Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-16
ENDS LIFE IN new YORK CITY
B. n. PRATT CUTS HIS THROAT
WITH A PoCKETKNIFE.
Suicide Believed to Have Been a
Former Resident of This City.
Native of Virginia.

Word has been received here of the
suicide of young man. believed to be B..
Fl. Pratt of this city. at the Bartholdi
Hotel. New York city. last Tuesday after
noon or evening. The remains were found
in room %. the man having cut his throat
with a pocketknife which was still
grasped in his right hand He had evil
IDENTIFY been dead many hours when his
body was discovered.
The suicide appeared to be about
twenty-five years of age. and nothing
was found in the apartment to explain
his act He had S2s1 in his pocket and a
ticket for trip to Europe on the White
Star liner Baltic. which sailed this morn
ing
There was one dress suit case IN his
room The police found checks for sew
eral trunks. which are due to arrive from
Washington over the Pennsylvania rail-
road. On his coat lapel was a. Masonic
pin
Pratt arrived at the hotel in New York
late Tuesday. and registered from
and Immediately went upstairs. Nobody
around the hotel saw anything of him
after that until his body was found. He
had paid for q day. When his time was
up last evening several Intellectual at
tempts were made to arouse him. Ear
lier in the day the chambermaids had
tried to get into his room There was no
response to their repeated knocks on the
door.
Put 'Padlocks on Door.
All attempts to force an entrance to the
room were futile. Finally the door was
smashed down with sledge hammer.
When the door was thrown off its hinges
the occupant Of the room. it was found
had barricaded himself in and had put
three padlocks on the door He was clad
in his underclothes. His throat was hor-
ribly gashed.
Investigation here disclosed that B. H.
Pratt was formerly timekeeper in the
night linotype department of the govern
ment printing office. which position he
held until about three weeks ago. when
he left the city for New York. He re-
sided at the Manhattan Hotel 9th street
between F and G streets northwest. For
the last five months he had been COM
planning of i'll health. and about three
weeks ago resigned from his position at
the government printing Office and left
the city.
Pratt came to Washington from vir-
GINA about six years ago. He is said to
be cousin of H. G. Pratt, d central office
detective.
Illness Cause of Act.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, April 16.-The body Of a
man whom the police believe was Berry
H. Pratt of Washington. D. c.. is at the
morgue In this city. awaiting instructions
from relatives or friends. Pratt commit
ted suicide by cutting his throat with
pocketknife in a room which he had en-
gagged in the Hotel Bartholdi-
Pratt's illness is believed to have been
the motive for his act. tuberculosis or
some other disease had emaciated the
body.
The man appeared at the Bartholdi
Tuesday afternoon and engaged room 90.
He went to his room Immediately and
barred the door. At some time between
that hour and last night he slashed his
throat with a small pocketkrife. When
the employees broke down the barricade
and entered the room the body was on
the floor with the knife still clutched in
the right hand.
II the clothing letters were found the
contents of which the police declined to
disclose.
The face was clean shaver and the
clothing of good material The body was
that OF a man about twenty-four years
of age and weighed about 100 pounds