The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-13
'LAUGHL|N'S Death
CORRESPONDENCE
Million ARE Brother-irl
Law Of p resid ent Taft
a Suicide
SENDS a BULLET
INTO HIS BRA In
Wealthy Relatives Seek TO Cover
Up Facts Of His Self estruc-
ton, but Coroner Forces IN
vestigation ~ Evidently
Not Result Of
Insanity.
fspccial to rho Times Dispatch;

J s3f'tf5 Allodllllys
4 ~
pl spSSsal r Ihe nfe
X Laughlin. brother-ih-law OF Presi-
sdent Taft, assistant treasurer OF the
\ great Jones and Laughlin steel inter-
ests. and worth $20.0O0.000. Is sui
| eide. Hc sent bullet into his brain
some time during Thursday night In
| his mansion. on Woodlawn Road.
/ Efforts by wealthy relatives to sup
1 press the facts were successful until
this afternoon when Coroner Samuel
] Jamison. ar~ forcing an investiga-
J, ton, made tho public announcement:
THE Laughlin case Is one OF sui-
eide. He blew out his brains"
There is q report that Mrs. Laugh
! lin, who Is a sister OF Mrs. Taft. was
In Washington when her husband
killed himself. and that she was hur-
4 riedIy called badk here even before
\ the news OF the death was made pub
/ lie. She had gone to Washington to
| attend the White House musicale last
evening.
Mrs. Laughlin refuses to be Inter
1 viewed. Her friends say she has been
here all the time and that she her.
self found the llfeless body OF her
husband yesterday morning.
/ It was late yesterday afternoon be-
foresthe partners OF Mr.. Laughlin were
j informed OF his death, although they
| were told that he had died at In the
morning.
Tho latest developments warrant the
belief that the millionaire killed him
self in his study after dinner Thurs
day evening.
Result OF well-Lald Plan.
Mr.. Laughlin returned from Europe
only last Monday Since then he had
been busy settling up business mat
4 ters that had accumulated during his
absence. Tho condition in which he
left his affairs Indicates that the sui
4 eide was not in At OF temporary
insanity, but tho result OF a well-laid
plan. 5ss
Doctors T. NJ. T. Alckennan and w.
\ II. ingram, who had been called in
by the Laughlin family after the head
OF the house was found dead. made a
report OF death by. cerebral lemorr-
hage." Tho coroner. after his investi-
cation. said this afternoon:
II found that these hemorrhages
were caused by a forty-eight calibre
aEbullet sent through the brain by
4 Laughlin's own hand"
Relatives say that Mr.. LaughlinA had
been acting queerly since the death,
several months ago. of his father,
sNlajo George NJ Laughlin. Father
and son were fond of flowers. A cons
servatory worth $4,000 was erected
ION the grounds surrounding the Laugh
Hin mansion. Mrs. Thomas Laughlin.
/ 1t is said, quarrclcd with her hns-
band over what should be done with
the conservatory. She was in favor
of turning 1t Unto q COW PASTURE"
! precious bulbs and flowers. This
called forth bitter protest from young
i Mr. Laughlin. He went to Europe soon
after. 4 # "a: slEas q
Those Interested In euppressing the
4 news OF the suicide said this evening
4 they had only hoped to prevent em-
barrassment to President Taft when
/ he came here tomorrow for the fu-
neral. 7s
4 Cousin Suicide.
i @ Mr.. Laughlin had been a Very close
| friend of Thomas O'Connor. Jones. a
full cousin, and an fflcial in the ] ones
g Iaughlin Company, who four years
4 ago shot himself dead In the Hotel
Schonley AR. 1aughlin brooded over
his COUSINS suicide and frequently
l5"poor Tom got the worst OF It from
some people and that those who had
mistreatcd him would get their de-
/ sorts. s
i II Jones was madly In love with his
Icousin, Miss Madeline Laughlin. whose
engagement had Just been announced
to v.3MaitlandA Alexander, a wealthy
minister. Miss Laughlin had been
partial to her talented cousin until
|igossips broug ht tales to her. SS
Tho last public appearance OF II Mr..
Il 5IlauEhllns5 here was rs last & Decoration
Day, when lie and his family posed
|.tograph the @LauEhlin homestead.
j Mr.. Laughlin appeared to be In tn 9
4 bestgo spirits at that time. and invited
4 1.-The President to come every year.
I'LL Mr.. Laug In was a Yale graduate.
He married Miss Lucy Hayes Heron,
,daugh liter Of j ohm ". 4 Fl erron, Of Cin-
|;cinnati, In 1909. She was Il society
favoritea and H g. olfera OF national ro-
L pute. Mr.. Laugh lin was we'll known
i In New YorlSS clubdo ON. 5 ~
Mrs. Laughlin has frequently figured
1 I'M the entertainments Of the White
House SET. She too he place OF Mrs.
ness several me this Al go. 3sas
4 Strange Actions Recalled. S
Stran go actions on the part Of Mr.
Laughlln lust previous to Il he last yls-
i 1T OF President Taft arc now recalled
|! About two weeks before the time sci
i for \ he arrival OF the presidential
party NJ Lau ghli IN, In the al s.
i ssence of his .s'Wd 70. dis charged q every
iiservant bout - he hou SCI This forced
i the emp loynent OF news ana untried
SERVANTS J, ~ ana IT sis whispered II hat the
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