The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-11-29
BANKER ENDS HIS LIFE
Dep0sed President of Brooklyn
Institution a Suicide.
CUT HIS THROAT AND WRIST
Had Been Recently Released From
Jail and Evidently Was Hopelessiy
less as Result of Deed.


Despondent-His Widow Left Penni-
less as Result of Deed.
New York, Nov. 27-Howard Max
well, deposed president of the Bor-
ough bank of Brooklyn, who was I'M
der indictment for grand larceny and
forgery and was released from Jail
Monday night on $4,000 bail, COM
mitted suicide. He cut his throat and
left wrist with a razor and pen
knife in the bathroom of his home in
Brooklyn and died at Long Island Col
1ege hospital.
Maxwell, who was locked up last
Thursday, had felt his humiliation
keenly and during his Incarceration
had appeared hopelessly respondent.
He had, however, given his family no
intimation, so far as known, that he
self. His wife was Frustrated by the
tragedy and Is under the care of ply
sicians
Maxwell was released late Monday
night from Raymond street Jail. There
was some difficulty in obtaining bail,
and officers of the Jail reported that
Maxwell was greatly broken up. For
two days he lay on his bed and ap-
peared to be oblivious to his surround
ings. He declined to receive any Wis
itors, except his wife and counsel
Justice Burr signed an order
for Maxwells release when bail
to the amount of $4,000 was fur
nished. Maxwell, in company with his
counsel, 1. R. ICELAND, was driven to
his residence at 1872 Congress street,
where he was greeted by his wife and
seven-yearold neice, Dorothy Doolittle.
Maxwell spent the forenoon quietly
at his home In the afternoon he an
nounced his intention of taking bath
and going for a walk. Shortly before
2 o'clock Hannah Scott, a colored
maid, heard sound as of some one
falling on the second floor Hurrying
up stairs she discovered the banker
lying on the bathroom floor, half
dressed, with gaping wounds in his
throat and left wrist. On washstand
nearby lay white, bone handled razor,
half open, and penknife with blades
open at each end, both covered with
blood AS she turned to summon
help, the maid stepped upon second
razor, which lay half opened in the
hallway leading to the bathroom.
VainIy Tried to ArticuIate.
Maxwell was conscious and tried to
articulate, but failed to make himself
understood Dr. C. E. Brown, the fam
lily physician, was hastily summoned
and he called in DR.. Horace Greedy.
The banker was bleeding so profusely
that it was decided to remove him to
Long Island College hospital, where
an operation for trachelomy was per-
formed. The windpipe was found to
be nearly severed and his left wrist
was cut almost to the bone. Maxwell
died within a short time after the
operation.
Soon after the physicians began to
work over him the banker lapsed in
to Inconsistencies and during the
few brief half lucid periods that fol-
lowed he made no statements so far as
known.
Coroner Brewer has begun the Off
cial investigation.
Maxwell was forty-nine years old
and leaves a wife, but no children.
On Nov. 81 he was jointly indicted
for grand larceny with Former Cash
Ter Arthur Campbell and Director
William Cow of the Borough bank.
There were other indictments against
him, involving forgery in quarterly
bank statement made to the state
banking department. When these
three men were arraigned Camp
bell and Cow secured bonds
men, but to the surprise Of many
who knew of Maxwell's popularity in
financial circles and socially, no one
offered to 60 upon his bond. For some
time only his four sisters, who offered
the home left them by their mother,
who died three days after the Borough
bank suspended, could secure only a
SIU,UUU UOuu, Cdllo W Ills IcSCue
This desertion on the part of men to
whom he had looked for his freedom it
is said imbittered and depressed Max
WE'LL and the dependency increased
before his release was brought about.
During his arraignment MaXwelPs
counsel stated that his client had put
up every dollar in the world that he
possessed to secure the bank and that
he had absolutely stripped himself to
protect the institution.
Following so soon upon the suicide
of Charles II. Barney, resigned presi-
dent of the Knickerbocker Trust COM
pany, Maxwell's suicide caused SEN
sation
Shortly after he became bank
president, Maxwell married. When he
became involved Mrs. Maxwell signed
with him all the release deeds to
realty that stood in his name, and his
suicide has left her penniless.