Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-02-19
STATE TREASURER
| Of N. !. A SUICIDE
Mind Believed Temporarily De.
ranged by Summons before
Grand Jury.
ACCOUNTS FOUND CORR CT
Had Been Acting Mayor of Buff
falo, Was Democratic Lead
er and Prominent
Eagle.
ACCOUNTS FOUND CORR CT

Buffalo, \. T.. Feb. l5.-John l. Ken
needy, State treasurer committed suicide
shortly after noon to-day at the Markeen
Hotel, where he had lived with his family
for about a year. He was found in a
small lavatory off the hotel hall room
with his throat cut and an open razor
lying on the floor beside him. His jugular
vein had been severed and death occurred
before doctor arrived.
A flesh of temporary insanity induced
by worry over his impending appearance
before New York grand jury where Dis
trlct Attorney Charles S. Whitman has
been conducting John Doe graft inquiry.
Is said by his attorney, Michael e. Dim
berger, Jr., to be the only reason that can
be assigned for Mr.. Kennedy's act.
Just before leaving Albany on Friday
Mr.. Kennedy was served with a sub
poena to appear at the inquiry and upon
his arrival here another officer from Mr..
Whitman's office served a second sub
poena on him. He sent for Mr. Dim
berger and after short talk with him
7. ~
would start for New York tonight. A
ticket for New York and a sleeper ticket
for train leaving here at eight O'Clock
tonight were found in Mr. Kennedy's
pocket
After the talk with his attorney on
Friday evening Mr.. Kennedy appeared to
be In excellent spirits. On Saturday
afternoon he met a number of close
political friends at a down town hotel
and spent several hours with them. In
the evening he attended a dance in the
hotel ball room.
FOUND IN LAVATORY.
lie went to high mass at the Chapel OF
the Blessed Sacrament with his son,
William H. Kennedy, to-day and returned
TO the hotel with him about twelve
o'clock After greeting his wife and
daughter, Mr. Kennedy said he was going
20 his room to lie down until they were
ready for luncheon. The son went to
the apartments to summon his father
shortly afterwards
Not finding him there he made inquiries
from hotel employees and learned that his
father had been seen going toward the
lavatory off the ball room When he
pushed open the door OF the room he saw
Mr.. Kennedy lying on the floor, the blood
flowing from a terrible wound in his
throat
DR.. J. T. whitewell, the hotel physician,
was summoned, but he could do nothing to
save the dying man who had already lost
a large amount OF blood. Death occurred
while Mr.. Kennedy was being carried into
the ball room. The medical examiner was
gifted and after a brief investigation
q issued a certificate of death by suicide
Attorney Dirnberger tonight gave out
the following statement:
ION Thursday January 70, Mr. Kennedy
at the request OF District Attorney Whit
man, appeared before the Grand Jury OF
New York county. He sign d a waiver Of
and was examined by Mr.. Whit
man and his assistant at great length and
in MUNICH detail, covering period Of
about one and one-half hours.
MADE THOROUGH INQUIRY.
ION Wednesday, February |. a subpoena
from District Attorney Whitmans office
was served upon Mr.. Kennedy personally
at Albany again requiring his appearance
before the same grand jury on Monday,
epruhTy 10, at lO.3O o CLOCK.
yesterday, February T. at the Iro-
ouois Hotel here In Buffalo another sub
poena, Identical in form as the ono
served upon him personally, also requir-
served upon him personally also requir-
Ing his appearance before the grand fury
at the same time on Monday morning.
For the past ten days 7 have been in
constant touch with Mr.. Kennedy and
was with him personally at Albany on
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Of last
week. During this time examined care
fully into the affairs of the State treas-
urers office, examined all the statutes
relating to the ONCE OF State treasurer
and such rules as regulated the conduct
Of that office I had daily conferences
with Deputy Comptroller Wendell. who
has charge of matters relating to tho
conduct Of the comptroller's Office in go
far as they relate to the State treasurer.
! also met and discussed matters I'm
relation to the State treasurcr's Office
with Attorney-General Carmody, and
met with Mitchell May, secretary of
state. and discussed matters relating to
the land board. canal board and other
boards OF which Mr.. Kennedy, as State
treasurer, was a member discussed
with Mr.. Baton. the deputy State treas
Irer. with MI Cannon, the cashier. and
with the executive clerks in charge of
all the departments in the State treas
lrer's office to famliarize myself with
the procedure of the affairs of the office
Of State treasurer,
OFFICE ABLY CONDUCTED.
After this very thorough examina-
ion, which l made in a most extensive
md exhaustive way I found that Mr..
Kennedy had conducted his office in
most efficient manner and had COM
)lied strictly with the statutes relating
% that office in every particular, and
with the rules of conduct which had
governed that office for many years.
"Everything done by Mr. Kennedy
the discharge OF his duties as State
treasurer | found had been done prop
srly and in "A most upright manner
md entirely in accordance with the
aw APPLICABLE to that office.
Mr. Kennedy was most conscientious
nan. OF a retiring disposition and disliked
publicity and was keenly sensitive of
Having been before the grand
ury and given that body all the informa-
ion asked OF him and everything that
hey desired to know and thinking that
lis examination had been concluded he
worried constantly about the proposed
Monday morning because he
.ould not imagine what further nvest-
ration there could be concerning him and
lis affairs as State treasurer. He talkef
With me constantly about this matter
lurinc tba Ia ST few days and while kpev