The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-03
Prominent Citizen of Lawrence
Slips From the Roof.
LIFE ENDS QUICKLY.
Many Persons Suspect That He
Committed Suicide.
Most of the Evidence Goes to
Show That 1t Was Accidental.
Indignation at Lawrence Over
the Suicide Talk.

Lawrence. Kan, June 3-Mystery sur
rounds the death of Lucius H. Perkins
here Saturday night and the whole
town is asking if it is suicide or acel-
dent. Perkins carried nearly half NIL
lion dollars life insurance on policies
less than a year old. Notes aggregat-
ing approximately $4,000 for the first
premium were soon to come due. HIS
death Saturday night was supposed to
be due to a fall from the roof of his
$50 900 home. one of the finest in kan
sas. His body was seen coming through
the air. He was unconscious when
found and died without recognizing
anyone.
? The death of Perkins was unusual 10
say the east. Without any apparent
reason he went to the roof of his beau
tiful home at o'clock Saturday nlgni !,
from all that can be learned, ne toid
no one of his intention. He slipped
through the trap door leading to the
roof and stepped into the gutter on the
east end of the house. 1t was then
that he was first seen. E. NJ. Hubbell,
who works about the house, saw him
standing there apparently almost on
balance
Hubben yelled, Look" just as MIR.
Perkins fell. AS he fell, Hubbell says,
Mr.. Perkins tried to reach the coping
on the building extending across the
east wing on a line with the cutters.
From the ridge of the roof to the
grounds is a little more than 40 feet.
Mr.. Perkins, in falling, seems to have
slipped down the roof a short distance
and struck the guard walk just at tne
part the large column at the right.
AS described by Mr.. HubbelI, MT
Perkins struck first apparently on his
left foot then fell to his hips and sank
to the ground. He was picked up and
carried into the house. DR.. Charles J.
Simmons was called and while he was
coming members of the family worked
with him in attempt to revive Mr. Per
kins. When the physician arrived Mr
Perkins feet were cold but under the
rubbing and working of members or
the family. and the ~physician. the tenn
perature of the lower limbs became
normal. The coldness of the feet was
caused by the jar in the fall, according
to DR.. Simmons.
DR.. Carl Phillips is coroner of Doug
las county. He has held that position
for five years. He was called and de-
cided that an inquest was not neces-
sary But DR.. Phillips is not without
an opinion as to Mr.. Perkins suicidal
intent. To reporter he said last
night:
''It is my opinion that Mr.. Perkins
committed suicide. have decided that
n inquest is not necessary, nor is an
autopsy, because there is no evidence
of crime. l have no way of knowing
now whether Mr.. Perkins had taken
an opiate in any form of poison before
he went to the roof, but I believe his
fall from the roof was Intentional, and
not accidental"
How about the insurance COM
panies?" he was asked. will they
want an investigation ?"
That's their lookout" replied DR..
Phillips, but I have made it a point
since I have been in office to refrain
from an inquest so long the cause
of death is plain, and there is no evil
dence of crime. To do otherwise
would be an expense to the county for
no particular good.
while, as 1 said, there is no evil
dence of poison in this case. yet know
of my own personal knowledge that
Mr.. Perkins has been studying poisons
for more than year. so it would seem
reasonable to suppose that he had self
destruction in mind
Perkins Wealthy.
Perkins was supposed to be very
wealthy. but no one here knew any,
thing about his resources. When he
made application for insurance he said
that he owned land in Dakota and in
Alberta. Canada. He was to have left
today for Alberta to spend the sum-
mer on his land.
Twenty years ago Perkins was a
clerk for ]. B. Watkins and after. re-
naming in that position for several
years he left the company and or
ganized the Western Farm Mortgage
company This company did big
business and Perkins was sent to Eng
Sc
cured hundreds of thousands of dol
lars, which was lent here He sudden
~ withdrew from the company and
George J. Barker was elected presi-
dent. BY this time the boom had
burst and the mortgage company
failed
watkins has always been bitter
against Perkins. There never was any
prosecution. but Watkins has fought
Perkins steadily since that time. When
Judge Solon o. Thacher died Perkins
attempted to assume leadership. He
announced his candidacy for county |
attorney. One night he was at Ie-
compton waiting for the train when
another candidate asked him how his |
campaign was getting along. Perkins |
replied:
81 don't know how old John Ferris
VIII vote. but If he does not vote for
me he will be the only man in Le-
compton township who will not do so. -
Perkins received four votes in the |
township He only received a few
votes in every precinct, although he |
donned his old clothes. purchased an |
old fashioned buggy and made a house |
TO house canvass. That was his only
appearance as a candidate, although |
he was always ambitious. He was |
asked why he was candidate for
county attorney and replied:
"It is a mere belated stepping stone
VIII vet occupy seats in both houses |
of the national congress-"
He would have liked to have been a |
Judge of the supreme court In So |
ciety Perkins never did anything until |
his new house was built. Then he /
dedicated It by having the supreme |
court judges to a banquet. He enter |
tanned in style after that He invited /