The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-11
LE ROY DRESSER
KILLS HIMSELF
IN FRAT HOUSE
G. W. Vanderbilt's Brother
in-law Fires Bullet Into
Right Temple.
NOTE TO FRIEND TELLS
OF NERVOUS STRAIN"

Daniel Lc Roy Dresser. brother -in-law
OF George W. Vanderbilt. and once
well known fnancer. shot himself in
the right temple yesterday afternoon In
the library OF the Delta Psi fraternity
house at 43i Riversile Drive. He was
found dead on the library floor last
night by his friend and attorney, c. w.
Gould, to whom Dresser had sent
registered letter early in the day telling
him that "the nervous strain was mo %
than he could endure.
That was the only motive assigned
for his suicide More than once in the
last two decades. however. Dresser had
financial and family troubles which
preyed on his mind. II was said last
night, too. that late in April OF this
year a japanese firm had instituted civil
suits against him for 100000 on notes
which the company alleged to hold.
But Mr.. Gould. who gave out the
facts ABOUT Dresser's death. refused to
discuss this feature of the case and
asserted that anyhow. whether true or
not, II had no bearing on the shooting.
Planned to Meet wife.
II was learned from Mrs Ulricha
walther. Dresser's mother-in-law. that
her daughter. Mrs. Marcia Dresser. re-
ceived a telegram from her husband
early yesterday afternoon telling her to
meet him at the Manhattan end OF the
p,il lat tn
couple we're then TO leave for their
summer home in Newport.
Mrs. Dresser was almost ready TO
leave the house when telephone mes
sage from Dressers lawyer warned her
no, to come Later the news of her
husbands suicide was broken to her
and she hurried to Manhattan from her
mothers home in Brooklyn.
When seen late last night by re-
porer Mrs. Walther was greatly agi-
tn,ed and was awaiting the return OF
he daughter from Manhattan. She
coull give no reason for her son-in-
laws act She said Dresser had been
into csted recently in "A plan for sup
s;itutiag oil for coal as fuel.
when Coroner Feinberg left Mr.. Gould
last night. several hours after Dresser's
death. he told reporters that Mr.. Gould
had told him it was financial difficulties
tha, drove his friend to commit suicide
Any ono Ni1o knew Dresser for the last
ten years. Mr. Gould was quoted as
having told the Coroner, would not hesl-
tate 10 conclude that his monetary
affairs were not all that might be de-
sired.
Alone In Frat House.
Apparently there was no one in the
fraternity house when the fatal shot
WAS fred. The time OF the shooting, ac-
cordins to estimates of the Coroner and
physician who was called in by Mr..
could. must have been about oclo <
In the afternoon. II was about that
time when William Bainbridge, a
steward AT the chapter house. left for a
fcw minutes, Dresser was alive then,
reading in .he library on the third floor
OF the house, which is known as st.
Anthony's Hall. 1t is the Columbia
University chapter house Of which Dres-
Ter was a member
Rainbridge returned to the house al
most simultaneously with Mr.. Gould 3
arrival in n taxicab. in which he had
raced from his home at ia West Sew
outy-rinth street The steward was un-
aware that anything untoward had oc-
CURED until Mr.. Gould bounded UP the
steps and demanded to know where Mr..
Dresser was. Bainbridge told him he
had last seen him on the third floor In
the library, and without further ado Mr..
Gould went up stairs. DR., sser lay dead
ON the aoor, a .3S cal!bre revolver in his
right hand.
Mr. Gould at once telephoned to DIR.
Reekman. 440 Riverside Drive. but
Dresser had been dead for about three
hours when the physician reached his
side. Coroner Feinberg and his phys-
clan, Dr. Weston, came shortly after
ward
Mr. Gould. who had known the once
noted tinancitr for many years and was
one OF his closest friends, took charge
OF Dresser's affairs and notified the dead
mans sisters. Mrs, George w. Wander
bllt OF Bitmore ". c.: Mrs. George q
Merrill of Stockbridge. Mass. Mrs. John
Nicholas Brown of New York and the
Cou1tess d'Osmay of Paris.
Married SIX Months Ago.
The only explanation Mr.. Gould gave
n reporters for his friends death was
the nervous strain" mentioned in the
S.ult and hasty letter which Dresser
Rad sent to him by registered mail In
mo morning Mr. Gould got IT about
$50 o'clock in the afternoon at his home.
lie would not give out its full contents.
bIr he gist OF it ran:
DEAR FRIENp: The nervous strain
ms become so great that ! could not
Naif II any longer -
According 10 Mr.. Gould the former
hua'c,cr was about 80 years old
N0en he retired from active business
association four years ago Dresser lived
m Newport. lie had married Miss
Lum1 Louise Burnham on November
s' 1889, but she obtained divorce
from him at Sioux Falls s. D., or
NIFlst 10, 1905 and was awarded the
custody OF their two children. Susan
'", now 23 years old, and Daniel Le-
TOY, Jr, now u. Six months ago he
married Miss Mar ia Walthcr OF Brook
Ihh at The home of Mr.. Gould In Albany
10 Ror, Burton Iioetallng Of the Third
reformed Church performed the cere-
W'"y, but the wedding was kept quie,
ulr' lls' Marcn
For the last month the second Mrs.
..r'ss"r has been living with her mother.
Nrs Henry Walther, at the latters
'oln", l3l Woodhinc street, Brooklyn,
ma Dresser hal lived at the Delta Psi
"n.". The reason for the separate
'n'''S, AZ gwen by Mr. Gould, was that
'r'SS"r was furnishing an apartment for
'HNa'it aud hls wife in Manhattan. The
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