The sun., 1917-07-06
MYSTERY IN SUICIDE
OF GERMAN AGENT
Berlin Bankers Representa-
tive Slashes Arms, Then
Leaps to Death.

Mystery shrouds the motive which
prompted Richard Adam Timmerscheidt,
New York representative of big banking
interests of Berlin. TO slash his wrists
with a razor blade and then leap from
window OF hie apartment on the tenth
floor OF zoe West Fifty-ninth street early
yesterday morning. His body crashed
to the sidewalk just as Michael Gavin
OF 4O3 West Thirty-fourth street was
passing. BY the time Gavin and PATROL
man Gross reached the side of the victim
he was dead.
A visit to the apartment Of Thinner
scheidt, which he occupied alone. proved
how desperately he had sought death.
The bathroom, where he sla shed his left
wrist three times with the blade, which
still lay on the washstand. was bespat-
tered with blood. The bathtub was half
full OF water. whose crimson hue led
to the belief that Timmerscheidt had
contemplated lying in the tub until his
LIES blood ebbed out Evidently this
mode OF death was too slow. for a torn
bsthrobe hanging on the door showed
that a strip had been ripped from II and
bound about the slashed wrist while the
man passed through several richly fur
nished rooms TO reach the window from
which he leaped. From this window a
screen had been removed. The body
Police Break Down Door.
Detective Miceili of the Second Branch
and Patrolman Gross were compelled to
break in the locked and bolted door to
the Germans apartment The rich fur
nishings, consisting of expensive furni-
ture, rare and costly Oriental rugs and
fine pictures. was in perfect order, with
the exception OF the bathroom and the
bed chamber. Books lying near the
bedside and the position OF the reading
lamp showed that Timmerscheidt had
arisen from the bed, where he lay read
ing, to end his life.
After a minute search Of the apart
ment the police failed to find any letter
or note that might indicate Thinner
scheidt had contemplated ending his life
In fact there was nothing in the apart
| ment that shed any light on his business
! or social affiliations. and 1t was not until
| the manager OF the apartment house
! arrived that II was learned that Tim
merscheidt was associated with big Ger
man banking interests
Timmerscheidt came to this country
seven or eight years ago and was EN-
| ployed in the foreign exchange depart
ment OF Ladenburg. Thalmann Co..
bankers at 25 Broad street. A fine
| opening, with big salary, was soon
made for him with the Disconto Gesel-
| schaft In Berlin. After year or so
| Timmerscheidt went to Hongkong as
| the representative of the Deutsches
Asiatic Bank, an institution close to
the German Government. At the out
break of the war he came TO this coun-
try and again took up his residence in
| the suite of rooms he retained during
his absence.
Timmerscheidt Had First Papers.
Timmerscheidt had applied for citizen
| ship and taken out his first papers.
While none OF his friends would dis
cuss his business relations with the Ger
man Government. It is generally believed
in Wall Street circles that he handled
large sums OF money for II here. His
| office was at II Broad street, where his
office boy said he carried on an inter-
national banking business. His office
manager. A. Koehn. was out of town
yesterday. Timmerscheidt was a mem
ber Of the German Club. but rarely
visited 1t.
At the offices OF Ladenburg, Thslmann
a Co. this statement was issued last
night:
Richard Timmerscheidt was in our
employ in our foreign exchange depart
ment from 1906 to 1909. when he had
an opportunity to improve his position.
He became manager of the German
Asiatic Bank. Hongkong branch. Mr..
Timmerscheidt was visiting this country
| at the outbreak OF the war. He had a
small personal account with us. and
these are the only business relations we
have had with him since August 1914.
AT the outbreak OF the war in Au-
gust, 1914. due 20 the fact that one OF
our partners Is an English subject, we
abstained from all credit business with
German banks and in accordance with
this policy we have not since then han
died the business OF the German Aslatic
Bank or any other institutions with
which Mr.. Timmerscheidt was asso-
| ciated."