The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-02-09
BULLETS MISS
RICH MERCHANT
B. p. Cantrell Ends Life Af-
ter Firing Twice at Solo
mon Friedman.
HOUSE ENTERED By RUSE
Suicide Said to Have Blamed
His Intended Victim for FL
nancial Losses.
HOUSE ENTERED By RUSE

Balie r. Cantrell head OF the Cantrell
company Of 5 West Nineteenth street,
hst evening obtained entrance to the
home Of Solomon Friedman, a wealthy
retired cotton goods merchant living at
s East Eightieth street. fired two shots
At his intended victim and then COM
mitted suicide. Mr.. Friedman escaped
With a slight flesh wound in his chest.
Csntrell. according to what the police
were able to piece together after the
tragedy from statements by Friedman
and relatives of the. dead man, had done
some business with the firm of Friedman
& Co., IL West Third street, and he
blamed the merchant and some other
business acquaintances for heavy losses.
Since then Cantrell had followed Mr..
Friedman about from time to time and
had demanded reparation for his alleged
wrongs. After a number of visits to the
retired merchants country home and his
city address, instructions were given to
the servants not to admit him. For a
time it looked as though the man had
disappeared
Way Paved by Phone.
Last evening about o'clock Mr..
Friedman. according to his story. re-
ceived a telephone message purporting
to be c-from-~n-cac friend. who announced
his intention of making visit. Mr..
Friedman left word that the visitor was
In ha aI tAI
few minutes later a man who appeared
10 be a stranger rang the door bell the
maid let him in. 1t was Cantrell, bu,
he had shaved off his mustache
Cantrell presented a card bearing the
name OF Morrell Well of Chicago. The
maid started upstairs with it and Can.
trell, unobserved. followed Immediately
behind her. Mr.. Friedman was in his
bedroom on the third floor dressing fol
dinner. Hearing the steps on the stairs
he came out onto the landing and peered
over the balustrade. AS he did SO Can.
tren pulled heavy revolver from his
nip and fired. The bullet struck the
other man in the chest. but glanced of
leaving only a slight wound.
While the maid fled in terror dowr
stairs TO the street. Mr. Friedman rar
osck into his room and shut the door
h's assailant, shouting imprecations a
MN, tried to beat down the panels. ant
falling in this, sent second bulle
blndly through the door. 1t missed
TAen Cantrell stepped back. put tn,
muzzle of the weapon beneath his owl
right ear and killed himself
Police Investigate.
BY the time Mr.. Friedman dared I,
come out from his room the frightened
maid had returned with policeman
Two detectives Of the Third branch
passing along Fifth avenue, heard tn,
hhotS and entered also. Coroner -Rior
uan, Deputy Police Commissioner Gu,
scul', Inspector Faurot and numbe
o. other officials were summoned an,
MADE an inspection. Cantrelrs bod.
was sent TO the morgue
An investigation by the police showed
tahtrelTs home was at 257 East Eigh
teenth street. Brooklyn, where he LIVED
with his mother. wife and three children
ne was about 81 years old. Aside from
MS interest in the Cantrell Company, &
raincoat manufacturing concern. he wa!
SctiVe in the cotton market a few year.
ago. Friends said that recently he hac
become moody and morose, and had ex
GAINED frequently that he was goin,
70 get one of those who had ruined hin
financially. and then end his own career
IN preparation for this he procured
!cense to carry revolver short tim,
ago The permit signed by Chief Magis
trate McAdoo. was found on his body
IN another pocket was a second revolve
similar TO the one he used on Mr.. Fried
man and himself, fully loaded.