Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-26
VIM, R. Whitney found
SHOT TO DEATH; BELIEVE
WOUND SELF INFLICTED
President of Crescent Hardware Company
Discovered in Bathroom of Home With Top
of Head Blown Away and His Revolver
CIutched in Hand; Wife Swoons After the
Tragedy; Condition Serious


William L. Whitney, 81 years
old, founder of the Whitney Hard
ware company, president of the
Crescent Hardware company for
more than - years and a resident
of Albuquerque for 81 years, was
found dead in the bathroom of his
home, at 302 South Walter street,
at 6:30 o'clock last night. Every
indication pointed to suicide. Mel
ancholia because of i'll health is
believed to have been the cause.
Mrs. Whitney, wife of the dead
man, heard u shot from the bath
room of their home at about $50
last night. Rushing to the bath
room, which is on the second floor
Of the house, she found the body
Of her husband, with the entire top
of his head blown away.
Mrs, Whitney telephoned to DR..
.P. c. Cornish, jr. The latter's
father has been family physician
for the Whitney family for years
but was out of the city yesterday
and the younger man answered the
call.
Mrs. Whitney Swoons
Arrived at the Whitney home.
DR.. Cornish found that Mr. Whit
ney was beyond aid and that Mrs.
Whitney had swooned Immediately
after having found the body. She
was removed to a hospital. 1t was
stated from the hospital last night
that while her condition is serious
it is not critical.
H. del,
Judge George Roddy, who is JUS
tice of the peace in Precinct No.
rs, in which the Whitney home is
situated. Officer Fred Renfro con-
Quoted the investigation for the
police.
Both Judge Roddy and Officer
Renfro stated last night that they
found the body of Mr.. Whitney in
the bathroom, with q revolver still
clutched in his right hand. The
revolver was ,3S caliber, frontier
model Colt, mounted on a .45
frame. One bullet had been fired
The officers say the death wound
chad been inflicted by placing the
muzzle of the revolver against the
right temple, and expressed the be-
lief that Mr.. Whitney must have
stood before the mirror in the
bathroom and fired the shot, The
bullet had taken an upward pas
sage and after tearing q long fur
row in the ceiling had dropped into
the bath tub.
Top of Skull Torn Off
The officials state that the con-
cusslon had torn off the entire top
of the dead mans skull and that
brains and blood had been spat-
tered about on the walls and CELL
ing of the bathroom.
After viewing the body, Judge
Roddy ordered it removed to the
c. Il. French undertaking estab-
lishment, where it will be viewed
by the coroner's jury at 10 a. m.
today. The hour of the inquest
has not been set owing to the fact
that it is not known when Mrs.
Whitney will be. in fit condition to
be examined in regard to the trag-
edy.
Friends of the Whitneys say that
Mr.. Whitney has been depressed
for some time past. He has been
in poor health, suffering what is
termed generally run down con-
dition" for more than a year.
Through coincidence he met
R1fficer Fred Renfro, the same Of
ficer who Investigated the tragedy
for the police, several days ago on
Central avenue. Officer Rentro
says that Mr.. Whitney had a small
bag Of candy with him at the time
and offered him some of the candy,
saying:
"You had better take some now,
because ! may not see you Christ
mas"
Born in Michigan
Mr.. Whitney was born in Mich
igan 81 years ago. He engaged
in business in Winfield, Kans., in
early life, and after a successful
career in that city, came to Albu-
querque in 1890. In this city he
became associated with Solop Rose
and Brother, hardware men. Later
he organized the Whitney Hard
ware company on South Second
street near the First National
bank. Still later his business was
merged with that of the Flournoy
Mercantile company, which occu-
pied the building on South Second !
where the Crystal theater now is
located. Afterwards he took the
hardware branch Of the business
and operated on South First street |
opposite the Alvarado hotel under
the name or the Whitney Company, |
Until 1907, when he engaged in the |
wholesale business for a short time |
on First street near Marquette ave-