The Washington herald., 1907-03-29
'SMINDBREAKS
Boston Americans Captain
Dies of CarbOlic Acid.
LAST WORDS MEANINGLESS
Bottle of Poison Bought at Louis
willie Taken from Unfortunate
PInyer-said 80 Have worried Over
Jimmie Collins Losing Manage
ment of the Team-was "A FaVorite.

West Baden, Ind, March 2S.-Charles
stahl, the popular captain and erstWhiie
manager Of the Boston American League
baseball team, lies corpse at the West
Baden Hotel tonight, and the members
Of the team are In a state OF utter de-
mOralizati0n because OF his untimely end.
That he committed suicide, and that the
act was contemplated for several days
before its commission, are now admitted
facts among his closer friends on the
team as they recall certain peeuliarities
of action which they commented upon at
the time.
stahl was up early this morning and
spoke to Jimmie Collins, his roommate,
about the outlook for a good day for
practice. He seemed to be in fine spirits,
dressed himself with more than usual
care. ana went down TO breakfast
and ate a hearty meal An hour later
he returned 10 his room while the MEM
bers OF the team were dressing for prac-
tiee, and complained TO Collins that he
vas not feeling well. He was apparently
in a tremor. as though from chill. and
Collins asked what was the matter.
Stahl made half-intelHgible reply that
he was racked with pain, or something to
that effect and staggered 10 the bed
and fell upon il. Collins called sew
cral Of the players into the room and
they gathered around the bed, each ask
ing Stahl what allied him, but he made
no coherent reply. Stahrs condition was
now alarming. and though evidently try
/ ing to suppress expressions of pain he
was turning about on the bed, breathing
heavily. and muttering inaudibly TO him
self. The remaining players rushed into
the ROOM and for moment the dying
man seemed TO steady himself with a
mighty effort and said:
Boys, 1 couldn't help it, II drove me
70 H."
Those were the last words that he
uttered, and moment later he was dead.
/ On the stand near by was an empty four
ounce bottle marked poison, and the
/ strong odor of carbolic acid told the
method that the noted BAH player had
chosen TO end his life.
Cause of Act a Mystery.
The members of the team were so shock
ed at the sudden ending of the career of
their captain that they stood for several
moments gazing upon the gradually re-
/ laxing features of the suicide, and then
/ they turned sadly away and notified the
/ hotel management and sent teiegrams to
Mrs. Stahl and other relatives at Fort
/ Wayne and TO parties IN Boston. For an
hour friends Of the dead ball player talked
OF his death and the probable reasons
leading to it. bat no one could say that he
was positive that he had the key to the
situation.
Mind Apparently DerRnged.
stahl was married less than a year. and
his domestic relations are said to have
been exceptionally happy. His friends
and relatives at Fort Wayne say that he
and his wife we're well mated and that
there has never been even a suggestion OF
discord between them. That Stahl was a
devoted husband is attested by the fre-
quency with which he wrote his wife and
the particularly Of detail Of his every
day life into which he entered in his cor
/ lrespOndence with her. In fact there seems
10 have been no cause whatever for the
deed. unless the troubles of Collins, whs
lost the management OF the team las
year. preyed upon his mind and caused
temporary arrangement.
Jesse TannehiII and other members o
the team said that they did not know
any reason for the suicide unless it wal
sympathy for Collins and that did no
seem to be probable.
Take Away One Bottle of Poison.
Il don't see why the troubles Collin.
had should have worried him and / an
not inclined to believe they did" sal,
Tannehill. I'VE are as much surprised
as the public can possibly be, for W,
have compared notes carefully and no
man of US can assign any suficien
reasons for the act. Chick was NOR
cheerful this morning than he has beel
for a week. but at no time did we sus
pect that he was contemplating suicide
What we will do for another captain
/ don't know, bGt it'll be long time be
fore we find a man that will be as wei
! liked by the team as Chick was"
There is a report current that Stah
secured a bottle of carbolic acid Il
Louisville. Ky, as the team was cominj
, here and that one of his friends dis
covered II and either prevailed on Stab
] to give it up, or took it away from him
but no one here viii vOuch for the trutl
of the story. It is not known where h
= got the acid which he drank this morn
ing
ST. Patriek's I'd Wants Games.
The second team of the ST. Patrick