Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-11
MEYER KILLS SELF
Fires Bullet Into Temple and An.
other Into Breast.
HANsCoM PARK SCENE OF DEED
First shot T. Heard by Men, who
Fail to Reach Him Before Sec
ond One Takes His
Life.

Julius Meyer shot and killed himself at
noon Monday. He chose Hanscom park
as the scene of his death and a 32-caliber
revolver as the weapon. He fired a shot
into his left temple and another into his
left breast, killing himself almost Instantly.
Dependency was the cause. 1t had been
provoked by a continued sickness.
Mr.. Meyer was s. years of age. He was
the general agent Of the Provident Savings
Life Assurance company and one of the
most widely known and generally loved
men in Omaha or Nebraska, where he had
lived since the early COS. His death was
a profound shock.
The suicide occurred just south 81 the
greenhouses i'm the park and so far as is
now known by the police and Coroner
Heafey. no one saw the first shot fired.
Hearing the noise. Walter Dorentzen, hi
Ontario street, and John and Elmer Mer-
rill OF Eighteenth and p streets. South
Omaha. ran to the scene as Meyer fired
the second bullet. The police and coroner
were notified and the body was removed
to the ~latter's office. An inquest will be
held.
Pneumonia. from a months attack OF
which Mr.. Meyer had recovered only re-
Gently, and which he feared he might never
get over, is assigned by Moritz Meyer, his
brother, as the probable cause Of his de-
spondency. 1t is also thought that bust
ness cares may have been worrying him.
BROTHER Noted lis Condition.
Meyers dependency had been noticed
by his brother and his intimate friends for
some time. yet they had never supposed
he might take his life. The news OF the
case was an awful surprise to his ac-
q~uaintances, who would hardly believe il.
Just before taking a street car to the
park late Monday morning MIR. Meyer went
to his brothers. cigar store on Farnsm
street, between Thirteenth and Four
teenth. and bought some cigars. These he
smoked on the way to the scene of his
death. At that time, Moritz Meyer no.
tlced nothing unusual about his brothers
demeanor. So far as is known, he never
carried a revolver before in his life, and
it is believed that he bought the weapon
used a short time before going to the
park.
Aside from the revolver lying on the
ground beside the body. which was found
face down on the grass, only some small
change in silver, a handkerchief that was
somewhat wet, a few other things. and two
envelopes, were found on the body or
near by.
One of the envelopes was sealed, stamped
and addressed with a rubber stamp to the
dead man at his business address. 1t was
not opened, but was seen to be
empty. The other envelope was merely an
empty and unused one,
Police officer A. l.. Hicks was walking
his beat near the park and this was the
first patrolman to reach the scene. De-
t~ectives Mcdonald and Walker also at
tended the case and are collecting data
for the coroner's inquest, which will be
held Tuesday or Wednesday.
Forty Years I'm One Home.
For forty years he had lived, a bachelor,
in his apartments at Twelfth and Farnam
streets. Besides his brother, he also leaves
a sister, Mrs. H.. Rehfeld, who lives on
South Twenty-fourth avenue, in this city,
and another brother, Max Meyer, a jeweler,
in New York City.
Mr.. Meyer was the head of the Musicians
union and the moving spirit for many
years of the annual balls given by that
union. He was for many years president
Of the Metropolitan club. He was elected
five times consecutively.
The home of Julius Meyer at the south
east corner Of Twelfth and Farnam streets
was for many years one of the best known
places I'm Omaha. 1t was a typical bache-
lor's retreat and yet the hospitable home
of all who would visit 1t. In it were every
curio and keepsake he had gathered in the
years of his pioneer days with the Indians
every one he had. not given away, for he
gave away many. But the walls and tables
of this place have told their story of the
early west to hundreds of friends of tins
friendly man.
Here, too, was the scene OF many and
many a good time for the friends of MIR.
Meyer who were not Indians or children.
Mr., Meyer was a typical host. He re-