The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-12-08
rr.nois b. Hirschbsr Ga Millionaire
Insurance Man and Prominent
Citizen Shot in His Own
Home This Morning.
4 MURDER OR sUlclDn'
Weapon Which Accomplished His
Death Was One Used by st.
Louis Policeman Thirty
Years Ago.

ST LOUIS, Dec. S.-Francis d.
Hjrschberg, a millionaire insurance
Underwater, ex-director in the Worlds
Fair. and generally 1own as St.
Louis Ward McAlister." died today
at n. home from bullet wound in
the head. His death is shroLdsd in
mystery and until complete investi-
cation is made the police refuse to
voice an opinion whether it is murder
or suicide. Members of the family
declare Hirschberg is the victim of an
assassin. The indications show that
the millionaire was shot as he stood
ON the landing in the front stairway,
and the bullet passed entirely through
hi head No powder marks show
where the bullet entered. Hirschberg
was fully dressed for the day when
snot He spent the night at home.
His wife was awakened when her
husband walked through the room.
Apparently the millionaire at that
time was unable to speak because of
the wound. altho gh he was still able
10 walk He made no reply to his
Wife's l-auiries but passed into the
hath room. His wife rushed to him,
saw him striving to stop a flow Of
blood from a wound hut was unable
to offer an explanation. She hurried
nim to bed, a doctor was called but
death soon followed. A revolver from
which the shot was ed was. found
on the stairway, where Hirschbcrz
stood when shot. 1t was an old fash
loued weapon. a bulldog style type
h,- I trfx
years ago. Members of the household
"a. the weapon did not belong tc
Hrschberg. AS soon as the report
vas made to the police headquarters
detectives We're assigned, the re
suit of their investigatio.. is no. ye,
made public.
Finar--- Unsatisfactory.
Business ociates today declare
tory. 1t is unknown whether Hirsch
berg was connected with the Fidelity
Funding company but the police theory
S, perhaps the losses are the result ol
he failure and affected his reason.
Positive it Was Suicide.
Basing an opinion on newly discov
cred evidence the police this afternoon
asserted positively the death o
Francis Hirschberg was suicide. Th'
deputy coroner after minute exam
nation declared he had found powde
marks around the bullet wound OF
the right jaw. 1t shows the weapon
was held close to the head. Barrett
Forst, a nephew OF Hirschberg, ident
lied the old revolver as one Otter
seen in his uncle's possession. Th
statements by his business associate
mat Hirschberg declared his bushes
unsatisfactory. that he had been in i
health for some time, strengthene
the suicide theory.
Fidelity Failure May involve.
In the recent failure of the Fidelit
Funding Company the police see tn
possible cause of suicide. 1t IS III
Known whether he was connected wit
the company, but as prominer
Catholic it Is believed he may hav
been involved. The police idea is tn;
The heavy loss in this failure may ha,
prompted the suicide and are endea
oring to establish some connection b
tWeen the death and the Fidelity fa
nre The murder theory is also und'
investigation. One theory is tn;
hirschberg was shot by person wit
Whom he had an engagement at h
nome. If Hirschberg admitted the a
sassln himself, it would account fl
he lack of evidence of violent =
trance.