New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-02
JUMPS FROM SKYSCRAPER.
HOTEL GUEST n SUICIDE.
EUery Bone Broken by $50 Feet
Drop in Nesc-st.

Coolly and deliberately Sidney Johnston Hay
don, nfty-five years old, guest of the Hotel
Holley. No sc Washington Square West, COM
rnitted suicide yesterday by jumping from a rear
window the top floor of the twenty-one story
Forty-two Broadway Building into New-st
a distance Of 800 feet. Il was the greatest leap
ever taken by man from a building in this
city. He WAS instantly killed, and every bone
in his body was broken.
Several times in the descent his body turned
in the air. He landed feet first on the curbstone
in front Of No. 30 Newest. to which the Forty
two Broadway Building extends. The body
fell with such force that the imprint OF the
curb was left in the sole OF the right shoe The
right leg was snapped as il it had been stick
and the trouser leg was cut evenly with the
break. The left leg also broken. both OF
the thighs were crushed. and both arms. every
rib and the neck were broken. Even his teeth
shattered.
The building, which has Just been completed
by the Forty-two Broadway Company, has a
frontage Of about 100 feet in Broadway and
about 80 feet in New-st. forming an L. For
about week the building has been open for
The inspection Of prospective tenants. About
half Of the Offices have been rented. About five
thousand people visited the building yesterday.
and twelve of the sixteen elevators were kept
busy. No one could be found who noticed Hay
don he entered the building. Well dressed.
six feet two inches tall and with a we'll trimmed
Van Dyke beard. Mr.. Haydon looked the pros
porous business man.
The Offices into which Hayden went on the
twenty-f1rst floor. what is known the
New-st. side OF the building. A pillar cuts off
the view Of the elevator man from the inte-
rior Of the offices when the door is open.
The superintendent OF The. building said he
had been in the offices about half an hour be-
fore the jumped. All the windows were
closed then. From the window sill q ledge ex-
tends out about forty-five inches. On this ledge
there is plenty of room for mans body. Hay
don climbed out on this ledge. then turned about
and closed the window TO within four or FIVE
inches. lie placed his umbrella the ledge so
that the rod stuck out several inches the
ledge. Then he jumped.
Walking through New-st. at the time of the
fan were Frank Mclaughlin, sixteen years DID,
Of No. 30 West Ninety -ffth-st., and Joseph
Alleminto, eighteen years old, of No. 302 East
One-hundred- d-and-fourth-st. They say they
heard 4 "whstlng sound" and. looking
up the body ar about the third story. 1t
revolving slowly. and two seconds later
struck the ground with a report like pistol.
Patrolman Eslrond F. Gray, OF the Old slip
station, was about half block away. The boys
to him and. according to Gray. informed
turning with the boys. Gray found Haydon's
body
News OF the suicide spread rapidly. and in
spite Of the rain a throng OF people crowded
into New-st.. anxious TO get glimpse Of the
body. The windows of the neighboring sky
scrapers were lined with people. and excitement
ran high. William Knott manager of the Hol-
ley identified the body as that of Hayden
Il knew very little about his family busi-
ness affairs" said Knott Il know mat he was
never married, that he seemed to have plenty
OF money and always dressed and lived well.
He was very quiet and uncommunicative, how
OF the hotel knew his business While he was
OF a quiet disposition, he never impressed me
being morose." He said he would endeavor
TO find some OF Haydons relatives through
friends. He refused TO tell the police who these
friends were.
A possible motive for Haydon's suicide was
in his clothing. II from Erastus Young
general auditor Of the Union Pacific Railroad
and showed that Hayden had recently applied
TO Mr.. Young for position. 1t also intima ted
that HayGon had once been engaged in railroad
work
This letter and the one from the woman were
incosed in an envelope addressed 10 Hayden
nd bearing the return stamp In the corner of
James Talcott. Nos 1oS-11O Franklin-st."
James Tslcott is commission merchant and
lives az No. West Fifty-seventh-st.
Louisville, Ky. April 1.-Sidney johnson Hay
den was prominent as n railroad man and re-
lated to many prominent Kentuckians In Louis
vile some years ago he Of the chief
clerks in the auditors office of the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad. He later became audi
tor Of the Choctaw,. Oklahoma and Gulf road
Later he opened Office expert accountant
IN Ncw-Yori
NO Sl.600.O0O FOR HIM