The New York herald., 1922-02-02
]. M. LIBBEY LEAPS
26 FLOORS TO DEATH
Real Estate Man Plunges From
Municipal Building Into
Park Row.

Jonas NJ. Libbey, member of the
Union League Club and descendant of
one of the oldest New England families,
committed suicide yesterday by jumping
from the parapet OF the Municipal Build
ing on the twenty-hfth floor just under
the roof. He ended his life few min
utes after he had left hearing in the
Borough Presidents office on the twen-
tieth floor at which he had reason to be-
lieve his real estate intei ests would be
jeopardzed.
That worry together with the fact
that several OF his many real estate
holdings had recently been advertised
for sale by the city for non-payment of
taxes. is believed to have formed mo-
tive for the act.
In spite of his age. 65 years. he
climbed out of a window to reach the
narrow inclosure that forms the lower
part of the roof and ascended an abut-
ment five feet in height. The police pro-
nounced the case one of suicide.
Mr.. Libbey had been a familiar figure
at hearings before the Board of Esti-
mate and other civic bodies Tor several
years. A clerk in the Borough Presi-
dents office recognized him talking with
a friend a few moments after the hear
ing broke up yesterday, less than quar-
ter of an hour before his body was
found on the Park Row side of the build
ing.
The body was taken to the Elizabeth
street station and identified by George
Gregory, an attendant at the Union
League Club.
The theory Mr.. Libbey was land
poor" was refuted by Charles l.. Craig.
City Comptroller. who said the tax lien
books showed $4,000 had been paid to
Mr.. Libbey for property on Overlook
Terrace and that his assessments
charged for Improvement on adjoining
land amounted to SAL 200. Although the
assessments had not been paid, Mr..
Craig said. other awards would have
been made by the city more than to OFF,
set the assessment.
Mr.. Libbey mad gone to the Borough
Presidents office to protest against the
closing of part Of Overlook Terrace
from 1S7th street to Fort Washington
avenue and converting the property
into city park. No decision was made
and there was no indication the city
would act unfavorably to Mr.. Libbey's
interests.
Mr. Libbey had been a member of the
Union League Club since 1880. He lived
a life of study and detachment in a
small room in 249 West Forty-fourth
street. He rarely had visitors and never
spoke of his personal affairs. He was
unmarried.
A card in his pocket requested tlrat
brother, +. A. Libbey of 200 Pitney
avenue. Spring Lake Beach, N. j.. be
notified in case of accident. He had an
other brother, Col. William Libbey.
a professor at Princeton University. His
family is said to have settled in Maine
in 1907, antedating the arrival of the
Mayflower
He was born in Ridgewood. N. j., in
1857. He was graduated from Prince
ton in 1877 and spent several years in
postgraduate work in various foreign
universities. In 1891 he studied at the
New York Law School. He devoted
most of his time to real estate interests.
From 1877 to 1855 Mr.. Libbey was
editor of the Princeton Reuieic, and In
these years made independent investiga-
tions OF Industrial conditions In Europe.
a report of which was published by the
Commissioner of Labor in 1885. He
was a member Of the American Social
Science Association, the New England
Society. the New York Historical So
ciety and the Metropolitan Museum OF
Art. He also had membership in the
Authors. Princeton and Larchmont
Yacht clubs.