The San Francisco call., 1909-07-30
HFYDLER WILL
TAKE PLACE OF
DEAD PULLIAM
Suicide of National League
President Shocks Baseball
Enthusiasts
Nervous Strain Is Believed to
Have Prompted Official to
Take His Life

NEW YORK, July 29.-John A Heyd-
Ter. secretary and treasurer of the
National League Of Professional Base
ban Clubs. viii arrive in NevAYork and
assume charge OF the business affairs
OF the league tomorrow
A Telegram notifying HeydIer of the
tragical death of President Harry Pull
liam. who died this morning of shoot
ing himself through the head last night
was handed TO him while he was en-
route from Alexandra bay to Montreal
by boat. today
President Pulliam's last official act
before firing the bullet that ended his
life was to direct a circular letter to
p club presidents Of the league notifying
them that the time for keeping park
flags al half mast as a token Of respect
70 the memory OF President George B.
Dovery Of the Boston club, and Presi-
dent l. " Durham, who died recently,
expired yesterday.
LOOKS LIKE HEYDLER
Heydler viii arrange for the election
~ 4 successor to President Pulliam.
The belief seems to be general that
Heydler viii be chosen practically
Z. without opposition.
P. 7. Powers. president Of the East
ern league. and for more than score of
years personal friend OF Pulliam, said
today he had known for the last four
years that Pulliam was brooding
. dangerously over some trouble
1t always seemed TO me-" said Pow
efs. that il was some deep personal
trouble that bothered him. Billy Muir
- ply and I used TO go and get him when
he had one OF these brooding moods
and take him 10 a matinee or some
thing. He would go. hardly saying a
word, and just listening. He always
was z square man. He took baseball
. matters too seriously. I think"
Harry c Pulliam died at S:I0 q. m.
yesterday, after shooting himself
3. through the head in his room at the
New York athletic club last night Al
though 4 bullet from his revolver
: passed entirely through his head, sever
ing both optic nerves and causing in
stsnt blindness, Pulliam lived from $50
last night until this morning. He be-
came unconscious soon after the shoot
ing was discovered and was unable 10
make any statement as to the reason
FOR committing suicide, but 1t is at
tributed TO i'll health.
PuIliam was-in his Office yesterday
and went TO his room at the athletic
club last evening. At $3.50 last night a
signal from the telephone in his room
was thrown upon the switchboard in
the clubrooms. The operator re-
sBonded, but receiving no call sent a
messenger to ascertain the trouble.
Pulliam was. found living on the floor.
dressed only in his underclothing and
with bullet wound through his head.
The telephone receiver apparently had
been knocked of its hook when he fell.
All through the night PulIiam
fingered in a semiconcsious condition.
Members of his family in Tennessee and
kentucky were notified Of the affair
last night After the spring meeting
OF the National league in February he
was granted an indefinite leave OF alb
-'sence and spent several months with
relatives in Tennessee and Florida
Sic returned to his duties about month
ago and seemed 10 be considerably i'm
proved His health soon began TO give
way again. and il is reported that be
recently spent a week in sanitarium
Pulliam was born in ScOttsville. KY
80 wears ago and was successiVely re-
porter and city editor of the Louisville
Commercial. president of the Louisville
baseball club, secretary and treasurer
or the Pittsburg club and president OF
the National league. 10 which Office he
was elected in 1902.
Once Lived in Fresno
LOS ANGELES. July pa part oi
The early career of President Harry C
psillism of the National league, who
committed suicide last night in New
York. was spent in Fresno. Cal. Henry
Perry. manager Of the Los Angeles
team, Of the Pacific Coast league, today
recalled that he and Pulliam were
friends in Fresno IS years ago. Pull
liam at that time was working as q
common laborer in a raisin packing
plant