Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-06
PUBLISHER KILLS
SELF ON RETURN
FROM THE PLAY
Craige Lippincott Witnessed
Death Scene of "PetrOnius"
in "QuO Vadis."
HOURS AFTERWARD is
FOUND DEAD IN ROOM
Was Prominent in Philadelphia
Social, Business and Finan-
cial Circles.


PHILADELPHIA, April 6-Craige
Lippincott, head of the ]. B. Lippin-
colt Company, publishers, and one of
the most prominent men in financial
and social circles in this city, shot him.
self early today at his palatial home,
21S West Rittenhouse square, the aris-
tocratic residential section of Philadel-
phia.
The following authorized tatement by
an officer of the J. B. Lippincott Com
pany was given out thi afternoon:
During period of temporary aber-
ration Craige Lippincott, president of
the j. B. Lippincott Company, hot and
killed himself at his residence, 21S West
Rittenhouse Square, early this morn
ing. The business of the publishing
house will not be affected by Mr. Lip
pincott's DEATH"
In addition to the two detectives
other police officials who Investigated
are slow to accept the accident theory
They assert that the revolver tha. end
ed the life of Mr. Lippincott was of the
hammerless variety and that the trig-
ger could not be snapped unless it was
pressed Intentionally. The course OF
the bullet was from the right to left,
and the fact that 1t penetrated the tenn
pie leads the police to the belief that
Mr.. Lippincott may have taken his life
while temporarily deranged and while
In thorough nervous state.
Son Makes Sworn Statement.
The sworn statement by Mr.. Lippin-
colts son is as follows:
This morning at $40 o'clock my
father was found dead in his room by
his valet. My father was very nervous
at times My father never intimaated
any disposition to take his own life
Before retiring last evening he was in
his usual good spirits and health. My
father always kept a loaded revolver
in his room because we have no watch
man, and the least bit of noise he heard
he would go get the revolver and then
investigate In my opinion he herad
some noise and went and got the re-
volyer, and in some way it was dis
| charged My father had everything ir
life to make him happy, and l can't
see why he should take his life. Thai
is why I say it must have been an ac-
cident."
Saw Death Scene In "Quo Vadis.-
The tragedy occurred only a few
hours after the return of Mr.. and Mrs.
Lippincott from the Metropolitan Opera
House, where they occupied seats in
their box, surrounded by friends, and
witnessed a performance of "Quo
Vadis," the last given by the Phila-
delphia- Chicago Opera Company in this
city.
In this opera the curtain goes down
on a scene in which "Petronius," I'M
| personated by Renaud, the great
French baritone, declares that he is
tired of life, dies in her arms, a physi-
clan having opened an artery in the
arm of each, by command of "Petro-
MUS"
The deputy coroner, Charles Nc
| Keever, informed the newspaper men
that Mr.. Lippincott was shot between
| and s o'clock this morning, having
been found on the floor of his bedroom
by his valet, Oscar Stewart, who went
to the apartment to shave him.
| Tell Tale of Suicide.
The first information the coroner had
of death in the Lippincott residence
was at $3.50 o'clock, when someone
called the coroner's Office on the tele-
phone and said that there had been a
suicide at 21S West Rittenhouse Square
and asking that a deputy be sent to
the house at once. McKeeter was sent,
and remained in the house some time.
There he learned that DR. James c.
Wilson had been called to the house
after the coroner hada been otified, and
| It Is understood that 1t was he who had
notified the coroner's office of the
suicide in the house No information
could be gotten from the house, and
the first report to reach the coroner's
office as to the identity of the dead per-
son was that 1t was a maid servant,
and the early editions of the afternoon
papers printed story to this effect.
| All the members of the Lippincott
| family in the city were Immediately
notified of the death of the head of the
family. but efforts to obtain positive
| statements as TO the manner of his
| death were not successful.
| Always a Philadelphian.
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