The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-21
]. \. ELEPHANT SHOT
IN PRIVATE OFFICE
DR.. Charles A. Geiger Who
Committed Act Then
Kills Self.
HAD LOST $4,000 IN A YEAR
Murderer and Suicide Was a Luckless
Trader-Stocks Go Wrong
Way.

New York, Dec. 20.-James II. OIL
plant, the head Of one of the oldest
and most successful exchange houses.
was shot down in his office at 20
Broad street this afternoon by DR.
Charles a. Geiger Of Beaufora, South
Carolina. DR.. Geiger killed himself
the next instant, putting a bullet into
his brain.
Surgeons from the Hudson street
hospital said tonight, after an unsuc-
cessful operation had been performed
on Oliphant, that he had perhaps one
chance in ten to pull through He
came out from the ether satisf factor
lily. but the dreadful nature of the
wound-the bullet going through the
center of his abdomen and piercing.
the larger intestine-made it practic-
ally impossible to expect he would sur
vive.
DR.. Geiger for more than a year
has been the most luckless trader with
the firm of James H Oliphant, J. Norris
Oliphant, his son, Alfred l. Norris and
Floyd W. Mundy. A suit case full Of
statements and daily reports found to-
night in DR.. Geiger's room in the
Holland house. showed that whatever
he turned his hand to went wrong.
Any stock he happened to fancy
withered in value If he sold short.
that particular stock was certain to
advance swiftly in value
Fortune Dissipated.
When Geiger began to speculate
with the OIiphant firm on Sept. %
1905, he was worth perhaps $4,000.
When the police carried his body
out Of 20 Broad street this afternoon
through a narrow lane of reserves cut
in crowd of 10000 people, he was
worse than stone broke
He owed James II. Oliphant & Co.
$4,000 or thereabouts and there was
TO his credit in the Fifth Avenue bank
exactly $3.50. His other visible as
sets consisted of s11 in cash, a bottle
of Scotch whisky, a morphine layout.
with needles and tubes, and a pair of
faded blue pajamas
The coroner, who went over with
an observant eye the bundle of letters.
account books, slips with his brokers.
and sheets of figures wherein he had
set down his profits and losses, came
TO the conclusion that DR.. Geiger had
lost $4,000 in a little more than a year
and that when he went to ELEPHANTS
office today he was no better than
a crazy man. In any case, his health
was poor, he was addicted to the use
of morphine, and his cores pondence
indicated that he believed that he had
been badly used.
DR.. Geiger went down to Broad street
this morning at 1890 o'clock to chat
with James II. Oliphant about his at
fairs.
Planned the Tragedy.
Oliphant talked to DIR. Geiger for
two hours, explaining that Geiger not
only had no money to his credit with
their firm but that he owed James H
Oliphant & Co. about $4,000 At 1890
Mr.. Oliphant having luncheon en-
gagement, excused himself and left the
office When he returned a few min
utes past o'clock, DR.. Geiger was
waiting for him. OHphant took Gel
ger into a small private room. What
followed then Mr.. OHphant related
briefly to the coroner.
DIR, Geiger asked me to buy more
stock for him, without his putting up
that extra margin. I refused because
his collateral was exhausted and he
owed us considerable money I told
him the best I could do for him was
to keep his account open for a month.
He said sharply, Is that all YOU
are going to 90 for me-? I said That's
ALL and started to turn away.
Before I had time to take one
step he had a pistol out of his pocket
close to my stomach and fired without
another word. After that l remember
hearing two shots and wondered dim
" if Geiger had shot me again or him
self"