Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-08
RITES FOR W|LL|GE
Funeral Will Be Held T0m0r-
row Afternoon.
SERVICES AT THE HOME
Ill Health and Business Troubles
Thought Cause of Suicide.
VICTIM OF NERVOUS AILMENT
Real Estate Broker Was Thirty.
Eight Years Old-Leaves Wife,
Brothers and Sisters.

The funeral of J. Louis Willige. real
| estate broker, who committed suicide
yesterday afternoon in a rear room at
his Office, 61o 18th street northwest, will
be held from the home. 1901 Park road, a.
: o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Services
will be conducted by Rev. Paul A.
Mcneil. and burial will be in Glenwood
cemetery.
| The membership committee and the
directors OF the Washington Board OF
/ Trade: Of which organization Mr.. Will
lige had been a member for seven years
met this afternoon and adopted suitable
| resolutions of regret. At the time OF
his death Mr.. Willige was chairman OF
the membership committee, an Office he
had held for six years. He was a mem.
Der of the board of directors for three
years.
committee, consisting of four mem.
| bers of the membership committee and
| two members OF the board of directors
was selected to represent the Board OF
Trade at the funeral tomorrow.
Personal friends and business asso-
ciates of Mr.. Willige say that the cause
| of his suicide undoubtedly was long-con-
| tinued i'll health, caused by nervous
aflment from which he had suffered for
many years. This ailment, his associates
| say, resulted in a condition that was re-
SpOnsible for business reverses and
financial difficulties in which he had re-
| Gently been involved.
Friends Tried to Cheer Him.
That Mr.. Willige had. contemplated
suicide for several weeks is the belief of
| number Of his friends to whom he
had talked of his troubles. On several
occasions he is said to have declared
that death was the only way out of his
troubles. On each occasion friends ap-
parently succeeded in convincing him
that his affairs were not in such serious
condition, and Of late he had appeared
to be in a more cheerful frame of mind.
Yesterday morning, on reaching his Of
flee, Mr.. Willige seemed to be more
cheerful than for some time, and less
nervous. During the day he was in con-
versation with a number Of friends and
business associates. After luncheon he
was closeted for some time with his for
mer partner, E. H. Daniel. A patron OF
lige left the private Office, being gone only
a few minutes. Returning, he passed
through the private Office and went back
to a room in the rear OF the offices. A
few seconds later those in the front office
were startled by the sound of a single
pistol shot coming from the room which
Mr.. Willige had entered just before.
Found on Floor Unconscious.
Augustus Willige, brother; Mr.. Daniel
and Harry Eansill, bookkeeper with the
| firm, rushed to the rear room; the door OF
| which was locked. Bursting the door open,
Mr. Willige was found lying unconscious
on the floor, with a bullet wound in his
left temple. Policemen of the first pre-
cinct and the Emergency Hospital were
notified and the wounded man was at
once taken to the hospital. There it was
found that an operation was impossible.
and he died within ten minutes after
reaching the hospital.
The revolver with which Mr.. Willige
ended his life was found on the floor of
the rear room. 1t was a new thirty-twO-
caliber weapon, and it's cylinder contained
one empty shell and five loaded oneA An
open box of cartridges was lying few
tridges missing, and on table was an
other box unopened, containing fifty
shells.
News of the suicide spread rapidly. and
within few minutes the office and the
sidewalk outside were crowded with a
throng of curious persons, many OF WhOm
were shoppers attracted from r street. A
number Of Mr.. Willige's friends and as
sociates were advised of the tragedy and
went at once to the office. Among the
first to reach the scene was Mrs. William
Willige, a sister-in-iaw, who, with MI
Wilige's brother, Augustus, endeavored to
aid the wounded man before the arrival
of the ambulance. Later the brother
went to Mr. Willige's home on Park road
to break the news to Mrs. Willige.
Suffered From Nervous Trouble.
Friends who had known Mr.. Will
lige for many years declared today that
the nervous condition which had caused
him great suffering was not of recent ORR
gin. As long as eight or ten years ago,
while Mr.. Willige was secretary to Dr.
Samuel Langley, then secretary of the
Smithsonian Institution. he was known
by his intimates to be suffering from a
nervous aiment. His robust appearance
and unfailing cheerfulness gave no indi-
cation to casual acquaintance, however,
that he was not in perfect health.
Mr.. Willige had been engaged in the
since leaving the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition, about eight years ago. He was
the senior member of the firm of Will
lige, Gibbs & Daniel up to September
last, when he bought out the inter-
ests Of his partners and took complete
control Of the business.
To quote an expression of close
friend, ''he was fiend for work." and
on taking full charge of the business
he at once assumed the greater part
of the actual work. Friends feared
that this burden would prove too much
for him and constantly advised him
to relinquish a part Of it, but he had
constantly refused to heed the advice.
1t is believed his depressed mental
condition, resulting from overwork and
his long continued nervous trouble,
was responsible for several transact
tions which resulted GnfavOrably and
which brought about financial difficult
ties which a short time ago required
the counsel and assistance of friends
to straighten out However, the diff
ticulties were apparently overcome and
Mr.. Willige, 1t appeared, had been
placed on his feet. The financial ob1i-
cations incurred in the settlement,
however, appeared to prey on his mind,
though he received repeated assur-
ances that his creditors were in no
hurry. Speculations, INDUCED in in the
hope of retrieving past i'll successes
, and providing way for clearing OF
existing obligations, went wrong.
/ Was Thirty-Eight Years Old.
| Mr.. Willige was thirty-eight years
| old and leaves a wife, but no children.
Twelve years ago he married Miss
| Lillian Dunkhorst, daughter of the
late William E. Dunkhorst Of this
city. Besides Mrs. Willige, two broth.
ers and five sisters survive. These
are William and Augustus Willige, and
Mrs. William p. Herbst. Mrs. Augusta
Mot5, Misses Lena and Josephine Viii
III. Stelzle of New York.