Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-30

fatal shot. A revolver lay ON the floor
near his hand. The clubs physician
was summonded. but there was little
he could do to relieve his patient and
il was evident that death would ensue
within a short time. "A coroner was
summoned and he attempted to obtain
a statement from the dying man but
without avail.
To all questions as to how he was
shot Mr.. P,Illiam. who was then in a
semi conscious condition. replied that
be did not understand and asked
What shot?" He soon became un-
conscious but later revived a little and
complained that his head ached and
asked the attendants to rub it, No
note or other explanation of the suicide
was found in the room. A nurse was
Summoned and the wound was ban
d. god. AS usual in cases of attempted
suicide the police stationed a man at
the rooms and technically the wounded
man was under arrest.
Throughout the night Mr.. Pulliam
fingered in a serni-conSciouS condition.
Members of his family in Louisville.
KY, were notified of the affair last
night.
President Pulliam's health and par
ticularly his nervous condition had been
So poor for several months as to cause
much alarm among his friends and ad-
mirers in baseball circles. After the
spring meeting of the National League
in February, he was granted an in
definite leave of absence and was be-
leved to have spent several months
fInf nd
In the meantime John c. Heydier, sec
rotary of the National League, was
designated as acting president. Mr..
Pulliam. however, returned to his du-
ties about a month ago and seemed to
be considerably improved by his long
rest. His health soon began to give
way again and it is reported that he
recently spent q week in a sanitarium.
A report was current today that Mr..
| Pulliam wrote his resignation as presi-
| dent of the league before shooting him
! self, but this could not be confirmed
as Mr.. HeydIer was absent from the
city on his vacation and many of the
baseball leaders also were away.
Mr.. Puliam was born in Scottsville,
Ky, 80 years ago and was success
| 2lNNiS ItDollC anu City SulIOI VI lIc
Louisville Commercial, president of
the Louisville Baseball Club. secretary
and treasure of the Pitsburg club and
president of the National League, to
which Office he was elected in 1902.
Pulliam sacrificed his health and life
| in the interests of the national sport
Made president of the National League
in 1902 he at once took effective meas
ures to do away with rowdy baseball
| ard place the sport on high plane. He
gave instructions to his umpires to be
| fearless in their decisions and told
| them that he would stand by them re-
CARELESS of the pressure that might
be brought to bear upon him.
Pulliam's stand brought about fric-
ton with some of the club heads, who,
| sisted that Pulliam was arbitrary in
| his methods. He was often opposed at
| the annual meetings of the National
League.
| The strain of leadership soon told on
| the young president. who. slight of
frame and high strung in temperament,
i was hardly physically equipped for the
! battles hat he had on hand At the
| last league meeting in Chicago he
showed signs of a nervous breakdown.
Pulliam wanted to make public the
names of the men who he said tried
to bribe the umpires in the last Chi
cagoNew York game.
After much squabbling Pulliam be-
came imbued with the idea that the
league magnates were prosecuting him
and that unless the names of the al
legged bribers were made public the
sport of baseball was doomed
| During the league banquet in Chi
caso last February. Pulliam suddenly
rose in his chair and began a bitter
attack against the league officials His
condition was apparent and his friends
among them Garry Hermann and
] Continued on Page Twelve)