The Washington times., 1906-05-08
SP|ER A SUICIDE
SAYS INSPECTOR
Evidence That Standard Oil
Man Was Not Murdered.
FINANCIALLY EMBARRASSED
Had Insured His Life for $4,000 in
Favor of Trustee Shortly Before
His Tragic Death.

NEW YORK, May S.-According to q
statement made today by Police Inspec-
Tor Grant. Charles l.. Spier, right-hand
man OF Henry II. Rogers and high in
the councils of the Standard OF Com
pany. who was found dead early yes.
terday morning in his home i'm Staten
Island, was not shot to death bv a
burglar. but from the Investigation
made the inspector IS convinced that
the man committed suicide. IusDector
Grant declares in his statement to Po-
lice Commissioner Bingham that there
Is not one thread of evidence to bear
out the theory that Mr. Spier was muir
dered by burglars. except the statement
made by Mrs Spier. and that she was
TOO much excited to remember Just what
occurred
Developments today show that Snier
had an outstanding judgment in bank
Tu9tcy against him, and others for.
$oO.SIO in favor OF the Mercantile T,x
change National Bank. This Judgment
was entered after the Yetman Trans
mlttinS Company. a concern of which
ne was president and in which he was
largely interested. went into bankrlIDtcv
The company failed in November. and
on February last a judgment for the
S50.SO was entered against Mr.. Spie-.
Policies Were Incontestable.
In investigating the dead young anan-
cier's affairs It has also been developed
that he recently took out policies for
$4,000 insurance on his life in the New
ork Life Insurance Company. There
We're two policies. one for $50. .OlD orIi-
nary life. payable only In case of death.
and the other for $4,000 on the endow
ment plan When the policies were
first made out Mr.. Spier had the name
OF his wife inserted as beneficiary Re
fore final acceptance, however. he made
a change The name or Mrs. Spier was
taken out and that of Alfred Lauter-
each. trustee was inserted The
policies are incontestable, no matter
what the cause Of death.
While he and his young wife lived in
the show cottages on Staten Island. and
while he was director and president Of
many companies in which Mr. Rogers
IS the controlling factor il is said that
ne got a salary from the executive head
or the standard Oil not exceeding s. 600
q year It is also said that the director
snlps and presidencies he held in va
Ilous conpanleS We're places made for
him by Mr. Rogers TO protect the lat
ter interests. and that Mr.. Spier was
not the rich man he was supposed to be.
Slain by His Own Pistol.
that burglars were in the house and
they are unable 10 understand why the
vicious bulldog, a pet OF the family. did
not attack the burglar If Mr. Spier was
fighting with him. When Mr.. Sp:er
was found by his wife, the dog Law bv
the side Of the body, licking the dead
mans hands 1t has also been proved
thar the bullet that killed Mr.. SDier
was fred from his own revolver. The
police have learned that the interior OF
the dining room al.I the silver and cut
glass were disarranged, but 1t is argued
by the police who lean to the suicide
theory that Mr.. Spier may have Gre
ated havoc in his dying agonies
In spite of the belief Of the police
thar Mr.. Spier committed suicide, Mir.
Rogers declares that he was shot ~
death by burglars. It has been found
that the dead mans books are in ner
feet shape and that his accounts are
correct. IN his safe, it is said, there is !
a note due 10 Lewis Nixon which fell
due yesterday
A reward Of 81 600 has been offered for
tie capture Of the supposed burglar.