The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-12-23
CRAZY OVER MONEY
Charles Gieger of Beaufort,
S. O., Shoots His Broker.
VICTIM A PROMINENT CLUDMlS.
James II. OIiphant, Dying, Tells Cor-
oner Southerner Owed Him For
Margins and Wanted Further
Credit, which He Refused.

Oner southerner Owed Him For
Margins and Wanted Further
Credit, which He Refused.
NEW YORK, Dec. 21.--James ii.
Oliphant, head of the firm of j. ii,
Oliphant 4 Co. brokers, of "a Broad
street was shot and probably MORALLY
wounded in his Office by customer,
who Immediately afterward turned the
revolver on himself, committing sui,
eide Mr.. Oliphant, who was wounded
in the abdomen, was taken to the Hud.
son Street hospital where 1t was said
that his death might occur at any min.
ute.
Mr.. ELEPHANTS assailant was Charles
Gieger Of Beaufort, S. c. He had been
closed out by the Olphant firm, with
which he had been doing business, and
had been asked to come north to
square up his account. From develop
ments in the case it appears that the
broker had already allowed him time
to pay up.
TO Coroner Acritelll Mr.. Ollphant
rallied sufficiently to tell his story.
The man who shot me had been
with me nearly two hours trying to
get me to buy more stock for him
without putting up additional secur.
ity. There was already shortage of
$1,000 in his account. | told him l
would give him a month to make up
this shortage, and then l would do
business with him.
HE said, is that the best you can
doy and | said, Yes.
Then he drew the revolver and shot
me. He had made no threats up to
the time of the shooting. have
bought 10000 shares Of stock for him
during the year"
Gieger, who put up at the Holland
House on his arrival in the city, made
his first appearance in the Oliphant
offices about IL 80 O'Clock In the morn.
ing. He attracted the attention of the
| clerks In the office because of his APP
pearance. He was about forty years
| old. more than six feet tall and lanky
and wore long brown mustache. His
clothes seemed somewhat the worse
| for wear. and it appeared TO those
who saw him that he was man who
was once prosperous. but with whom
fortune had not dealt kindly of late.
On his arrival Gieger asked for Mr..
| Oliphant. who when told of his pres.
| aeIsal him Ia into his r.rl-
vate office. The two were together for
| about an hour and half, and when
| they came out together II seemed 10
| those in the Office as il they We're 20
ing to take luncheon. Mr. 0liphant
returned alone shortly before o'clock
and went to his private Office, where
he remained Not long after o'clock
Gieger again put in an appearance and
was ushered into Mr.. ELEPHANTS Office.
There were only few persons In the
customers room at the time, for the
hour was not busy one.
Soon from the room where the two
men were came sounds of loud talk
ing. 1t seemed as though Gieger was
demanding something from the broker,
Then three shots were heard, aud the
customers In the outer Office and the
clerks made a dash for the door.
They found Mr.. Olphant sitting In
his armchair bleeding from wound
in the abdomen. On the floor lay Gle.
ger, dead He had fired two shots at
himself one of the bullets glancing off
the right cheek and the other entering
the head behind the right ear. Mr.. Oil.
plant was still conscious and said to
those who went to his assistance:
1.-THE man owed me money, and l
had given him thirty days.
Mr.. Oliphant Is a member Of the
chamber OF commerce, New York Ath'
letic club, Riding and Driving club of
Brooklyn, Crescent Athletic club OF
Brooklyn, Union League club. Long
Island Historical society, Hamilton
club of Brooklyn, Down Town associa-
ton, the stock exchange and the New
| York Yacht club
Mr.. ELEPHANTS home was at AIS Gin.
ton avenue. Brooklyn.
Geiger's mother was Miss Helen ii.
Barnwell of Beaufort, s. c. He spent
many years abroad, and on coming
back to Beaufort In January. 1906, he
told friends here that he was at ono
time court physician to King Menelik
of Abyssinia and became friend OF
Count Szechenyi, the fiance of Miss
Vanderbilt. In his room here are
many photographs of himself and the
count taken together in Abyssina az
well as many curios collected In AT
RIGA.
He said that he served also as ply
stefan at the court Of the sultan OF
Morocco. TO the very few with whom
he talked he showed himself to be
man of culture, broad education, wide
travel and skillful physician.