The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-01
KILLS HIMSELF.
Congressman R. E. Adams, of
Penn, Commits Suicide.
Shot Himself in the Mouth and
Died in Short Time.
FOUND NUDE IN CHAIR.
After Shooting Went to Bath
Room and Removed Stains.
Left Note Which Indicated
PremeditatiOn of Deed.
FOUND NUDE IN CHAIR.


Washington. June Representa-
tive Robert E. Adams of the
second congressional district of
Pennsylvania. died at Emergency hos
pital in this city as the result of a pis-
tol shot fired through his mouth into
his head with suicidal intent. The act
was committed at the club chambers
of the Metropolitan club. where Mr..
Adams had resided for several years.
some time between and Z o'clock
this morning. It was not until s
O'Clock however. that he was found By
Horace Clark. one of the negro bell
men whose habit it was. each morning
at that hour to carry hot water to the
room. Upon opening the door. Clark
found Adams. entirely nude, sitting up
right in an arm chair.
He Immediately summoned the at
taches of the house and doctor waA
at. once sent for. Mr.. Adams then was
unconscious and the physician who
was summoned pronounced the wound
fatal. Mr.. Adams was soon afterwards
removed to the hospital in a patrol
wagon, where the bullet and some
fragments of the bone were removed
from his brain.
A CHASTITY feature of his attack was
the fact that after shooting himself
Mr. Adams proceeded out into the hah
and to the bath room where he wash
ed himself and then returned to his
room. The walls and bath room were
spattered with blood. In his room an
unsigned note was found addressed to
James Clark, another bellman, read
ing as follows
Notify H G. Clement. 1926 L
! ST Tn1n 1cr,
Francis P Adams, 1877 Wallace street
Left money for breakfast bill. You
can divide the things in the closet"
At the Metropolitan club chambers
morning Mr.. Adams did not act natur-
ally and appeared to be under some
mental strain. Before leaving for the
capitol he demanded his board bill,
| which he paid, remaFking at the same
/ time that the bellmen could divide up
| the change among themselves He
seemed himself again last night and
there was nothing in his action which
! indicated that he contemplated taking
his life.
Robert Adams was one of the most
| popular representatives in congress.
and he has been Identified with many
matters of world wide Importance.
His position as ranking member of the
majority after the chairman on the
! house committee on foreign affairs
| Hit, made it necessary for him to
| largely direct the business of that i'm
| pOrtant committee, and he was thus
brought into close contact with Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Secretaries Hay,
Root, and Taft
Mr.. Adams was a society and club
man, and was at all important social
functions in this city. It was only
| yesterday that he was acting chair
man of the house committee on for
! al ffai fraIr a
4 and consular appropriation bill to its
final passage in the house. AS this
! bill has been before the house for
/ the past week. Mr.. Adams has been
| the principal figure in the house.
There was nothing in his department
| during the consideration of the meas
ure to indicate an unusual condition
of his mind.
Mr.. Adams became prominent at
the beginning OF the session of con-
the whipping post BILL" which had
been recommended by the president.
! Mr.. Adams had to stand a great deal
| of good-natured chatting during the
debate on the bill. The fact that he
was a bachelor and was trying to
secure the passage of a bill to punish
wife beating by whipping the man
found guilty, gave opportunity for
poking fun at the Pennsylvania MEM
ber.
Mr.. Adams. like most members of
congress from Philadelphia. seemed
to have a life lease on his seat in
congress, although 1t was rumored a
| few years ago that he had been
threatened with opposition. At that
J time there was a suggestion that he
/ had lost a large portion of his for
tune through injudicious investm ents,
and this is one of the possible causes
of the act of self-destruction
Mr. Adams has always been a con-
Gle f.74 r1f a q Irrrcr ri
type. He was born in Philadelphia,
February 26 1849. and graduated at
the University of Pennsylvania twenty
years later He practiced law for five
years and spent some time in scien-
tific explorations as member of the
United States geological survey,
In 1888. he began his political
career as member of the state SEN
ate of Pennsylvania, where he served
four years, and in 1889 entered the
diplomatic service as minister to Bra
zil He filed this post for little
over a year and then came back tC
this country to re-enter politics, being
elected a member of the Fifty-third
congress, in which body he has served
continuously ever since.
It was Mr.. Adams who reported, con-
Quoted through the house and had
charge of in conference with the senate
the Cuban resolutions and drafted, in
troduced reported and passed through
i AAONA
the declaration of war against Spain.
Mr. Adams last night wrote the fol
lowing letter to Speaker Cannon. II
was received at the capitol just before
the hour of convening the house today.
Washington, May 81, 1906.
Hon ]. C. Cannon.
My Dear Mr.. Speaker;-The fact
that my personal obligations exceed
abandoning the responsible position
II occupy in the house / am willing K
: be buried at its expense. but ash
that no committee be appointed or me-