Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-02-16
STATE TREASURER ENDS
HIS LIFE WITH RAZOR
Kennedy Believed to Have Been Tenn
porarily Deranged as Result of
Worry Over Investigation.
WAS TO HAVE TESTIFIED
DURING PROBE THIS MORNING
Had Been Before Grand Jury Once
Before and Could not Understand
Second Summons to Appear.
UNITED PRESS LEASED WIRE. ]

UNITED PRESS LEASED wIRE.l
Buffalo, N. Y, Feb. 16.-John ].
Kennedy, state treasurer, committed
suicide yesterday at the Markeen Ho-
tel, where he has lived with his family.
He was found in small room off the
hotel ballroom with his throat cut. An
open razor was lying on the floor beside
him. His jugular vein had been sew
cred and death ensued before doctor
arrived.
Temporary insanity, induced by wor-
ry over his impending appearance be.
fore New York jury, where District
Attorney Charles q. Whitman has been
conducting John Doe graft inquiry, is
said by District Attorney Dirnberger,
Jr, to be the only reason that can be
assigned for Mr., Kennedy's act. He
had been subpOenaed at the inquiry to.
day.
Attended Church Services.
Mr. Kennedy went to high mass with
his son, William II. Kennedy, yester.
day and returned to the hotel with him
about noon. After greeting his wife
and daughter, Mr.. Kennedy said he was
going to his room to lie down until they
were ready for luncheon. The son went
to the apartments to summon his faith.
er shortly afterward.
Attorney Dirnberger, in a statement
last night, called attention to the fact
that subpoenas requiring Mr.. Kennedy s.
presence at the John Doe investigation
today followed his appearance before
the grand jury on January 90, at the
request of District Attorney Whitman.
At that time Mr.. Kennedy signed
waiver of immunity and was examined
by Mr.. Whitman.
Work Properly Done.
Everything done by Kennedy in the
discharge of his duties as state treas
urer" read the statement issued by At,
torney Dirnberger, "I found had been
done properly and in most upright
monner.
"Mr. Kennedy was most conseien.
tious man, Of retiring disposition, and
disliked publicity, and was keenly sen.
sitive Of criticism. Having been be.
fore the grand jury, and given that
body all the information asked of him,
he worried about the proposed exam.
nation Monday morning, because he
could not impagine what further inves.
tigation there could be concerning him
and his affairs as state treasurer. While
| knew he had nothing to conceal in
his proposed examination today, could
see that he was brooding over this mat.
ter and feared the publicity. These
things, | feel certain, so oppressed him
as to cause a temporary arrangement of
his mind
Temporary Insanity Asserted
81 feel certain that an investigation
Of his affairs as state treasurer will
disclose that he has properly and cor.
rectly administered the duties of that
office, and am unable to account for
his unfortunate art except on the
ground that his mind was temporarily
deranged "
1t became known last night that Ar.
thur w. Bissell, president Of the Peo.
ple's bank, visited New York two
weeks ago, at the request of District
Attorney Whitman, with a copy of Mr.,
Kennedy's account.
"Mr Kennedy was not heavy Dor.
rover nor heavy depositor," said
President Bissell last night. Gle al.
ways had a personal account with us,
but il was never large, Mr., whiteman
knows all about the account. / did not
90 before tho grand jury, merely tell.
ing what I knew Of Mr.. Whitman s
dutiesn
Mr.. Kennedy was born in Buffalo in
1856 and lived there continuously For
90 years he was actively identified with
tho legislative branch Of the city gov.
ernmenk
He was elected state treasurer in
1910 and was renominated and re-elect.
cd in 1919, He was a member of sew,
eral fraternal organizations AMI was a
grand trustee OF the Fraternal Order
Of Eagles for several years
A widow and two children, William
II. graduate Of Cornell law school,
and a daughter, Mary Jane, survive
him
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MAGBRs' WRIST Is HURT
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