The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-08
Unable to Meet Obligations
Without Sacrificing
Treasures.
sOLyENT,SAYS HIS LAWYER
Presses Revolver to Temple
surrounded by Rare
Old Masters.

d.
prominent art critics and dealers ip
America. committed suicide late yesterday
afternoon by shooting himself in the right
temple in his galleries at 665 Fifth avenue.
Worry caused by the bad condition
q his art business Is believed to have
prompted the suicide.
Because he was overstocked and unable
y meet current obligations without selling
zone Of his stock at a loss Mr.. B.akesiee
recently employed Price q Waterhouse.
certified public accountants. to assist In
Frightening out his accounts and in .
rorganzation OF his business.
The accountants had gone home earlier
books all the morning.
Theron Davis Of 40 Broadway. Mr..
Bakesles's lawyer. and DR.. Paul Mersch.
son-n-law OF Charles Sedelmeyer. the
Paris art dealer. were in the galleries dis
eussing the situation with Mr.. Blakeslee.
Mr. Blakeslee excused himself from his
lawyer and the Paris dealer at . o'clock
down few minutes. He had been COM
planning all afternoon OF headache. He
wen; into the display room. smaller
chamber partitioned from the main gall
lery chiefly by hangings Of heavy red
velvet, and closed the curtains after him.
Mr.. Mersch and Mr.. Davis continued
.hsir discussion OF Mr.. Blakeslee's affairs,
\ their aim being 10 assist him to weather
the present depression in his business.
Al $50 o'clock. hearing nothing further
from Mr. Blakeslee. Mr.. Mersch said he
would say GOOD night TO Blakesiee and
20 on 10 the Hotel Savoy, where he is
saying
Then They Hear Shot.
A. Mr.. Mersch opened the curtains and
started TO enter the display room there
rss a shot. Mr.. Blakeslee, who had been
rins on a couch. rolled to the floor. There
sasa wound in his right temple and in his
right hand he held new pearl handled
rvolver. Mr. Mersch leaned over him &c
In him back 10 the couch. Mr.. Blakesles
.noaned slightly and then became uncon.
Eous.
There were several clerks in the gal
krss az the time. including J. X. Nc
Donald OF keyport. y. j.: Walter Hunter
:e3 West Fortieth street, Walter Chris
tan OF 26l West l3Ist street and James
Mcdonald, who was in Blakeslee's employ
10! twenty-eight years, or almost evei
.nce the dealer opened his New York store
and the others tried TO get n physician II
me neighborhood. Failing in this. they
notified Traffic Policeman Spies and h'
jailed an ambulance from the Flower
Hospital.
Ambulance sticks IN Snow.
Or, ", A. Avery OF Flower Hospita
rce'ved the call for an ambulance. Whei
ne arrived at the galleries he found Mr.
B.aSeslee In very critical condition. HI
placed bandages around his head ant
started with him for the hospital.
The ambulance got stuck In a snowdrif
n snty-irst street between Park ant
\ MADISON avenues and the driver was un
aoe To move Il. DR.. Avery Jumped ou
And ran to Park avenue. where he foun'
o. $40 Park avenue standing a!ongsid
iae curb
Ar. Aliens auto was run onto the side
yak alongside the ambulance and MI
b'akeslee was quickly transferred.
ID! william Todd Helmuth and ID
Louis X. Kaufman had just finished a
operation as the ambulance drove in an
we're preparing to go home. Mr.. Blakes
zee was taken into the operating room an
he two surgeons trepanned the skull d
eVth sides removing the bullet.
Ar. Blakeslee died half an hour afte
@e Operation.
In Midst of Rare Art.
The couch upon which Mr.. Blakesie
sas lying when he shot himself was d
',ctly facing Rubens's THE Alteration O
NE Maei." one OF the prizes OF Nj
Blakes.ee's collection and said to be wort
shslderably over 100000.
Other paintings in the deliberately fur
Lshed display room surrounding thei
'sHer as he took his life were a portal
Lady Cathc4rt by Sir Henry Raeburr
valued at $4,000 a portrait OF Lad
sssson by John Hoppner. valued at abou
us same, Lady Palmer" by Sir Joshu
Seynolds. Mrs. Cadiell." by Sir Henri
sasburn, Lady Dorothy Appleby." b
S'mney, and Constable landscap
Valued at $4,000.
Mr., Davis told something OF NJ
Dakesiees affairs after his clients dealt
as said that on his annual trip abros
~ summer Mr.. Blakeslee bought $500
w worth Of paintings. 500 In all. payin
ssa'iy 4 million in cash and receivin
e'sdit for the balance. Mr.. Blakeslee. M
Jaws said, had expected that this wou
banner season In the art busines
"a This prophecy he was mistaken. A
n0ugh according TO mis- lawyer. his asss
s6e far greater than his liabilities. ~
S'aough he had considerable cash