The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-18
planned To
FRIENDS BEFORE
He ENDED L|FE:
Petition for Receiver OF Co. OF
Which He Was Treasurer
Down for Next Week.
VICTIM WAS DEPRESSED;
HIS ACCOUNTS CORRECT
Had Declared That tie Was
Merely a Figurehead,
Good to Sign Checks.
T<EAR of a call TO court in a case
~ which Is said to be on the caleii-.

T\EAR of call to court in case
which Is said to be on the calen~
dar for next Monday is thought
to have been tho cause of the suicide
of John j. Randolph Thomas A. Edi-
sons private secretary and treasurer
of all the Edison companies, who shot
himself yesterday morning in the cellar
of his West Orange home
The case in which Mr.. Randolph was
to have been called was a petition in
bankruptcy and for the appointment OF
q receiver of tho New Jersey aud
Pennsylvania Concentrating Company.
! manufacturing under Edison pafents, of
which Mr.. Randolph was treasurer. Tho
company was capitalized at Sa,250, 900,
and it is thought that the bankruptcy
OF the mammoth concern preyed on his
mind until it became weakened under
the strain.
Men who were close to the wizards
secretary in his private and official life
scout the idea of dishonesty He was
scrupulously honest. his friends say,
and accountants who have examiaed
his books declare that they are correct
to a penny.
Declared the Company InsoIvent,
ON December q, 1907, petition in
bankruptcy was filed in Chancery
Court by James ID. w. Cutting, of New
York. as the owner of stock to the value
OF $4,000 in his own name and $201, 300
III the name of the Cutting estate, OF
which he is administrator. Mr.. CUT
ting asked for the appointment of
receiver and tho sale of the assets of
the concentrating company, on the
ground that it was insolvent.
The case was adjourned several times.
and was finally set down for a hear
ing Monday next. according to the
statement given out this morning at
the Office of McDermont a. Enright.
AR Cuttings attorneys at Jersey
City
Since early in January. few days
after the fling of the petition, it is
said by close friends of the dead man,
Mr. Randolph had been depressed and
in low spirits. He became nervous,
irritable and easily excited, according
to the story told by his close asso-
ciates. II was said that he worked in
cessantly on the case. rarely leaving
his office in the inventors laboratory
before midnight during the week. and
taking hts work home with him sun
day, when there were no clerks to as
sist him in his Office.
Had Appeared Despondent.
AS time passed it is said he became
more and more depressed. Several of
the managers of departments of the
National Phonograph Company and the
Edison Photograph Works endeayored
TO cheer him, but he repeled them.
During the past two weeks he would
walk the floor of his office for hours az
q time. 1t is said. sometimes muttering
to himself, but always with downcasr
look and distraught air.
II am merely a figure-head,' he Is
said to have remarked often during the
past two weeks. Il am treasurer of
these companies, and | don't know
what is gong on as / should. I arm a
wooden man. dummy, good to sign
checks, but unable TO keep in touch
with the details of every transaction as
1 should"
1t is known to several close friends
OF Mr. Randolph that he was greatlr
worried because of the condition OF the
concentrating company. and explained
his depression by saying that had he
kept in closer touch with the concern
Il might not have been thrown into
bankruptcy.
Company's Capital Subscribed Quickly
The New Jersey and Pennsylvania
Concentrating Company was incor-
porated in 1890 It was to operate un-
der patents of Thomas A. Edison for
the concentration Of iron ore contain
ing zinc in sufficient quantities to make
1t undesirable for use in blast furnaces.
Under the patents OF Mr.. Edison, the
ore was to have undergone a treatment
with chemicals to remove the surplus
zinc. It was also pulverized before he
ing placed on the market.
Once having undergone the coneen-
tration treatment lean ore would be-
come rich in iron, and, consequently IN
demand in this section, as most Of the
iron ore used IN local furnaces comes
from the region Of the Great Lakes