The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-04-23
BENEDICT GIMBEL
DIES OF WOUNDS
Wealthy Merchant Cut His
Throat After Arrest
ON SERIOUS CHARGES
Was Taken From Cab In Company
With 5oy-Tried to Bride De-
tectiVes-Goes to Hoboken
On Release.
ON SERIOUS CHARGES

New York, April 22.-The body of Bene
dict Glmbel, the Philadelphia merchant.
who died in st. Marys hospital, Hoboken,
was taken to Philadelphia this afternoon.
The coroner was called to the hospital but
as the case was plain a certificate OF
death giving suicide as the cause was
given and the body turned over to the
family.
Benedict Gmbel was the wealthy Phil.
adelphia merchant who cut his throat and
wrists with broken glass in a hotel in
Hoboken, soon after lie had been arrested
on serious charges In this city. His wife
was at his bedside, also two brothers,
one from Milwaukee and another from
Philadelphia. The arrest of Mr.. Gimbel
a man of wealth, member of a promi-
nent and prosperous family and with a
spotless reputation caused great surprise.
Taken From Cab.
Thursday afternoon he was taken from
a cab in this city while in company VITA
Ivor Clark, a 16-year-old boy, by two
detectives who acted on the complaint
of Clark's parents. Gmbel according to
the detectives offered them $1,000 If they
would release him. The detectives appar-
emily consented and demanding cash were
driven with Gimbel to his bankers Of
flee here and given $1,000. They then in
formed Gimbel that additional charges of
attempted bribery would be placed against
him and took him to the district attor-
neys office where it Is alleged Gimbel
offered Assistant Attorney Kroetel any
amoub- of money to regain his release.
Later Gimbel was released in heavy bail
and started ostensibly for his home in
Philadelphia He never reached there In
stead he went to the Palace hotel in
Hoboken and there with Jagged glass OBJ
tanned from a water pitcher cut his throat
in many places and gashed his left wrist.
1t was thought for time that his life
might be saved, but Sunday he began
suddenly to fail AND late last night hope
was abandoned.
Mental Strain.
That the mental strain under which
Gimbel labored because of his arrest was
one of important contributions of his fail
ure to recover from his wound is the opin-
ion of DIR. Jurist the family physician,
who came from Philadelphia to attend
him. 1t was only by the constant use of
stimulants that the patient was kept alive
Sunday, the doctor said. Mr.. Gimbel's
evident desire to die even after the ar
rival of the members of his family, who
valnly did their best TO encourage him
to live and fight for his liberty, also OPP
Grated greatly to the disadvantage of the
doctors who were striving to save his
life.
Mrs Gimbel had rooms at the hospital,
where she could be called at a moments
notice, and was almost constantly at his
bedside endeavoring to overcome his de-
sire to be relieved of his troubles in
death.
Plea of Insanity.
Of ha 70 a
hope that if Mr. Gimbel recovered the
charges against him could be overcome
by the plea of insanity, and they had
engaged Mr.. Shields of Philadelphia to
assist in this city as counsel to fight
the case. They had planned to send Mr.
Gimbel to an asylum if they were sue
cessful In court.
1t became evident before midnight that
Mr.. Glmbel could not live, unless heroic
treatment was attempted. Oxygen was
administered to him all yesterday after
noon and late into the night. He failed
to respond to this treatment, and Charles
Gimbe1 then suggested as last resort
his blood be infused into the veins of his
brother. While the physicians could hold
out little hope even with this infusion of
blood to strengthen the patient, it was
determined to try 1t as a last resort.
However, it is said that Gimbel did not
revive sufficiently after midnight to test
the experiment.
Brothers Statement
Philadelphia. April 22.-In connection
with the death of Benedict Gimbel In
Hoboken today the following statement
was made by Gimbel Brothers incorpor-
ated "Gimbe Brothers is corporation
managed by the seven brothers, deceased
being the youngest of the number, and
owhing a small minority block of the
stock. His demise will have no more ef-
feet on the business than the death of
any one director of a railroad"