New-York tribune., 1908-12-20
BROKER SHOT IN OFFICE
INVENTOR, AFTER MONEY,
FIRES At II. B. SUYDAJT.
Upr0ar on Curb, and Prisoner, Who
Pleads SeIf-Defence, Is Threat
ened-Victim Nan Die.

Mr.. Suydam was taken to the Hudson Street
Hospital, where it was said last night there was
little hope for his recovery. Not in many months
has there been much excitement in the finan-
| cial district that caused yesterday by the
shooting and Lumsden would have Jared badly
at the hands of the infuriated curb brokers had
it not been for the prompt arrival of the re-
serves of the John street station under the COM
mand-of Captain Hogan.
1t was shortly after the opening of the Stock
Exchange that Lumsden appeared at Mr.. Suy
| dams office telling the doorman that he wanted
| to see Mr.. Suydam himself and that If he was
not In he would wait for him. The office force
paid little attention to him, he had been in the
| office before and was known to all of them by
sight. A few minutes after Lumsden's arrival
Mr.. Suydam appeared. and after greeting his
employees turned to Lumsden with hearty
| Good morning. Take off your coat"
| Lumsden according TO the employees, took off
| his oVercoat and laid it on a table. saying to
Mr. Suydam at the same time:
Il don't want to sit down, but I do want to see
you In private"
SUYDAM CRIES FOR HELP.
Mr.. suydam walked to the window and Lums-
den followed him The two stood in sight of
those in the adjoining offices and street and
talked together for several minutes, no one pay
ing any especial attention to them. Suddenly
Mr.. SH'dam swung around and shouted to
George A. Downs, clerk in the office:
For Gods sake, George, take this away
or he will Kill me-"
Downs jumped to his feet and ran toward the
window where the two men stood glaring at
each other but Lumsden too quick for him.
Drawing a revolver from his pocket Lums1en
fired two shots at close range. In a moment
the office and that part Of Broad street in front
Of the building was in an uproar, for the shots
could be heard plainly in the street. Downs
hurled Lumsden against the wall and prevented
him from using the weapon again, while others
in the Office for help. Patrolmen John J.
Corcoran and Beaton were the first to reach
the room. and there they found Downs holding
on to his prisoner, while hundreds of the ten
ants of the building were collecting in front of
the Office, fighting to get in. Mr.. Suydam
staggering toward a window. gasping for air
One shot had taken effect near his heart, while
the other pierced the right lung and upper lobe
OF the liver.
Corcoran and Beaton, realizing the serious
ness Of the case. sent in q hurry call for an
ambulance from the Hudson Street Hospital
and another for the police reserves. Because Of
the excitement it almost impossible for the
police TO learn who did the shooting until Mr.
Suydam rallied enough to point TO Lumsden
and cry:
That man shot me for reason do not
known
Shortly after making this statement he be-
came exhausted and lapsed into unconscious
ness.
CROWD THREATENS PRISONER.
After the arrival of the ambulance it
some time before the police attempted to take
the prisoner to the station house. The crowd
in front of the building had grown to great
proportions, and many threats of violence were
hurled at the prisoner All sorts of rumors
were afoat regarding the shooting. and little
business was transacted for a time. With the
arrival of the reserves police lines were formed
from the office to the street. and the prisoner,
calm and collected was, placed in the patrol
wagon and hurried to the station house, with a
crowd chasing the wagon.
At the station house Lumsden gave his age
as thirty-one years. and said he lived at No.
313 West 57th street. He showed little emo
ton. He asked for drink Of water. and when
this was given to him he turned to Captain
Hogan and made the following statement:
.Suydam owed me $500, and has owed it for
long time and l needed the money. He gave me
notes for money which he had raised on col
lateral which l had given him The collateral
was stock in a concern to manufacture an cleo
tric vibratory massage machine which l had in
vented I asked for the money frequsctly, and
getting it. I was told to wait until after the
market had opened, and I sat down. Then three
men jumped on me- and picked up pistol
from somewhere and shot"
While Lumsden was talking to Captain Hogan
Downs, who was greatly attached to his en-
pIoyer could scarcely contain his emotions, and
turning to Lieutenant Kenny. he remarked
IT'S a good thing for that man that he is
under the protection of the police"
SUYDAM MAKES STATEMENT.
Mr. Suydam. who exhibited great nerve. made
an ante-mortem statement to Coroner Har-
buyer on his arrival at the hospital iii which
he said:
Il belong to a company, Of which I am di-
rector. called the Electric Vibrator. We got into
of John C Lumsden. The money all used
for the company. Lumsden believed that George
Jacobs and l used the money for ourselves.
Jacobs is president Of the company. Jacobs gave
Lulnsden notes for $3.50. and said l would take
the notes up as the money came in Lumsden
came TO my Office this morning and wanted
s125O He said he would kill me If I didn't give
it to him. He went to the front window. I
watched my opportunity, threw my arms around
him and called To Downs to get the gun. He
is going to shoot me- l said
'.Lumsden got the gun out of his overcolt
rocket We had a tussle for the possession Of
the gun and he shot twice l afterward
identified him as the man who had shot me-"
Mrs. Suydam was informed Of the shooting Of
her husband, and she reached the city on the
first train from Plainfeld and went Immediately
to the hospital Mr. Suydam is forty-two years
old and has been a broker the curb for hf-
teen years He is a member OF the Plainheld
.tnH bp1 a .l.-