New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-05
ENGINEER KILLS HIMSELF.
FOUND IN SECRET OFFICE.
Guest Waiting While Zee Expert
Took Poison and Gas.

George Richmond, consulting engineer of the
DE La Fergne Refrigerat.ng Company. a director
OF the Quartz Ice COmpsny. OF Elizabeth. n. J.:
author and translator of technical books of In
ternational reputation and an expert in the
manufacture of ice. yesterday was found dead in
his private Office on the fourth floor of the Carr
Building. at Third-ave and observation-disclosures
thirty-eighth-st. He had committed suicide BY
drinking a mixture of choral and brandy and
turning on the Illuminating gas in the room He
had been dead for twenty-four hours
Overwork is the reason given by his family for
MS act Besides his duties consulting engi-
neer for the De La Vergne company. for which
ne received $4,000 year. he was interested in
the Quartz Ice Company a newly organized con-
Germ. Of which his son Julian was secretary and
had been busy with it's affairs of late. He was
also employed in an advisory capacity the
engineering staff of the Interborough Rapid
Transit Company.
Mr.. Richmond was to have entertained
friend at dinner Friday night in his home. at
NO. I,l44 Clinton-ave. He left home about Q
O'Clock. When evening came and he did not
return his family was not alarmed at first. but
when his friend appeared and the host did not
their fears began TO rise. After worrying about
him all night. in the morning his son Julian
searched for him all over Manhattan and The
Bronx among his business acquantanees with
out result. The son did not know of the private
Office in the Carr Building. month ago. Rich
mond went TO Austin Carr. superintendent OF
the building. and hired the Office. getting
Carr's promise not to let any one know that he
was a tenant.
An odor of gas noticed In the corridor
outside RiChmonds office on Friday afternoon
but it slight that it was supposed to be
due to defective jet. Yesterday a boy passing
through the corridor. that several letters
apparently intended TO lie thrown through the
slot in the door Of Rtchmonds office had fallen
to the floor outside. He picked them up and
tried to pass them through the slot. He found
that at the back of the opening heavy sheet
of paper was pasted The boy broke the paper.
and. peering into the room saw the engineer
stretched out in his swivel chair in front Of his
desk. with his hands in his pockets and his
feet on the desk. in his characteristic attitude.
The boy told the superintendent and he entered
the Office with his keys.
On the table beside the engineer was a half
pint bottle half full of brandy. a small bottle
OF choral and a glass with few drops Of liquid
in the bottom. All the cracks in the windows
and door had been covered by strips OF paper.
A new rubber tube extended from the Jet 10
near one Of the dead mans hands. Evidently
he had made all his preparations. drunk the
brandy and choral which probably made him
insensibIe to any unpleasant effects Of the gas.
and then sinking back into a comfortable po-
siton in his chair had awaited his end.
Richmond was hfty-four years old. He
probably of the most skilled engineers IN his
speciality in this country. He travelled in Eu-
| rope several years ago.