The Washington times., 1912-04-06
TWO AGED MEN END
THEIR LIVES IN
EARLY MORNING
Veteran at Soldiers Home
and Retired Merchant
Commit Suicide.

Two suicides occurred in washington
this morning. in different sections of
the city.
Benjamin L. wheeler, retired mer-
chant sixty-three years old, ended his
life by inhallng illuminating gas
John Blau. a veteran inmate OF the
Soldiers Hame. fred q bullet through.
Ills mouth. instantly killing himself.
Ile worried over the, fact that his days
of usefulness had long since ended.
Relieving that his days OF usefulness
were over because he had been relieved
Uf his duties ms superintendent OF tho
Sheridan building at the Soldiers
IIome,h John Blau. one of the veteran
inmates of the Institution, killed him
self this morning BY firing a bullet
from g. .32-caliber revolver in his mouth.
Dressed in his nightclothing. the aged
man was Sound lying on the floor of
his roorI, with the revolver still In his
right hand The bullet had penetrated
the roof of his mouth and entered the
BRAIN" The report of the revolver at
tracted, several of the attendants, who
had To- break into the roorl,. as the
door had been locked from the inside. ,
Blau.l who was eighty-four years old,
was native Of Germany and was a
private in the army for twenty-five
years. He had been an inmate of the
hom esince 1856, and for twenty years
had been superintendent of the Sheri-
dan building, one of the most import
ant positions held by inmates of the
home.
Relieved Of Duty.
Because of his advanced years, the
officials decided to relieve him of duty.
He was getting feeble, and 1t was with
extreme difficulty that he managed to
get around to look after the building
Thursday he was informed that the fol-
lowing day a younger man would take
his place.
The old soldier seemed very discour-
aged and despondent all of yesterday
and last evening. He went to his room
Immediately after supper last night and
was not seen again until this morning,
when the report of a revolver brought
the attendants to his room.
When Blau was informed yesterday
that he would have to give up his place,
he said that he understood that his age
made it impossible for him to be of
much service any longer.
Il guess my usefulness Is all over. ne
remarked, as he went to his room.
1t is not believed the aged man had
any relatives in this country.
Inhales Gas Fumes.
With a rubber tube connected with an
open gas jet between his lips, Benjamin
L. Wheeler, sixty-three years old, a
retired merchant, was found dead this
morning In the kitchen of his home. 1427
n street northwest.
Attracted by the noise made by pet
cat running back and forth from the
kitchen to the dining room. Mrs.
Wheeler, the aged mans wife. got out
OF bed about 9 O'Clock this morning
went downstairs, and found her nus
band. The tube was stlll In ms moutn;
and a physician who was called said
that he had been dead several hours:
Financial troubles were attributed by
members Of the family as the cause oi
the suicide. After retiring from busl'
ness several years ago. Mr.. Wheeler IN.
vested his money in real estate and also
sold real estate for brokerage hrm
His investments did not prove as profit,
able as he had expected and he faliee
to make many sales Tor the nrm "ltr
whom he worked on a commission.
Mrs Wheeler told Coroner Nevitt thai
her husband had exhausted all his re-
sources in an effort to obtain money
and that he did not have enough to pay
the rent this month,
street in a few days" she told tn
coroner, "and my husband couldnt
stand the disgrace.
It Is believed that Mr.. Wheeler went
to the kitchen and turned on the gas
about midnight. He was partially
dressed when found. His wife heard
him moving about in his room until
nearly II O'clock.
Before killing himself Mr.. Wheeler
took two canary birds that were kept
in the kitchen into the dining room, sc
they would not be suffocated by the
gas.