New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-04
CHANGES HIS WILL,
THEN SHOOTS SELF.
John T. Sill Sends Letter to
Lawyer Telling Where Body
May Be Found.
HURT IN AUTO ACCIDENT
Physician in Whose House Sui
eide Lived Says Victim Never
Recovered from Shock
Due to Crash.

After consulting with his. attorney over
the altering Of his will, John r. Sill, a
retired broker, living at No. 119 East 60th
street, left his lawyers offices, mailed a
letter TO him directing where his dead
body might be found. following his con-
templated suicide and was successful in
his attempt on his life before his letter
had reached its destination.
w. Gibbes Whaloy, with offices at NO.
q William street. an old friend of the
dead man, was the recipient of the mes
sage. Mr.. Sill killed himself with re-
volver late on Wednesday afternoon near
Eltingville. staten Island. His body was
found yesterday.
The dead man, who was ffty-four years
old a member Of the Metropolitan Cluo'
and well known real estate broker. with
offices at No. 81 Broadway before his re-
tirement from active business, entered MT
Whaleys office on Wednesday morning'
SAYING he wished to add a codicil TO his
will. This was done after lengthy dis
cussion between the two men. MIR. Sill
then went away.
In the early morning mail yesterday
Mr.. whaley found a letter from Mr.. Sill
mailed at the Hudson Terminal station
and postmarked in the early afternoon
shortly after the client left the lawyer S
Offices. The letter gave certain instruc-
tions for the disposal of a number OF MT.
Sill's holdings and ended with the lntor-
nation that by the time 1t was received
the writer would be dead. 1t had been
written, 1t is believed. before Mr.. Sill
visited Mr.. Whaley.
According to this letter, Mr. Sill in
formed his friend his body would be
found in a secluded clump of trees
which he designated within 300 yards OF
Mr.. Whaley's home at Eltingville. Staten
Island. On reading the letter MT
Whaley became alarmed and telephoned
TO William II. Jackson, the coroner Oh
New Brighton. He followed his tele-
phone message by going out to Eltlng-
VILE. where he was met by the coroner
The two men visited the spot designated
by Mr.. Sill shortly after noon, and there
found his dead body.
The last seen Of the dead man was
between four and five o'clock Wedues-
day afternoon, when he stopped At a
hotel kept by P. c. Bamberger, on the
Amboy road. He was well known there
and chatted with several friends. When
he departed he proceeded in the direc-
ton Of the woods where his body was
found. An examination of the body in
dictated death must have occurred soon
after.
Mr.. Sill had made his home for the
last two or three years in the house
occupied by Or. Clement d. Kennedy in
East 6Oth street He went TO the Metro
polltan Club for his meals and spent the
greater part of his time there
The dead man was seriously injured in
an automobile accident about two years
ago at Newburg. n. Y, when, in com
pany with John Ellis Roosevelt, cousin
OF Colonel Roosevelt, and George H.
Robinson, banker of Mount Vernon
the machine in which the men were rid
ing skidded and overturned in passing
another car. The chauffeur was killed
Mr.. Sill lost one arm and received other
injuries According to DR.. Kennedy he
had never recovered from the shock Of the
accident.
Mr.. Sill was unmarried. He is sur
vived by two brothers and sister