The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-24
a. NELDEN, one OF the best
known business men in Salt |


IAI a. N.ELDEN' one of the best
w known business men in Salt
Lake. former president of the
Commercial club and the board Of edu-
cation, shot himself through the head
with a .44-Caliber revolver i'm the attic
az mis- beautiful home on the corner of
First South and Twelfth East streets
just before noon yesterday. When the
body WAS found by a member of the
family two hours later everything indi-
Gated that death had been instantan-
POuS- The victim of the fatal shot had
placed the mUzzle of the revolver in his
mouth and pulled the trigger. The bull
let passed through the brain in an up
ward direction and lodged against the
inside Of the skull at the top of the
head The body was found in a pool
of blood. face downward and the re-
vclver was still griPped in the lifeless
hand.
Immediately after the finding Of the
body DIR. j. g. Landenberger. who had
been attending Mr.. Nelden for some
time previously, was called in. After
an examination of the body he an
nounced that death had followed almost
instantly after the shot. and that the
victim had not had an instant's con-
fEiousness after pulling the trigger.
bOrCner Dana T. Smith and Sergeant of
Police j. J. Roberts were also called
in- Coroner Smith announced that no
inquest would be necessary, as the
Shock TO the Family
The feelings Of the members of the
family can only be imagined when the
discovery was made. Mrs. Mel
den left her home at IL o'elOck to look
after some business in the city She
left Mr.. Nelden in his room too i'll to
attend to business. At about 1 o'clock
the maid prepared lunch and took it TO
the sick mans room. He was not there
o = a civ
search was made throughout the house
Finally the search extended TO the at
tic. and there the body was found. Mrs
Nelden had reached home in the mean
time It became the duty of Paul, the
oldest son. to tell his mother of the
calamity that had fallen upon the fam
lily The natural suppOsition is that Mr.
Nelden had assembled to the attic and
shot himself as soon as he knew that
his wife was absent from the house
SO far as known. he left no statement
OF any kind TO explain hts act.
How His Troubles Began.
The financial troubles of w. A. Mel
den began five years ago. Up to that
time he had been successful financially
had built fine home, accumulated
considerable property, educated his
children wei and stood high in the
community in every way. Five years
ago he was induced to launch into
scheme for the generation of light from
coal OIL. It is said he dropped 49,. 600
in this enterprise. Following this he
was forced TO dispose of his interest in
the NelsOn-Judson Drug company TO
st. Joseph, No, men, who had prevl-
ously been interested with him.
Confident Of his ability to recover his
lost ground, Mr.. Nelden organized the
w. A Nelden Drug company last May
and opened a place of business on Main
street. Prominent in the company as
stockholders We're J. Z. Cosgriff, Joseph
Martineau. Mr.. Nelden was the man
bger OF the new enterprise. For months
the manager battled against adverse
currents. Personal financial entangIe-
ments continued; i'll health followed:
conditions grew worse until Mr.. Nelden
sEas succeeded as manager by John j.
hudson yesterday morning and death
ended the tragedy before noon.
His Life Insurance.
Mr. Nelden was always a believer
On life insurance. II was stated yes
4erolay that he carried policies aggre-
eating between $4,000 and $50. 600 but /
SIS a matter of fact, at the time OF his
death he was insured for only $4,000. |
so far as could be definitely asceT-
tanned OF that amount $4,000 was
written by the Equitable Life Assur-
ance company of New York; $4,000 by
the Mutual Life Insurance company of
New York; s., 600 in another eastern
company. and s., 900 in the X. of F.
endowment rank. The policy of the
Mutual Life Insurance company ma
lured some time ago, but Mr. Nelden 1
8 sonuinued to let the company hold it. |
Ian OF ts8ese- policies are protected and |