The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-14
John w. Castles Cuts
 His Throat.
PROMINENT IN NEW YORK
President of Trust Company Ends
 His Life.
Director Of the Central of Georgia Railroad Commits Act Tn . Ho- tel Because Of His FaiI-
 ing Health.

NcW Aorks sept. lS--John w. Cas- ties. president of the Union Trust Company of this city. director of other we'll known corporations and prominent in club and social life, com mitted suicide today by cutting his throat with razor in the Grand Un- ion Hotel.
 . His body was found shortly before o'clock tonight by his brother, Bur ton s. Castles. His body was cold and the bloody razor with which he had taken his life lay on a table. He left no note or instructions and his broth CT ascribed his act to e nervous break down.
 According to the hotel men, Mir. Cas- ties, accompanied by his brother and a friend. Eli Spring. came to the hotel three days ago and procured adJoin- ing rooms. It was the brothers in tention, according to the hotel au- thorities to look after Mir. Castles and Mir. Spring volunteered his assistance. ! For some reason the suicide banker was left alone this afternoon ana on returning Burton s. Castles found his door locked. The door was forced open and the tragedy revealed. Dress ed only in undergarments the body lay across the bed, while the posi- ton of the razor on a table in an- other part of the room indicated that he had stood before 6 mirror, gashed his throat from ear to ear, almost se- vering the jugular vein. then stagger- ed to the bed, where death overcame him
 MT. Castles was married ana lived at $40 Park avenue but the house could not be reached by telephone tonight. He is survived by his widow, Eliza- beth, ana a daughter and son, Fran ces and John W. Castles respective ly =.
 The Union Trust Company is one or the largest institutions of It's Kind Tn the city and is situated at 50 Broao- way in the heart of the financial ais- trict. Up to 1905 1t was paying divi- dends of 50 per cent. and Is now con eidered one of the strongest banks Tn : Resides being president of the Union Tr,ist Company MT. castles was . di- rector of the Central of Georgia hali. way; Chesapeake and ono hanros.u Cornpany: the Maryland Trust Com rsnr of Baltimore. and was United States trustee for the Northern Assur- ance Company Limited. of London. HIS clubs were numerous.
 Iohn V. B. Thayer, secretary and second vice president of the union Trust Company, said tonight that nanciaI matters had nothing To oo with the suicide. ascribing 10 po"' health.
 A later and probably correct version ts that Burton S. Castles did not ac- company his brother to the hotel' put aIarmed at MT. Castles failure to re- turn home from the bank. began a search through the hotels of the city tonight. ~ ..
 Arriving at the Grand Union at Forty Second Street and Park Avenue he found that Mir. Castles had reEis. tered there under his own name al 4:2O o'clock this afternoon and hao gone immediately to the room assigned him on the second floor. All indica- lions are that he ended his life soon after closing the door behind him.
 On a dresser near the bed was an eight ounce bottle, unlabelled, but con taining a pungent acid. Whether he had taken any of this before cutting his throat had not been ascertalned 10. night physician was summoned hastily after the body was found. but the banker was beyond aid. The po- lice and the coroner were then noti- fled and an Investigation begun.
 According to his friends. MT. Castles was broken in health by overwork. and had had little connection with the Un- ion Trust Company since assuming the presidency of the institution on Jan uary 1, last. when he succeeded Ed ward King. MT. King had been presi- dent since 1873, but In November last met with an accident which resulted in his death ten days later
 Not long ago MT. Castles condition became so serious that he was sent to a sanitarium at Kerhonkson, N. Y. in Ulster County, where he remained under treatment for three months. Al times he returned to New York ac- by an attendant and attend- ed briefly to business matters. Op Wednesday last he came down on the latest of these trips and for the first time during his illness was allowed to 20 to the bank unattended. He was ex- pected home early in the afternoon and his failure to return started the search which revealed his tragic death to- night.
 A Southern Man.
 Coming originally from the South. where he was well known in Texas md Louisiana, Mir. Castles moved 10 New York to assume the presidency of the Guaranty Trust Company. several years ago. But in the latter part of last year he resigned this position and stepped in as the head of the Union Trust Company.
 He maintained town house Tn I'ark Avenue, and had recently purchased a place at Morristown. N. j.. where he contemplated extensive improvements. Recently, however, his friends had been urging him to go to Hot Springs. Ark, for rest.
 In the search for the Respondent banker this evening. his brother wal accompanied by Eli B. Springs. a di- rector of the Charlotte, N. C.. Electric Railway, Light and Power Company and a long time friend of the Castles
 After the finding of the body they looked In vain for a note or letter ex- plaining his suicide. His clothing with the exception of the undergar. ments. were found folded on a chaiI near the bed. while a valise contain ing a number of business papers st1cd by the door.
 Inquiry tonight showed that Afr. Castles had evaded his attendant by saving that he wished to attend tC some business alone. and with suicide evidently foremost in his mind had sci on alone on his journey to death.
 Mir. Castles had large interests ir Texas, and was at one time president of the Hibernia Trust Company of New Orleans.