Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-11-16
BARNEY BROKEN In SPIRIT
Financial Crash Wrecked Health of
New York Banker.
MANY FRIENDS LOST WITH HIM
Could Not Endure Disgrace Follow
Ing His Fall-Hi, ortune is
Not COmpI' - y ne,
II ~ ~
IANY FRIENDS LOST WITH HIM

NEW YO- ~ y THAT Charles T.
Barney, and society man, who
killed 81 ~ .erday, was by no means
ruiz hy appears to be proven
by S as to his business affairs,
which re made public following his
tragic death. The cause of his act of self
destruction. therefore, is believed TO have
been, something deeper than the money loss
which came with the financial crash in
which Barney and so many others were in
volved. Friends and business acquaintances
Of the dead banker. who has been working
for weeks in attempting to settle his busi-
ness affairs said that even at the present
low level of prices securities and titles to
property held by Mr.. Barney will exceed
his obligations by more than $500 900. They
express confidence, too, that all these hold
ings can be protected. and that on the ris-
Ing market which they expect TO follow
a period of depression, the value of the
estate will be greatly enhanced.
Many Friends Met Ruin.
1t is largely to his inability to endure
the blot upon his business reputation, which
he feared would result from the suspension
Of the Knickerbocker Trust company and
grief over the knowledge that many of his
friends had been carried down to ruin in
the collapse of his enterprises that his
closest friends attribute his act. He had
been at the head of the Knckerbocker
Trust company for many years and had
seen it grow from a comparatively obscure
concern to one of the leading financial in
stitutions of the city. Then. almost without
warning, came the crash. The resignation
of Mr.. Barney as president of the Knicker-
booker was accepted by the directors Of the
ffNe
trust company, with obligations to its de-
positors, amounting to nearly $7OOOO,OOO was
forced to suspend payment.
In the run which lasted less than a full
day the enormous total Of SsOOoOOO was
paid across its counters. Afternoon saw
the big front doors closed and the Issuance
of a notice that the company had found
it necessary to temporarily suspend pay
ment. With his departure from the trust
company after his resignation as president,
Barney was seen but seldom even by his
intimates For nearly two weeks, even
while the financial storm was at the height
of its intensity, he did not appear at his
office. A few days ago however, at the
urgent solicitation of friends that he step
into the breach and do what he could to
stem the tide which was sweeping away
his fortune. Mr.. Barney resumed an active
interest in his business affairs.
His Health Suffered.
That his health had suffered severely in
the interval was apparent. He was worn,
haggard troubled. The struggle was
hardly worth while he told his friends.
He had given his life to the upbuilding
Of fortune and a reputation for business
integrity and he feared that both had
been ruined. The tangled ends of his many
business enterprises were quickly brought
together, however, and there was every as
surance, his associates say, that he would
weather the storm with big margin, may
be a fourth of his original fortune. to
spare. But Mr.. Barney would not be COM
forted by assurances that financial ruin had
been averted. He brooded over the blow
which had been dealth his business repu
tation, and of the losses which he believed
some of his friends had sustained indirectly
through him. 1t was in a moment of in
tense depression brought on by thoughts
like these, his friends believe, that he fired
the shot which resulted in his death.
Manner of Death.
Though Mr.. Barney has been declared n
suicide by the coroner. according to the
family physician. Mr.. Barney's last words
to him were Doctor, this was accidental. %
Dr. O'Hanlon, the coroner's assistant, who
afterward extracted the bullet. also holds
the opinion that Mr.. Barney did not Kill
himself Intentionally. 1T seems TO me
practically impossible" he said, that a
man should kill himself in such a way"
Mr.. Hanley, head Of the homicide depart
ment of the district attorneys office, held
the same view. Coroner hamburger, on the
other hand, states positively that It is a
clear case Of suicide.
A third view is held by a number Of per
sons, who say that Mr.. Barney was holding
the pistol in front Of him preparatory tc
raising it to shoot, when it accidentally
went off,