David Levy. a lawyer. said to have a
practice that netted between $4,000 and $4,000
a year, gave himself fatal wound in the law
office of Harry Van Ness Phillips, on the
enth floor of the Equitable Building No. 120
Broadway. The shooting followed directly the
announcement of an office boy that man
wished to Mr. Levy.
The Office in which the shooting occurred is
one of a suite the seventh floor of the
Equitable Building, known No 36. The
principal office is occupied by J. Alexander
Koones, lawyer About 4:3O o'clock in the
afternoon Mr. Levy was in Mr.. Koones's office
talking with II. c. Mason and ]. F. Dorthy who
are in the mortgage and loan business at No. 132
Nassau-st.
Nh Dorthy said after the shooting and he
was corroborated by Mr. Mason. that they met
Mr.. Levy at Mr.. KoOness office by appointment
to discuss loan OF $4,000 which they were
negotiating for Mr.. Levy from H. H. Morse of
Tarrytown. Mr.. Mason and Mr.. Dorthy repre-
sented Mr.. Lew, and Mr.. Morse was represented
by Mr.. Koones
After some conversation concerning the loan
Mr.. Koones left the office for few minutes;
then Mr. DOrthy went out and Mr.. Mason
mained with Mr.. Levy in the inner office. Pres
emily the office boy said that man wanted to
see Mr. Levy. Mr.. Levy asked Mr.. Mason to
see what wanted. Mr.. Mason had scarcely
more than reached the outer office when he
heard a shot, and, rushing back found Mr.. Levy
lying on the floor with bullet wound in his
head, still clutching a revolver in his hand. In
the excitement the man who had called to
Mr.. Levy departed. and the police have not been
able to find him.
Mr.. Mason and Mr. Dorthy say that through
out the afternoon Mr.. Levy seemed much de-
pressed and thoroughly unlike himself though
what was worrying him they could not sur
mise
Mr.. Dorthy said the real estate Mr.. Levy Of
fered security for the loan was worth many
times that amount. The negotiations had been
discussed in every detail, all things had been
agreed on and nothing remained but to sign the
| necessary papers and pay over the money. Mr.
Levy seemed quite anxious to hurry the settle
ment.
Mr. Dorthy said that Mr.. Levy had recently
recovered from severe attack of grip and, so
far as he knew. the recovery had been COM
plete. Mr.. Levy. he added was the attorney for
the Importers and Traders Bank. of which Ed
ward Townsend is the president. and in
innate friend of Mr.. Townsend.
Policeman Henry Upham of the Broadway
Squad. who called for almost the
shot was heard, sent for an ambulance from the
Hudson Street Hospital. DR. Saunders re-
sponded. and found the lawyer still alive He
hurried him TO the hospital. Mr.. Levy's rela-
tives were sent for and his father, II. NJ. Levy,
and his mother with whom he lived, and a
brother E NJ Levy of No. 23S West one hun
dred-and-thirty eighth-st.. hurried to the hOspi-
tai They arrived there just before Mr.. Levy
died.
AT Mr. Leyy's office it was said that Mr. Levy
had net been in the office since Monday. and
II was supposed he was taking vacation 1t
was said he had been working very hard OF
late and that hts health poor.
f. NJ Levy could assign no reason for his
brothers suicide. Al his home the family said
they could think of no reason for the act, except
that he had worked hard. About six months
ago IT was said, he got the idea that he had
some incurahle disease, and consulted physi-
clan. The physician told him that he was not
i'll. but that he should not work too hard.
Levy president, treasurer and a director
of the Auditorium ana Theatre Company, a
concern organized year or so ago for the pro-
motion and building of the big seven story
building at Seventh-aVe. and One-hundred-and-
twenty-sixth-st. This building is 10 he occu-
pied by a theatre, cafe. with bachelor apart
ments and billiard rooms and bowling alleys
II is said that in the neighborhood of $1,000.
coo has been spent on the building already.
]. Alexander KooneS. at his home No. los
West hundred and twenty-ninth- h-St., said
that Levy financially entangled as the re-
said that he and II. II. Morse were counsel foN
Levy and were negotiating a loan for S45o.-
900 for him at per cent. Final arrangements
were 10 have been made at the conference at
his offices in the Equitable Building. where Levy
shot himself
There was n hitch. What this delay or
the cause of it, KOoneS would not say. Neither
would he say if the negotiations for the loan
had been called off; nor would he say that had
Levy waited day two the loan would have
been made. .
Levy also was president, treasurer and a d.
rector of the Associated Realty Concern, an or
ganization which deals largely In Harlem and
upper West Side real estate.