New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-12
CALLS TO HIS BROTHER;
THEN DIES BY POISON
insurance Agent Kills Himself in
Hotel Manhattan Confer
ence Room.
MARRIED LESS THAN YEAR
Brother, Who Answered Strange
Message, Says Dead Man
Was Not in Any Finan-
cial Straits.

Simon Stein. an insurance agent. with
an Office at No 800 Broadway. commit
ted suicide late yesterday afternoon IN
a conferepce room on one or the upper
floors of the Hotel Manhattan. He took
cyanide of potassium.
STEMS body was found by his brother
Martin, who lives at No. SAL West 122d
street. Before drinking the poison
Simon Stein had telephoned to his
brother, telling him to inquire at the
Manhattan for him. According to Nor
ton Stein, Simon gave no reason FOR
sending the message. end when Maruh
appeared at the hotel. inquiring for MS
brother. although he felt uneasy at the
message. he said he had no reason 10
believe that his brother had sent it with
any idea OF committing suicide.
Simon Stein, who lived at No. 300
Broadway with his bride Of less than
wear. went to the hotel soon after noon
Yesterday and asked for q conference
room He explained that he was going
to meet a number OF men on business.
Such requests are frequent at the
Manhattan. and A room on one OF the
upper floors. containing long table set
with writing materials, some chairs ana
a lounge, was put at his disposal
stein, who was of prosperous appear
ance, remained in the room alone for a
few minutes and then called bellboy.
telling him to get four glasses and A
pitcher Of ice water.
Nothing more was heard from the
room, and no one called 10 inquire for
Stein until his brother appeared. He
told Edward NJ shanks. the manager Of
the hotel. that his brother had tele-
phoned TO him at about $50 p. m ana
told him to inquire at the hotel for him.
Morton Stein said he did not know why
his brother had sent the message. but
felt uneasy when he received it, and hur-
RED TO the hotel at once.
The clerk found the record of the as
signment of a room to Simon Stein. and
told Morton. who said he would go up
stairs. He went up in the elevator, but
a few minutes later he came running
down the stairs. and. rushing up 10 MI
Shanks. said: Get a doctor. quick.
NV brothers had stroke"
Dr. Fellowes Davis. ir.. the hotel
physician, found Simon STEMS body on
the floor. An empty glass was beside
him and he was dead DR.. Davis exam
ined the glass and found some crystals
in the bottom. Searching the body he
found a white brick labelled cyanide of
potassium" corner OF the brick had
been broken off. DR.. Davis then saiu
that the poison was the cause OF death.
Coroner Feinberg and his physician.
Or. Leblanc. were called, and the coro-
ner decided that Stein had committed
suicide. He gave permit for the re-
moval Of the body and then telephone1
TO the East 5lst street police station.
Coroner Feinberg said Morton stein
told him that his brother was not in
financial straits and was happily mar
ried He said Simon was prosperous and
that even had he needed money he would
could make no guess as TO his brothers
motive.
IF Stein had arranged for four or
more business men to meet him at the
hotel" said the Coroner, 1T ~ pretty
certain that at least one would have
turned up. I have been unable 10 fad
out that Stein had a single caller during
the afternoon Stein had the reputation
of being cratic. and the only probabl
reason that I can give for the suicide IS
that he was suffering under some mental
strain the cause of which seems to be
unknown To his friends"
Stein looked prosperous. His clothes
were of good quality. He wore a gold
watch and had in his pockets S37. He
was an agent for the North Western
Mutual Life Insurance Company. of Mil
waukee Coroner Fcnberg said that he
had been unable to find that Stein left
any note.