The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-12-02
". A. Johnson IS
SUICIDE VICTIM
Noted Mining Man SuCCumbs
to Strain of Financial
ReVerSeS.
FOUND IN HOTEL ROOM
FAILURE TO NEGOTIATE LOAN
ON YERINGToN PROPERTY.

= > :. :. :. :. :. = = =, :. :. :, :. :. - :.
= Financial reverses, threatening :.
: his ownership Of a group of mines :
- at HeringtOn, New, which he had =
= partially developed, caused Cap =
= tain W. a. Johnson to end his life =
- yesterday in an Out-Of-the-Way =
= room at the Belmont hotel The =
:" exact hour of the suicide is not =
= known. His dead body was dis =
= covered shortly before o'clock =
= yesterday afternoon by George =
= Reeves, one of the pfoprietOrs of =
= the hosiery. Mr.. Johnson left his =
= apartments in the Cullen hotel ear =
= ly Tuesday morning. :
= :. :. :. :: :. = :. = = = = = = = : =
Absolute evidence of cyanide Of potas-
stun and a last letter to his bride Of
less than a year. dispels doubt as to
suicide.
Dignifed, and a descendant Of a dis
tinguished southern family, Captain
Johnson had not outwardiy displayed
evidence Of financial difficulties. Yet,
during the last week he is said TO have
watched the development Of a prOspeC-
tive loan with nervous interest. 1t was
explained by close friends of Captain
johnson last night that this loan would
have meant salvation from financial
ruin; the first situation Of the kind ever
10 have confronted him.
Mrs. Johnson, widow of the dead man,
would not perni: the last message of
her husband 10 leave her hands. But
in substance, it is as follows; Il am not
sane under this terrible strain. / feel
that / am slipping, falling away. The
pressure is too great 1 cannot stand it
any longer" This was followed by an
affectionate farewell.
Little is known of the movements of
Captain Johnson since his disappear
ance, up to 8 o'clock Tuesday afternoon.
Then, according to Mr.. Reeves of the
belmont hotel. he registered under the
name of Jackson, without initials, and
was shown to room SO. A few minutes
later he returned to the Office of the ho-
tel and informed the proprietor that he
would keep the key TO the room in his
pocket. not desiring certain effects dis
turbed.
He was next seen at the Elks' club at
about supper time, remaining there UNI ]
Ill about o'clock. He bad little to say,
now and then casting remarks about the
weather. A cloud over his cOuntenance
was clearly in evidence, but he tried to
hide the depression. He left the club |
alone. Clerks at the Belmont hotel can !
not recall when he retired to the room, |
but they believe it was late at night.
At noon yesterday one of the chamber
attendants OF the hotel raped at the
door of room SO, but received no re
Spouse. An hour later this was re-
peaJed. Then Mr.. Reeves summoned |
TWO of his sturdy porters and forced
Jhe door.
Reeves says he had experienced a
sort of premonition when he first saw
Capt Johnson that something was
wrong and was not surprised at find
ing his body stretched out on the floor.
Leaving the room as he had found it
he summoned the police, who had been |
searching for Johnson. From descrip- /
riOns furnished by Mrs. Johnson, bride |
of the dead man. he was readily identi- |
ned. DR.. 5. q. Paul pronounced him |
dead and 2. G. O'DonneU. undertaken. /
took charge of the body.
Mrs. Johnson. bride of the dead min
ing man, made inquiries at police head
quarters if there had been develop
ments in the search for her husband |
only few minutes before his body was |
discovered Returning to the Cullen I
hotel. where Capt. Johnson had made /
his home since the latter part Of Jan
nary, Mrs. Johnson is said TO have
burst into tears, fearing that the de-
preston and strain under which he
had labOred might have resulted serf-
ously. She had but recovered from
this spell when Mrs. Kent o. Keyes. I
occupying apartments at The Cullen.
broke the news of the suicide. Yet in
her tWenties, and a handsome young
woman, Mrs. Johnson is all but over
CSne with grief.
Captain Johnson was probably known
by every mining man in the west and,
In TACT, all over the world, having been
called in consultation in the Central
Americas, South America, and many
years Of his life were spent i'm South
Africa, where he is said TO have ex-
ueTleuced adventures such as have
come TO rev mining men. He had
many times traversed the globe vet he
was only 50 years of age well pre-
served. with a promise of at least
twenty years more of life.
During the early developments Of the
and mining interests. Captain Johnson
was its general superintendent. Because
of his master hand in dealing with mining
interests, the Guggenhein syndicate Sc
lected him to have entire charge Of its
Developments. tt is said by mining men.
familiar with this big mining combination
that Captain Johnson was largely respOu-
Slble for its phenomenal success. He was
hammond, known as the world 8 greatest
mining expert.
Captain Johnson accumulated several
fortunes through his knowledge of min
ing, but the possibilities of greater for
tune caused him to dissiDate these for
tunes TN mines. He was q rich man. when
he came i'm possession of a grOuD of mines
near YeriugtOn, New. So confident was
he that they would produce his last great
stake that he spent thousands of dollars
in their development But t is said his
interest I'm them went beyond the limit.
finally leaving him without means. He
married pa 1eTluEt0u when his hODes were
.brieht. but found IL necessary to come TO
Salt Lake City briefly afterward for the
purpose Of negotiating a loan, which is !
said TO have been of large proDortiOns