The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-16
SUICIDE
FR|ENDSLAY To
MONEY TANGLE
Note Left by California Con-
gresham Hints at Fear OF
Threatened Ruin.

A. Eiston, OF berkeieyS CALL ABOUT
8 o'clock Tuesday night is believed
by his friends to have been the re-
suit of financial difficulties coupled
with nervous ailments.
Congressman Elston was a director
in the First National Bank In Berke-
ley and senior member of the, law
firm of Elstdn. Clark q Nichols in
that city.
1t became known today that Mr.
Elston had returned day or two
previous from New York. where he
had called on bankers, whose aid. It
Is believed. he solicited.
The theory of financial difficulties
| is the only solution which his friends
could advance for the mysterious note,
penned with his own hand. which he
left In the pocket OF his overcoat.
found on the bank Of the Potomac
river yesterday by Michael Bell. Of
312 Four-and-a a half street southwest.
Note Tells Of Ruin"
The note read:
~ am in a chain Of circumstances
that speIl ruin, although my offense
was innocently made in the beginning.
hope all the facts Will come out.
NY staying means embarrassment 10
my district and to a worthy people.
clean and generous"
The idea that the note referred TO
his failure to secure for his district.
the Sixth Of California, the establish
ment of a naval base at Alameda, d.
rectly across the bay from San Fran
cisco, was secuted by his colleagues
| in Congress, who point to the fact
that the bill for establishing the base
is now more than two years old.
Also that Ne was In a chain OF
circumstances although my offense
was innocently' made in the begin
Ming" could have no reference to the
establishment OF the naval base at
Alameda, II was said.
This phrase Of the note, 1t Is be-
| lieved, had some bearing on his finan-
cial status, coupled with the fact that
he had recently been in New York
| to confer with financial interests
there.
Leaves Wife and Baby.
1t is believed the urgency Of his
presence in Washington and New
York might have also prompted his
leaving his wife and three-day-old
baby, in California. Otherwise,
friends point out. he would have re
manned at her bedside week or 30
longer.
First intimation that something
might have happened to the Congress-
man came Tuesday night, when he
failed to put in his appearance for a
dinner engagement at o'clock with
Stephen r. Mather. director OF the
national park service, and Francis +.
Farauhar, of San Francisco. Mr..
Mather shared an apartment with Mr..
Elston in the New Garden Tea House.
l0l4 Vermont avenue.
Tuesday morning Mr.. Elston an
4 - Ia - feat q y,
bed awhile and phoned his office that
he would not be down that day. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Makner. he thought
best to summons a physician, and DR..
Gregg Custin Birdsall. 1882 Kalorama
road, was called and prescribed some
medicine. "a
Mr.. Elston remained in bed until
shortly after noon. About 1 o'clock
he requested the switch board operator
to call him a taxi
According to the chauffeur. Harry
F.. Collins, of the Vermont garage, he
was instructed to drive to Great Falls
He proceeded as far as uCherryaale.
| Va, = where the roads proved to be so
rough that he told Congressman FL
1 ston he thought he could not make It..
| sU Drove Through rCemctery. rsasC
/ Collins was then Instructed to turn
around and drive through Arlington
Cemetery. During the drive, Collins
was requested to stop several times
while his passenger viewed the
J scenery.
Passing out Of the cemetery through
the south gate, they crossed the Poto-
mac river over the Highway bridge,
and Mr.. Elston alighted from the taxi
at Fifteenth and Pennsylvania avenue.
As far as anyone is able to learn that
was the last time Elstop was seen
alive. The body was found forty-eight
hours later by the police and identified
through the name on the prescription
label.
| While the police were making a
search for the missing man here, Mr..
l Faruuhar went to Atlantic City yes
terday endeavoring to find sems clue
of him there. -
He leaves a wife and three chill
dren. Elizabeth, seven years old; Jane.
four. and a daughter four weeks old.
House Expresses Regret.
The House today passed a resolu-
| ton expressing deep regret and sor-
row over the death of Congressman
Elston. Immediately upon meeting
| the House adjourned out OF respect
| to the late member.
| Congressman Julius Kahn Of Cali
| fornia, who introduced the reso'u-
| ton into the House, said, 1T Is
with profound regret and deep sor.
row that l announce the passing OF
| the late ]. A. Elston, and at SOM
| future date I shall ask that day
| be set aside in order that memorial
| exercises may be held"
/, Although members Of the Cali
| fornia delegation in the House pub
ncly expressed the opinion that the
| Congressman was mentally deranged
at the time of his act and that the
arrangement was caused by worry
| over the naval bill, 1t is known that
several members are not fully con-
WINGED that such worry was tn"
cause of his act. GA.
| Congressman Elston was one OF
the most popular members OF the
House, and the reason for his sui
eide was the chief discussion In the
lobby today. ~
| Trip 10 New York.