Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-17
PHYSICIAN TELLS WHY
HE SUPPRESSED FACT
AGED MAN PREVIOUSLY SOUGHT
DEATH
Coroner Investigates Case Where John
Thomas Dye Opened Artery
and Allowed Life to
Ebb Away

Though John Thomas Dye, the 90
year-old pioneer who ended his life at
816 Sunset boulevard Saturday and was
buried Monday without the police de-
partment or coroner's office knowing
that it was a case of suicide, the
strange circumstances leading to the
tragic endP of the nonogenarian will
probably come out in the courts.
Already there are hints of a coming
will contest to be started by near rel
atives of whose existence neighbors
and intimate friends of the strange old
man knew nothing.
The coroners office dealt with the
case yesterday officially and decided to
take no further action in the way or
rebuke, holding that there was no doubt
about suicide.
Attaches of the coronerS office ques-
toned DIR. S. A. Austin, who by using
an alleged Latin term for suicide" per-
mitted the certificate to pass the
searchers in the health department un-
noticed, and also Bresee Brothers, the
undertakers, who said they had IN
structed their employees who got the
burial certificate to first get an o K
from the coroner.
Dr. Austin admitted that he signed
the certificate as he did and neglected
to call the attention of the coroners
office to the case because Dyes son and
supposed only heir, Charles Dye, had
requested it.
Only Son Comes West
Charles Dye came here from the east
several years ago to be with his
mother, who was then declining rap
idly and who died in May, 1905. The
father began aging rapidly, too, as
soon as he lost his wife, and the son
decided to prolong his stay to be near
his aged parent.
Prior to the wife's death an aged wo-
man was brought here from COLORADO
to act as housekeeper for the pair she
held the confidence of both Mr.. and MIS-
DYE and was with them both when the
sands of life ebbed out
This housekeeper has now left.
In an interval when she was SICK an
other woman acted as housekeeper. She
was seized with a paralytic stroke
however. and died suddenly while serV-
ing the Dyes.
4 Old Housekeeper Is Confidante
To one or the other of these servant
vfomen the secret of the last will OF
Mrs Dye and of Mr.. Dye was intrusteu.
One or the other knows the contents
and there are hints that certain provis-
ions of the will will prove surprise
to those who thought they were In the
confidence OF Ine Ildu w ~
could not bear to see his house torn
down by Los Angeles Pacific workmen
for a tunnel right of way even when
s150OO had been paid him. When he
bought the property 1t cost him only
$4,000.
Mrs. Dye. wife of the son who came
TO the coast to take care of his father,
has not been in California for thirteen
years She remains east with her -Slu-
est son, John Thomas, named for his
late grandfather, and a daughter The
+bird and Youngest son, Charles, is a
messenger connected with local
bicycle service. He lived in his grand
fathers house. y
often Threatened Suicide
Neighbors intimate that the ola gen
tleman has several times threatened 10
commit suicide and has even made at
ton,nts which were frustrated by
. watchers. ..o,,,
After q nenknife was once taken from
him RECENTLY he said death would be an
easv problem with him. He salo ne
had cancer of the face two years ago
and submitted to an operation All no
had to do now was to open an artet
near the temple and death would pc
easy. Eventually he did resort 10 '41i'
apparently painless procedure.
Years ago the elder Dye lived on
West Adams street. He acucmulated
small fortune trading in the east ana
added to it by wise realty investments,
His estate is said to be over $5O'ooo' Oh
which $4,000 was in cash paid him d
few weeks ago by the Los Angeles "a
cific officials, who will tear down the
old Dye homestead on August l.
Relatives in three states Will in due
time come forward to claim shares IN
the estate. and lawyers will doubtless
have rich picl1ings if litigation ensues'
as is threatened.