The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-06-06
SUICIDE OF A
CONGRESSMAN
Robert Adams, Of Pennsylvania, Shoots
Himself.
FINANCIAL RUIN THE CAUSE.
Placed Revolver in His Mouth and Pulled Trig'
ger While at Metropolitan Club at an Early
Hour and Died 10 iospItsI-Wo luteres
ed Ia Stock Market ssd HIS Finances Be-
came Involved.

Washington, d. c., (Special) Rep
resentative "Bertie" Adams, of Phila-
delphia, clubman, one time minister to
Brazil, chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs and one Of the leading
society men of Washington, committed
suicide by shooting himself in his cham
bers at the Metropolitan Club. That the
act was carefully premeditated became
evident when as soon as Mr. Adams
death was announced in the House
Speaker Cannon read a pathetic note,
written by Mr.. Adams, in which he
frankly confessed that he was about to
kill himself because of his financial ruin,
and asking that none of the formali;ies
usually shown deceased members OF
the House be observed in his case.
He died at the Emergency Hospital at
II.3o o'clock Mr.. Adams was dis
covered in dying condition in his
apartments at the Metropolitan Club
chambers shortly after o'clock. He
was sitting in a chair, bullet wound
in his mouth md a pistol lying near him
made it clear that he had attempted to
kill himself
He was found by Horace Clark, one
of the negro bell men, whose habit it
was each morning at t.at hour TO carry
hot water to the room. Upon opening
the door Clark found Mr.. Adams entirely
nude, sitting upright in an arm chair.
He Immediately summoned the at
taches OF the house and a doctor at once
was sent for Mr. ADAMS then was un-
conscious, and the physician who was
summoned pronounced the wound neces-
sarily fatal. Mr.. Adams was soon after
ward removed to the hospital in patrol
wagon, where the bullet and some frag-
ments OF bone were removed from his
brain.
DR.. White operated to remove bullet
that had penetrated the roof Of Mr.. Ad-
ans mouth and crushed the top OF the
skull in such a manner that the lead
could be felt through the scalp. The
operation afforded no relief.
Representative Sulzer, of New York,
who has taken an active part on the floor
o. the House during the deliberations on
the Diplomatic and Consular Appropria-
ton Bill. said that Representative Adams
came to him and asked that no him
III ldlINt be plANNN III lllN way VI sNtllllE
the bill through on that day 81 have
something very important to do" re-
marked Mr.. Adams, "and want to get
this bill through and get away"
"All | want is enough time to make a
short speech on the General Slocum dis
aster," replied Mr.. Sulzer
We'll" responded Mr.. Adams. "my
matter is more important than the Gen
eral Slocum disaster"
Perhaps so" replied Mr. Sulzer, "as
those people are now all dead"
well" concluded Mr.. Adams, there
may be more OF US dead before tomor-
row morning"
A ghastly feature Of his act was the
fact that after shooting himself Mr.
Adams proceeded out into the hall and
to the bathroom, where he washed him
self and then returned TO his room. The
walls and bathroom wete spattered with
blood. In his room an unsigned note
was found addressed to James Clark,
another belman, reading as follows:
Notify H. G. Clement, 1926 |. Street.
Telephone Main 1868 and also Francis
P. Adams, 1917 Wallace S1eet. Left
money for breakfast bill. You can divide
the things in the closet"
Mr.. Adams purchased the pistol with
which he shot himself in a Pennsylvania
Avenue store two weeks ago He was
seen by an acquaintance making tic
purchase.