The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-11-28
.f.P. RICHARDSON
IS FOUND DEAD
IN HIS CABIN
WeII-Known Local Broker. Over
come by Business Worries,
Takes His Life
INVESTIGATION is BEING
MADE OF HIS AFFAIRS
He Was Pioneer of GOldfield and His
Death Proves Shock to
Friends
To Whom 1t May Concern:-

ITO Whom 1t May Concern:-
well, I'm going to end it all.
Jumbo Elk. done it. My life is a
failure. / never do the right thing.
Will end it all. Anyway, I won't
take anything away. Just put me
in a hole and cover me up and say:
There goes nothing can't face
my friends. Goodbye"
The above-quoted note, left by him
on a table in his cabin on Crystal
street near Fifth avenue, explains
the suicide of Franklin P. Richard
son, a local stock broker. whose cold
and stiff bouy was found on the bed
about $50 p. m. Tuesday. A small
quantity of cyanide of potassium in
the bottom of a pint lineup and a
small pill box in which he had pur-
chased the deadly poison left no
doubt as to the means he used in
ending his existence. 1t is the be-
lief that the losses sustained by
Richardson in ''shorting" Jumbo Elk
tension stock unhinged his mind and
caused him to take his life. His
dead body was found by G.. w. Sauer,
q miner, who had been acquainted
with him for many years. Floyd
Gable, who was last night appointed
-. T,.l-~ >,xo 80 tho Iicfrinf
court as administrator of Richard
sons estate, is investigating his
business affairs and checking up his
books to ascertain the extent Of his
losses and determine whether or not
any of his clients suffered as a re-
suit of his operations. Until infor-
nation is obtained from brokerage
firms in San Francisco with which
Richardson dealt, it will not be pos
sible for Administrator Gable to
make a report on his Investigations.
1t was stated by Mr.. Gable that there
is standing to his credit in the John
S Cook and company bank here
more than $4,000.
That Richardson, whose Give
friends had observed that he had
been acting strangely for several
days, had given considerable thought
to self-destruction Is certain. AS
early as Sunday morning he spoke
to r. w. Tucker, proprietor Of the
Pioneer drug store, about obtaining
some cyanide of potassium, explain
ing that he wished to use it in kill
ing cats hat had established an
abode under his cabin. The drug
gist suggested the use of strychnine,
but Richardson demurred, adding
that cyanide of potassium would
turn 'em over" Accordingly Mr..
Richardson called at the drug store
about 10 O'Clock Tuesday morning
and purchased fifteen cents worth
of the poison. He was apparently in
the best of spirits at the time and
his purchase caused no suspicion.
Explaining that he felt bad and
intended to go to his cabin, Richard
son left his brokerage office on RAM
sey street about 2:30 O'Clock Tues
day afternoon, after F. L.. Beard, a
real estate agent who has desk room
in the same office, told him that he
would look after his business dur
ing his absence. C. w. Sauer, a
miner, happened into the brokerage
office about 6 O'Clock and Beard
suggested that he go to Richard
sons cabin and ascertain whether
or not he was feeling better. Sauer
departed, but returned in a short
time and informed Beard hat Rich
adsOn was dead. DR.. ]. l.. Nc
Mccarthy and Coroner Arthur f.
Barnes were summoned and they
hurried to the cabin. DR.. Mccarthy
Richardson. explaining the motive
making it evident that life had been
extinct for several hours. Coroner
Barnes found the note written by
Richardson, explaining his motive
for his rash deed, the lineup with
the cyanide of potassium in the bot
tom and the pill box. An inquest is
being conducted by Coroner Barnes
this afternoon.
Richardson was fifty years old
and a native of Nashville, Tenn. He
came to Goldfield from Colorado in
1904 and o on thereafter engaged
in the mining and brokerage BUSH
mes here. In addition to his wife,
he is survived by three daughters.
Mrs. E. M. Rebard and Miss May
Richardson of Goldfeld, and Mrs. M.
L.. Johnson of Oakland, Cal.
vate funeral services over his Re
mains will be held at 1890 tomor-
row morning at Dunn's undertaking
parlors and interment will be made
in the local cemetery.