Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-15
Bank Clerk Believed
to Have Taken
Own Life
Domestic Trouble Given
rs Explanation
for Deed
Officers of Title Insurance and Trust
Company Say the Books of the
Dead Man Were Well
Balanced

To all appearances having committed
suicide, Phillip s. Thompson, young
man who was for long period an eff
ficient employe of the Title Isurance
and Trust company, was found lifeless
in his room, No. 3O7, at the Broadway
Court hotel, 2O7 North Broadway yes
terday afternoon about O'Clock. 1t is
believed, however, that he took his life
as early as last Friday night. as he
had not been seen by his friends since
then, and Maude Smith. the chamber
maid of the hotel, saw him lying on
his bed at $3.50 Saturday afternoon.
sleeping, she thought, but the fact that
no stir had been heard in his room
since then, and that he lay in identi-
cally the same position yesterday after
noon when found dead as when he was
seen by the chambermaid, tended to
the surmise that he had taken his life
Friday night
Poison Found
The theory that Thompson had COM
mitted suicide was occaSiOned by the
fact that beside his bed on a chair was
a small amount of cyanide of potassium
and sulphuric acid, which had evidently
been used as the mediums of his
death. The coroner has not yet held
an inquest upon the body but it has
been removed to Bresee Brothers un
dertaking rooms, and an inquest will
probably be held this morning.
The suicide of Thompson who was
a young man of about thirty years OF
age, came as an intense shock to all
his many warm friends In Los Angeles,
who is all instnces spoke of him in the
highest terms. He was one of the
most prominent Masons of Los An
geles and had reached the thirty-sec-
ond degree. 1t is probable that his flu
neral ceremony will be conducted under
the auspices of the Masons.
Had Domestic Troubles
The general opinion expressed by
those who knew Thompson was that
he had committed suicide owing to do
mestic troubles. According to Theodore
A. Simpson, assistant trust officer of
the Title Insurance and Trust COM
pany, who was intimately acquainted
with Thompson, the young mans wife
had left him more than a year ago
because of his addiction TO drink. Last
December she obtained a divorce from
him, said Mr.. Thompson, on the ground
of desertion and drunkenness
Since this separation from his wife,
he is said to have been drinking
heavily.
j. F. Jack, trust officer of the COM
pany said last night that Thompson
was one of the most competent men
they had ever employed in the trust
department, and that except for his
drinking he could have remained in
their employ for an indefinite period.
Never Mr.. Jack said, had there ever
been the slightest discrepancy found
in Thompson's accounts. and he had
in every way proved himself to be
worthy of his responsibilities.
Worked on Tax Books
After Thompson had been discharged
from the Title Insurance and Trust
company he obtained employment for
a few weeks at the office of the city tax
collector as a bookkeeper, and is said
to have relinquished that position of
his own accord. He was conceded to
be an expert accountant and his SER
vices were in demand A position of
much responsibility in one OF the
county Offices was offered him last
Wednesday and the opening was to
have been reserved for his acceptance
until next Tuesday.
One of the roomers at the Broadway
Court where Thompson was found dead,
said last night that he believed during
the last week Thompson had been under
the influence of drink almost every day.
Several times. he said. Thompson had
been found i'm a stupor i'm the halls,
and had been taken to his room by
the hotel employees or friends
Thompson has two brothers living
on ranch at Covina. and his wife
is also said TO be residing in LOS An
geles Her friends said she was i'll,
and refused to give her address or to
notify her of the suicide of her former
husband for fear that the shock might
have serious effect upon her in her
weakened condition.