The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-19
EDISON PLANT IS
ST|LLED DURING
RANDOLPH BURIAL
Body of Late Treasurer, Who
Killed Himself, Inferred in
RosedaIe Cemetery.
BORNE TO THE GRAVE
BY FORMER ASSOCIATES
Friends Insist That Insanity
Caused His Act-Strange
Actions Recently.

With many of the workmen of the
Edison factories paying the last tribute
of respect by attending h ~obsequies,
the body of John f. Randolph, the late
treasurer of the Edison concerns who
killed himself at his home in Valley
way, West Orange, or Monday, was
laid in the grave at Rosedale Cemetery,
Orange, this afternoon. Out of respect
the big industrial hive at Lakeside
avenue, Valley road and contiguous
streets was silent this afternoon at the
direction of Thomas A.. Edison, and the
busy factories ceased their productive
capacities at noon. Mr.. Randolph's
former associates carried his body to
the cemetery grave after services had
been conducted by the Rev. Robert S.
Steen, pastor of the Hillside Presby-
terrain Church.
The services were at 2:30 o'clock.
The pail bearers chosen this morning
were: Robert Bachman, Alphonse
Westee. Peter Weber. Harry Miller,
Fred OFT, w. II. Mason, William Bee
and c.. II. Wilson. All the men are de-
partment heads and prominent officials
al the works, and were intimate friends
Of the dead man.
Edison Singers at Funeral.
A feature of tho service at the house
was the rendition of. selections by a
quartet of professional singers from
the Edison Phonograph Works, who
rendered several numbers, including
Nearer My zoe to Thee and Lead
Kindly Light" The quartet included
Messrs. Bemis, James H. Harrison,
Harry Anthony and Reed Miller.
Robert Bachman, former associate OF
Mr.. Randolph at the Edison Labora-
tory for nan years, is positive that
insanity impelled the suicide of his
associate. For several years Mr.. Ran
dolph had been acting a little strange
ly bou the factory, and within the
last week he had been especially pc
culiar.
On one occasion he grasped the hand
of Mr.. Bachman and asked If he could
not say good-by to him. Mr.. Bachman,
surprised, smiled, and answered.:
why, certainly you can if any one
can" Mr.. Randolph then appeared to
be satisfied.
The letter sem Mr.. Bachman by the
suicide contained a reference appa-
rently to the widow of Mr.. Randolph,
but the distracted husband, before he
sealed the envelope, erased the words
and by slanting a light upon the paper
the words ito her. were discernable, but
the remainder of the sentence was un-
decipherable.
Jealous for His Reputation.
The letter TO Mr.. Bachman was SINH
lar to others semi certain of the Edison
people, including boys in Mr.. Ran
dolph's office, all the recipients being
assured of the honesty of the man who,
planning his death, did not desire his
memory smirched with any suggestion
of dishonesty.
The letter to Mr.. Bachman was as
follows:
Dear Bachman: No matter what
happens to me or what / do remember
one thing, l am not crooked and have
not taken one cent that does not be-
long to me. j. III. Randolph"
Mr.. Randolph got the stationery
he used in writing the letters to
his associates and friends on Thurs
day of last week, and evidently planned
his death then. He had said many
strange things to Mr.. Bachman, and
among them was a reference to the
approach of the full moon which was
at the zenith on Sunday. This is a
time when the insane reach the limit
of their malady, and he evidently had
this in mind when he addressed his
friend.
Family Well Provided For.
Mr.. Randolph left his family, his
widow and two children-well provided
for. His investments were in first
class mortgages, and for the three
weeks before his death he made no de-
posits in the banks of his own private
money. He kept the funds in his safe
at the house, and to the repeated urg-
ing of his wife hat he. put the money
in bank, he replied;
"Oh, I'll send the money down some
day. 1t will be all right"
The belief grows stronger, and the
Edison people are satisfied that in
sanity was the reason for the mans
rash deed. 1t was denied by Mr..
Westee and Mr.. Bachman that the
lawsuit was worrying the former treas
urer. but a remark was made by a
prominent man at the works that
worry of his testimony in a law suit
had added to the burden of his worry.
This no doubt so weakened his mind
he decided upon suicide. At the works
1T was stated the concern would not