Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-12-21
Maniac Murderer Kills Himself
Before Horrified Clerks Rush
ing to Rescue Of Dying Wall
Street Operator,
PATHETIC STORY OF
SPECULAT0R'S DOWNFALL
Bank Book Found On Body
Shows Account Of $4,000
Shrunk in Few Short Months
TO Less Than Three Dollars,
:By Morning journal Special Leased wire,l
Ma, NnrL no.. ou --ratnaa u oil


New York, Dee. 30.-lames n. oil
phant. senior member of the stock
exchange Arm OF Games II. Oliphant
q company. died early this morning
from bullet wound inflicted at his
office Yesterday afternoon by Charles
A. Geiger. customer from Beaufort,
$. G.. who after firing upon Oliphant
killed himself
Oliphant died at 2;30 this (Satur-
day morning.
The men were cIoseted In Oliphants
private office al the time and all that
IL known OF the incidents preceding
the shooting was learned from the
lips OF the dying broker. Oliphant
said that his refusal To extend fur
ther credit to Geiger caused the trou-
Bile. There is reason to believe. how
ever that Geiger had become mem
tally irresponsible. \ note book found
on his person which contained
computation by which the writer ap-
parently had figured that he would be
worth $4,000. 900 by January 1. 1905.
lie actually possessed. So far as his
personal effects show less than $ll.
Geiger owed the Oliphant COM
pany 10000 and had been asked for a
settlement. He called AT their office
today and after explaining that he
fNulN not NAftA HIS NNAAhttAANiiF 'akNfA
the firm to advance him sufficient ere
dit to carry 5000 shares Of a certain
stock untl a rise in the price should
yield him profit His proposition
was refused and the shooting fol-
lowed.
The offices Of james II. Oliphant a
company are 90 Broad street in the
center Of the financial district and
the shooting caused sensation in
g nt a
the business of the curb brokers, thd,
scene of whose activities are over
loked from the big Office building.
Clerks who pushed their way into
Oliphant's office when they heard the
shots stumbled over Geiger's dead
body He had shot himself in the
mouth and again in the right temple.
4 revolver was clutched in the right
hand Oliphant had slipped from his
chair and lay haif concealed under
his desk. \ bullet had entered the
stomach. grazed the kidneys and
lodged In the back.
Searching through Geigers effects
tonight the coroner found in dress
suit case. the entire correspondence
between Geiger aud the firm since he
began trading WIN ~m. There were
sheets of paper filled with figures.
which appeared incbherent until IL
was found that the man had caicu-
lated the interest on nearly every di-
vidend paying stock at the present
market prices. There were figures
showing what an investment of $780,
600 or $4,000 would bring. There
was also Geiger's bank book telling
eloquently of the dwindling account
to the last check. He had $4,000 In
the Fifth Avenue bank a short time
ago. all OF which but S2.5O had been
checked out.
The letter from Mr.. ollphant
that made GeiRer realize that disas-
ter was near, follows:
I'VE have carried your account
from eighteen TO twenty-one months
at 6 per cent and in these critical
times We are no longer able 20 carry
II at that interest Unless the ba,-
ance is forthcoming we will be inrcej
To close your account
GciRor was able to stem tho tide
tide Tor a. little by the sale uf some
japanese bonds. a lawyer. N3tdaual
~ Barnwcll. Of so. 20 Broad street.
Charleston s. c.. modified him tina. hr
had sold the bonds aud forwarded
the proceeds 10 the Oliphant firm.
tried To- sell his Interest ln "a 500 ucre
farm in Green Duuu .. lows.
Geigcr opened an lrruu % WIin -Ht
Dliphdnts ou September 20. 1890. uui
operated in steel common until Sep
brr -. 1907. when he left for Beau
! o. - c. At fhp time his recount
was secured. bat he rrceut ls .rH $50 /
in the price of securities resulted 'u % 4
debit balance against him "f $1,000. I
This hc was reuratfdlt asked fn Ursr I
good Bn November 30 while stop I
ping u th, Piedmont hotel AiuHtl. I
ga. hr wrote flr pliUHuut-. -kisr 4
them to send check tu the Fith
avenue buuh htre fur $500 tn nc tr- 4
credited tp his account 1nr Hil-i
phauts replied that nt reHu'-. .uu't. .
not br granted. a- Do. FRfH fu'u .
rgpc".
fhl. afternoon Ha frr'Ht1 his IrH- .
posilioi' aud again u-nl being fee
fused sudfeuiy drew lHtlitrr and .
uIIng p'aI nos uhir|
supported in the arms % his -nu NIs
able to -aA.
'He shot me. . guess 90" poor fri-
lows mind nIs dertnEe.
Dliuhau. Ras rromIn,u. iI business
the lafayette Fire Insurance COM
.tr So. tau reuue Eeal Es-
tate comp uF. "a trustee iu the Title .
au1 Trust company
member 1f tine stock eXrhanEe AND .
the chamber ~ commerce. fhe NeN .
York Athletic club and other cIth- '
He nas &c years uf age aud wsllthV. .
The stock exchange firms was made
up ~ Mr. Oliphanf. hts son. .. No~
ris. Fred J. Norris and Floyd W.
Muundy