New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-30
". R. TRAVERS A SUICIDE.
VICTIM OF MELANCHOLY.
Depressed Since DiUorce from Wife
Sends Bullet Into Brain.


Melancholy. following divorce from his wife,
led to the suicide of William R. Travers son
OF the famous wit of that name, yesterday, at
No. 1876 Madison-ave. Mr.. Travers had been
separated from his wife for a year before the
decree of divorce which she obtained was an
nounced at Newport July 13 last. Before their
marriage thirteen years ago. Mrs Travers was
Miss Lille Hartman. She inherited nearly
81 900 600 from her father. oliver Hartman.
She is in France. where she has been living
about year The couple had no children.
Mr. Travers was forty mine years old. From
the time he was graduated from Columbia IN
the class of 1882. he had lived life of leisure
He inherited more than S1,O00,000 from his ia
ther, along with fine country place at New
mort and for some years after his marriage
with Miss Hartman they spent their summers
in the Newport place, where they gave many
entertainments and were well known in social
circles In the winter the couple occupied
house in 3Oth-st this city. Mr. Travers was
a member of the Knickerbocker Union ana
New-York Athletic clubs.
II became known year ago last summer in
Newport that Mr.. and Mrs. Travers had sepa-
rated on account of domestic difficulties. Mrs
Travers went to Europe, accompanied by a naio'
while her husband spent part of the summer
vravers returned to Newport he tore down a
Tanaoese tea house which his wife had erected
and had used for entertainments, and in its place
he b1,ilt bungalow, where he lived with his
vale. There was q report at the time that Mrs.
Travars would apply for a divorce in the Rhode
Island courts
last summer Mr. Travers spent much of the
time at the bungalow About the time of the
announcement of his wife's divorce last summer
he came to the city and went to live in bachelor
rooms in the Madison-ave house where he killed
himself Yesterday. He put some money into the
banking firm of Huhn Eddy & Co, at No. 81
wa1l-st.. having asked to be taken into the firm
as a mariner on trial for three months. Although
be had been an idler all his life, he told Fred
erick Fdev. of the firm that idleness had become
intoIera BILE to him and he wanted to do some
work He did not devote much time to bust
ness however and it was noticed that he was
melancholy and restless complaining that he
could not sleep and that he had lost appetite
The domestic trouble of Mr.. TraVers was
ventilated in "Town Topics" which declared
that all the friends of his wife stunned him. and
that he had become impossible socially. He
went to District Attorney Jerome. who was
named for the elder William r. Travers, al
though they were not related. and asked Mr.
Jerome TO take up the cudgels for him in prose
cution of the publication but Mr. Jerome de-
clined to do that. Mr. Travers went to Hot
s,rings Va where he remained until about the
middle of this month. when he returned 10 the
bouse in Madison-ave. He was at the once III
wsI-st for the last time Tuesday He seemed
to be more depressed in spirits than ever, and
complained of pains in his head but ne ala not
sneak of his family troubles.
Mr. Travers had breakfast in his room, with
ont dressing himself, at $50 q. m yesterday
Then he told his valet, Martin Moon. that he
yvou1d not be needed for the rest of the day. and
Moon left the house. About noon another ser
want found Mr.. Travers dead on the bed. clutch
ing a revolver from which bullet had been
fired through the mouth into the brain.
Coroner Scholer, who was called to the house
in the afternoon. said NJ. Travers had left some
letters all of a business character. which gave
no reason for the suicide. BY permission of the
coroner an undertaken in 23d-st. took charge Of
the bodv Mr. Edey, who was at the house later
said that Mr. Travers was a rich man when he
died. although there had been reports that he
had souandered most of the money left to him
nv bie father Mr.. Edey said no arrangements
could be made for burial until Mr.. TraVerss s
relatives had been consulted. and they were all
out of the city last evening
Mr. Travers leaves two sisters, Mrs. James w.
vJods,vortb of Geneseo, n. Y. and Mrs. Walter
Cav Of Paris, France. He was an uncle of Mrs
Clarence H Mackay.
T-nlike his father. Mr. Travers was never fond
,f rscire hut he helped to make golf popular at
Nevport years ago. He was fond of hunting
ana fshing and devoted much of mis- time for
e @ 1.asTS To those sports in Canada. He
joined with Hollis Hunnewell five years ago in
building a large hotel at Aiken, 3 G, and IN
atd;ne in making Aiken popular winter resort
Mrs Travers, soon after the divorce of her
husband was announced last summer. received
ISnn 0o0 in the final settlement OF her fathers s
SIVo,,OO' cha had been cited to appear before
Surrogate Slkman, at White Plains, in connec-
ton with the settlement. but She she remained In
derbiIt.