New-York tribune., 1908-11-09
ENGINEER A SUICIDE
IN THE HOTEL SAVOY
HI HEALTH THE CAUSE
OF ". ". T4PP4NS ACT.
Nan, Despondent Through Illness,
Shoots Himself in
Public Room.

WaIvorth W Tappan. a consulting engineer
employed by the Crane company. of Chicago and
this city committed suicide by shooting himself
through the head in the washrocm Of the HoteI
Savoy last night. Dependence, due to i'll
health. was believed to be the cause OF the act.
Guests at the hotel noticed the man nervously
pacing the billiard room shortly. after o'clock
When attention was diverted from him he en-
tered the wash room adjoining. and the people
in the corridors and the billiard room were star
tied by the sound of a shot r NJ. Johnson 4
banker of No. "a Pine street. vas the first to
reach the room He found Tsppan stretched on
the floor with a bullet wound in his right tenn
pie
Dr. William Baldwin Wagh. Of Astoria, who
was in the hotel al the time. was called im1ne-
diateIy. but he could DO nothing for the man.
An ambulance surgeon from the Flower Hospi-
tai also viewed the body. but it nearly three
hours before Coroner Hamburger vas Informed
and then through the hotel management Cor
oner hamburger on his arrival found that some
one had searched the body and removed letters
and papers from the clothing
The rumor that Tappan vas the cashier OF the
National City Bank was started by the hndinS
of certain papers among the suicides effects
and W H. Simonson. the vice-President of the
bank. vas called to view the body He said that
the man had never been connected with his IN
stituticn.
One of the letters in the mans pockets vas
from the Crane company in Chicago. expressing
sympathy for him in his illness" and authoTiz-
ing him TO extend his vacation Another letter
vas addressed to the janitor Of the list Regi-
rnent Arnorv. at Park avenue and 34th street
asking that Tappan be permitted 10 use the
officers pistoI range for practice. The name OF
John Z Jenkins was signed TO the letter. and
II was dated October II. 1908. A 81 bill and
some small change a bill from the Hotel Bel
mont for S467 65 and the address OF a furnished
room house at No 106 West SD street we're also
found
The body was ordered removed 10 the East
51st street station by Coroner Harburger, and
Mrs. waIworth W Tappan. the wife OF the dead
man identified II there. She said that she ana
her husband had lived in the Hotel Belmont 1or
a little more than a year He was forced 10
give I'D active employment as a consulting en-
gineer because Of heart disease. and had done
nothing since they came TO New YORK
Recently. she said. he had become respondent
and his mind could not be taken from ms Illness
On Saturday. she said. he decided 10 take apart
ments az the West SD street address He leIt
his wife there and disappeared. and nothing
was heard from him until the news Of his sui
eide in the Hotel Savoy was brought TO MIS-
Tappan BY the police.
Mr. TapDan was fifty years old, and native
of Indiana He had been employed by Inc
Crane company for several years he was
known BY many Of the guests at the Hotel BEL
mont. One Of mis- acquaiDtances said last nlgIl'
that he had frequently speculated in Wall street
and or 2 recent rise IN the market had cleaned
IN . considera Bile sum That his suicide was
due 10 financial difficulties was declared m
probable by those who knew him at the MOTEL