Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-03
ELI GAGE
COM MITS
SUICIDE
Former Secretary is
Told of Sons
Death
Young Man Fires Bullet
Through His
Body
Wife Of Dead Man Searches In Vain
for Husband-Drink Is Supposed
to Have Caused Temporary
Insanity
Fly Associated Press.

Fly Associated Press.
SEATTLE, Aug. 2,-Eli A. Gage, son
Of Lyman Gage, former secretary Of
the treasury, committed suicide today
in the Tourist hotel by shooting him
self through the body with a revolver.
He died a few minutes later.
The only cause for the shooting
which can be assigned is that he was
temporarily insane from drinking. His
wife came here from Chicago last Mon
day and employed detectives to locate
her husband. Friends of Gage believe
he learned of her presence and, fearing
to meet her, decided to end his life.
were on his track, as he had registered
at the Tourist and other hotels under
the assumed name of ]. w. Gorst.
The suicide was discovered by Wal
ter Brown, bellboy of the hotel, who
heard the shot and rushed into the
room.
Stands Before Mirror
Gage was lying on his back, while
beside him lay the revolver with which
he had ended his life. He had evi-
IDENTIFY stood before the mirror of his
bureau and placed the gun to his left
side. A circular mark on his under
shirt showed that he had moved the
muzzle of the weapon from the center
of his chest to the left side. He had
removed his coat, vest, collar and
shoes.
When the shot was fired he fell on
his back in the position in which he
was found.
A large dagger, also new, which was
found on the bureau also made it ap-
taking his life for some time There
was nothing in the room except four
empty whisky bottles and quart flask
which was half full of liquor.
Bank Deposit DwindIes
On his person was found handbook
on the national bank of commerce
which showed that he had deposited
more than $1,000 when he arrived here.
On July "a he had requested the bank
to give him a statement of his balance
and it footed up to $211.S5,
according to their reply. The check
book failed to show that any more
money had been drawn since that date.
Inquiry at the bank showed that Gage
had deposited money there after reach
ing Seattle from Chicago and that he
naQ come nBnly recommended llOlh
eastern and local persons.
Mrs. Gage arrived in Seattle from
Chicago last Monday. She went at
once to the Greystone, where her hus-
band had been stopping, and requested
the hotel people to assist her in locat-
ing her husband.
Unable to Locate Him
This they were unable to do, as he
had left no word when he changed
hotels. Mrs Gage was accompanied
by her six-year-old son John. The
elder son, Lyman, aged 10, remained in
Chicago with relatives. She did not
hear of her husbands death until late
in the evening.
A Seattle man who had known Mr..
Gage intimately for a number Of years
declared it as his belief that the suicide
was the result of depression brought
about by weakened physical and
mental condition, the result of an ill
ness which nearly carried him off a
year ago at Chicago.
Gage sought a place with the North
western Steamship company. Capt. d.
H. Jarvis knew Gage in Alaska and
Chicago and had introduced him to
the company In 1896 and 1897 Gage
was in the N. A. T. & T. Co. service
in Alaska, his father being stock
holder in that company.