New-York tribune., 1910-07-24
AGED LAWYER A SUICIDE
Body Is Found in Gas Filled
Room Days After Death.
LIVED APART FROM FAMILY
Patent Attorneys Sons Unable
to Throw Light on Cause of
Fathers Act.

Arthur NJ. Pierce, a patent lawyer,
sixty years old, whose offices we're on the
ninth floor of the Downing Building, No.
1OS Fulton street, and who lived alone.
being separated from his family, on the
top floor of the five story building al No.
4S Fulton street, committed suicide some
time last week by inhaling Illuminating
gas. His body was found yesterday af-
ternoon at 2:30 o'clock on the bed in his
little sleeping room at No. 4S. tube
from the gas jet in the hallway led
under the door into his room, pouring
forth it's deadly fumes and the gas jet
in the room also was turned on.
The dead mans wife and two sons,
Arthur and John, live at No. 142 Rut-
land Road, Flatbush. The police COM
municated with them Immediately, and
the two sons came over in their automo-
bile. At the John street station house
Lieutenant Kenny gave them the par
ticulars of the case. and they asked that
a policeman be sent around with them
to their fathers offices. They wanted,
they said, to get the keys Of the offices
from the janitor of the Downing Build
ing, to see that their fathers desk was
safely locked and to get whatever pa
pers and mail there might be waiting for
him there.
No Estate, Says Sons.
The two young men, who We're both
around thirty years old, appeared calm
and businesslike over the tragedy, but
were very reticent. John said they knew
of no reason for their parents act. He
told Sergeant Joseph F. Lyon, who ac-
companied them to the offices. that the
lawyer had left no estate, and that they
expected no will, since all he had to be-
queath We're his books and furniture.
Later the two sons went around to No.
4S Fulton street, where the body still
lay, but they refused to go up and iden-
tify it, contenting themselves with the
remark, Il guess that's him all right
The body was in a badly decompoSed
state. leading to the suppOSition that
death occurred as long ago as last Mon
day. George Busk, the janitor OF the
building. did not detect the odor of gas
which had been pouring into the mans
bedroom until yesterday noon. He said
he was not in the habit of going up TO
the fifth floor since when Mr. Pierce
rented the rooms five months age he
stipulated that he should be left en-
tirely alone up there; that he wished no
one to disturb him while he was conduct
ing his experiments in the little work
shop adjoining his bedroom In this
Workshop he had a turning lathe and
collection of new tools for wood and iron
work.
Police Break Into Room.
Busk discovered the gas tube leading
from the hall into the bedroom, and
sent word to the John street station
Patroman James NJ Nolan was sent
around to the building and broke down
the door He Immediately called IN Dr
Zimmerman, of the Hudson Street Hos
pital. who said the man had been dead
several days. The Coroner gave permls-
sion to remove the body to the morsue,
where he viewed it late in the after
noon.
Except for the top floor, No As Fulton
street is given over entirely to CONNER
clal uses. as are all the oldtime struct-
ureS in that section ABOUT ooulh Stiee''
Busk said that when Pierce came to him
with the proposition of renting the top
floor for living quarters the owner Oh
the building, Miss G. j. Edgerton. OF
South River, n. j., objected, saying she
didn't like the idea of man living alone
I'D there without any one to look a1tef
him and keep his quarters clean.
But he was as tidy as a girl, SAID
the iaGitor. "and a nice, brisk little man,
with a good reputation, so l persuaded
her to let him have the rooms l never
went into the rooms after he rented
them. The first person to do SO besides
himself was his son, John, who went up
there with him a week ago FRIDAY. 1he
last time | saw the father was last
Monday"