The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-03-09
CITY ENGINEER
KILLS HIMSELF
Dead Mans Work Had Been
Characterized as Careless and
He Was Accused of Inoompe-
tency-Troubles May Have
Deranged His Mind.


RICHMOND, VA Special
jackson Bolton, First Assistant
City Engineer, was found dead on
the aOOr OF the bath room of his
heme, ITO n. Sd Street. Monday
morning, shortly after o'clock.
His death was due TO asphyxlatiOn
and tho circumstances leave prac-
tically mo- doubt that he commit
tod suicide.
Mr.. Bottoms body was found by his
youngest daughter, Miss Minnie Boil
Ton. and though the body was still
warm. Il Is probable that life was
even then extinct.
The body. almost completely dress
cd. was stretched across the floor. Mr..
Bottoms mouth being close to the pipe
that connected with the gas stove In
the room. The connection had been
removed and the gas must have blown
full into the face Of the PROSTATE man.
II would have killed him in fifteen
minutes
Mr.. Bolton was last seen alive about
sac. when he spoke to his son. James
Bolton In less than an hour he was
found dead. AS said. his body was
discovered by his youngest daughter.
and n few minutes later DR.. Armts-
tssd ellis was called from the opposite
side OF the street. and a moment after
was attempting TO resuscitate Mr.. Boil
ton. even applying artificial resplra-
41on- The attempts were futile. Mr..
Bolton dead. In the meantime
ether physicians. J. E. Trevilian, Her
bert Mann and DIT. Truman, arrived,
but they. too, were too late.
Coroner Taylor was then summoned
and. after a brief inquiry into the cir
cuunstanceS. decided that formal in
quest was unnecessary.
The body was LETT In charge Of the
family.
No information Of the circumstances
OF the regretted death was given to
newspaper men at the home, hut some
friends Of Mr.. Bolton suggested that
nr,f crit nf n
the city heaped worry upon his mind;
really worried him 70 death. It was
also suggested that worry may have
caused his mind TO turn 20 suicide.
News of the death, however. circu-
lated rapidly and soon reached the
officers OF the city Engineers depart
ment- City Engineer Boiling was
among the first callers, as was Fra n
II. Bates clerk and T.. B. Taliaferro.
Second Assistant City Engineer. Mr..
TaIiaferro was also a brother-in-laW OF
Mr.. Bolton.
II is well known that the criticisms
ne has had weighed heavily upon the
mind Of the dead engineer. About
three years ago he resigned the posi-
ton ne held with the city, but with
drew IL.
Last Friday. in the course OF an. ar
ticle concerning the report Of the spe
C.iaI committee that investigated the
affairs OF the City Engtneer's Office
the morning paper printed para
graph as follows;
I'm the course OF his remarks,
Chairman Lynch spoke of several
OF the assistants I'm the oiii'c III
pIain terms. saying that the plan
of distriCting the city was devised
mainly 20 give each assistant
definite responsibility so that
those who do not measure up
might be speedily wccded out of
the Sity's service. He stated that
since the committee made its re-
port, several Instances OF errors,
CarcEcSs work and evident incom-
-DCtenCc on the part OF fIrSt AS-
kiStant Engineer jackson Bolton
had come TO his knowledge,
which had the committee known
Of them would have caused
special recommendation The
committee hereafter, he said,
would look to the head OF the de-
partmcnt To discharge at once any
assistant showing such careless
HeSs and lack of knowledge The
youngest engineer i'm the office,
he added, Mr.. kee2an. was now
an charge of the Virginia Avenue
sewer, an undertaking requiring
most careful engineering, and
work VhiS IN several of the mem
1Sers OF the committee believed
Afr. Bolton incapable 90 pT~foTp'-
Gug. Errors and careleSsneSs ON
the paft of other aSsISIuntS 49,
afsQ mentioned by MFR. Lynch,
who said that With direct reSPon-
Rfbllity placed on each man, and
the City Engineer held response
HE for the work of all. it was
asoped that the incompetent men
would shortly be weeded from
the city's service"
The errors. careless work and evil
dent incompetence" mentioned pre-
oumably refers TO the building of the
NeT@F--yunning westward from West
Street. aud this matter was TO have
been Investigated by a subcommittee
OF the Council Committee on Streets
af a session scheduled for sac O'Clock
tomorrow.
Errors in Calculation
This subcommittee consists of AL
dsrman Marx Gunst and Councilmen
G NJ Miller and A. L. Vonderlehr.
They were to consider the charges of
discrimination upon the part Of the
\ City Engineers office in awarding city
contracts, made in the letter of Con-
tractor c. g. Burton. This letter
though partly OF a general nature. spe-
cificaIly refers to the errors made in
he.fcalculations for the West End
- calculations having been
tfP1lTS- ~ineers Bolton and Sa-
~ sorts of g..
bats, shoes, ISaSon 30 Q. IN, me
q - tbE$ameled W. that the com
littee -esIsasras bsass az the
ies Sdr misS SeST T5Ig < 'sslf.n,