Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-05-09
Parents Live at Fort Worth.

Battle Greek, Mich, May 9.--Besides
his widow and parents, Charles w.
Post, the millionaire cereal food manu-
facturer, who committed suicide at his
home near Santa Barbara, Cal, today,
is survived by two brothers. They are
.C. y. Post, yice-president Of the POST
um Cereal company, and Orrie l.. Post
Of Fort Worth, Texas. Posts parents
also live in Fort Worth
Post s fortune was estimated at be-
tween $40,O00,000 and $50,OOO,0O0, ac-
cumulated since 1895, when he began
to manufacture cereal foods.
No Reason tor Suicide.
Mrs. Post apparently was unable to
advance any immediate reason for her
husband s suicide. She said his health,
while far from good, was no worse
than at any time since his return from
Rochester. She refused to talk at
length, and appeared to be suffering
acutely from the shock.
1t was learned upon excellent au-
thority that Post yesterday wrote two
checks for $4,000 each. One was pay
able to his father and the other to
brother. He had intended to mail these
today, but, it was said, Mrs, Post dis
suaded him before she left for her
trip into Santa Barbara today. The
object of the checks was not stated,
but it was intimated they might be dis
cussed at the coroner's inquest.
Mrs. Post was the manufacturer
second wife. She was many years his
junior, and prior to their marriage six
years ago was his stenographer.
Planned Eastern Trip.
Recently Post had purchased consid-
erable property in and around Santa
Barbara. He was negotiating for sew
eral other pieces OF land, and was in
tent upon plans for their improvement.
This, coupled with the fact that nc
had ordered his special enr in readi-
ness for an eastern trip May 18th led
to a conjecture BY some Of his ac
quaintances that his suicide had not
been long preneditated
Coroner Ruiz made a careful search
Of Post y private apartments for any
notes or messages he might have pre-
pared before his death. He said he
had found nothing bearing on the case.
Post had spent the winter at his
mansion here. His health had been
| failing for some time, but his friends
/ had understood that he had been i'm
proving since he returned here follow
| ing an operation, supposedly for APP
pendicitis, performed recently at the
| Mayo Brothers hospital at Rochester,
Minnesota. Post made the trip from
Santa Barbara to Rochester in special
train, and being new record for the
/ trip across half the continent He was
accompanied by two doctors and sew
eral nurses.
At Rochester ho was found to be
much improved, but the operation, it
was stated was performed as pre-
cautionary measure against future
attacks.
Made Fortune in Cereals.
Charles William Post was born at
Springfield, H., October 26, 1854. He
was the son of Charles Rollin and
Caroline Bathrop Post.
Post was educated in the Springfield
public schools and also attended the
University of Illinois but never grad
uated from that institution. He first
, engaged in the hardware business, then
was a commercial traveller and still
later was manager of plow factory at
Springfield.
Post broke down from overwork in
1884 and for several years was an in
valid, travelling for his health until
1891. When his health improved he
| studied medicine, hygiene and dieteties
: and this led him into the cereal food
/. business, by which he amsssed q
fortune.