The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-02-13
y aSToR COMMITS SUICIDE
Rev. G H. Simmons, Of Peoria, III,
Takes Poison After Threat,
Three Local Editors Had Told Hiin
That He Must Either Leave tho Town
or Die, and ne Chose the Latter.

Peoria, Ill.-Back Of the suicide mere
of the Rev. George Fl. Simmons, mill
Iionaire pastor Of the First Baptist
Church, bank president, manager of
former Governor Yates campaign for
United States Senator, and known as
''the most strenuous minister in Amer
ica,1 lies a story so strange, so terrible,
that its match must be found in the
pages Of tragic fiction.
He was told to become an exile or
kill himself, and he chose to die
His misdeeds had become such that
Pe9ria rose in rebellion.
A committee of three local editors
sent for the minister and a startling
scene occurred in the Office of the
Peoria Journal The three men who
faced him were III. Al. Pindell, editor
of the Journal; Charles S. May, OF the
Herald-Transcript and Eugene It.
Baldwin, publisher of the Star.
They laid before the clergyman
damning array of facts about his con-
duct with the congregation, and cata-
logned with relentless precision the
charges, some of which were under in-
vestigation by the States Attorney,
the banks and his congregation.
In so many words the trio notified
Simmons that he must leave Peoria or
kill himself. The minister heard the
edict with white face and trembling
lips. He seemed too stunned to re-
monstrate and left, making no definite
promise. His death was his answer.
''The publicity given to Mr.. Simmons
actions made some action on our part
necessary" said Mr.. Pindell. 1--WE
called him into our Office and there,
in the presence of myself and Charles
s. May, editor of the Herald-Tran-
script and the publisher of the STAR he
was informed of the grave charge
made against him. Your shameless
misconduct leaves but two courses
open to you, he was told. You must
leave Peoria or die Mr.. Simmons
chose the latter course.
Nothing became him in life like
quitting it," appears to be the senti-
ment of the press and citizens of
Peoria
Mr.. Simmons spent the night down
town on some business matters. APP
parently when he reached home he de
cided that death was preferable to
exile or possible arrest and a prison
cell. He took a dose of cyanide of
potassium and was found the next
morning lying on his bed, lifeless.
AS soon as the pastors death be-
came known, crowd surrounded the
Peoples Savings Bank, of which Sim.
mons was President. The banks doors
were closed, due probably to run that
had started on The institution the day
before.
Mr. Simmons was known all through
the Central West as the most siren
uous minister,in America" Those who
know him declare he was all that the
phrase implied.
Mr. Simmons, who was forty years
old, came to the First Baptist Church
five years ago from Terre Haute, Ind.
and had been remarkably successful
He secured national publicity two
years ago by advocating dramatiza.
ton of the life of Christ. He became
local manager Of the Senatorial cam.
paign of former Governor Yates a
week ago and shortly after that serb
GUS stories affecting his personal char
acter were circulated. States Attorney
Scholes undertook an investigation
recently, and secured some sensa.
tional statements