Some Macabre Stories of the Silver Trade

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Re: Some Macabre Stories of the Silver Trade

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H.H. BOLTON

Brooklyn, New York


John Kehoe, a burglar, arrested in Williamsburg for complicity in the robbery of H. H. Bolton's jewelry store, 2,625 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, on Aug. 8th, committed suicide last week by cutting his throat while handcuffed to Detective Ryan. Detectives were searching his room at 205 Lee Ave. Detective Rohl was handing the stolen goods, which included silverware, gold spoons and cutlery, to Detective Ryan, when Kehoe suddenly seized a pen knife and gashed his throat terribly. He died almost instantly.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 30th August 1893

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WILLIAM G. BLISH

Niles, Michigan


A Burglar Given a Warm Reception by Jeweler Blish

Niles, Mich., Aug. 20.—Jeweler Wm. G. Blish was awakened last night by the noise of some one trying to get through a window. He got his revolver and waited until the fellow had opened the window and was half way through, when he opened fire. One bullet took effect in the man's jaw, tearing away a tooth and part of the jaw. The tooth and mangled flesh were found a short distance from the house and the burglar was tracked for several blocks by pools of blood. He made good his escape. For the last two months burglaries have been frequent in this city and it is thought that this attempt was made by a member of the gang that infests the vicinity. Officers are now looking for a man with part of his jaw gone.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 24th August 1898


His Demolished jaw Betrayed Him

Niles, Mich., Aug. 26.—Last week jeweler W. S. Blish, of Niles, shot at a burglar who was trying to enter his house at night. The bullet took effect in the man's jaw, but the man escaped. Three days afterwards William Gant, of Racine, Wis., was arrested near the railroad tracks. Part of his jaw was gone and his face was swollen to almost twice its natural size. He hid in a freight car, but the pain in his jaw became so great that he asked a housewife for a bread and milk poultice with which to bind up his jaw. He was immediately arrested. The fellow is colored and a dangerous character. He will be prosecuted. Mr. Blish making the complaint.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 31st August 1898

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Re: Some Macabre Stories of the Silver Trade

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FRANK ALLSOPP

Newark, New Jersey


Frank Allsopp Killed in an Automobile Accident and His Wife Badly Injured

Newark, N. J., June 4 — The funeral of Frank Allsopp, of the wholesale jewelry manufacturing firm of Allsopp & Allsopp, Columbia St., this city, was held this afternoon at the home of his parents. Mr. and Mrs. George Allsopp. It was largely attended by members of the trade and business men generally, as he was more than ordinarily popular.

Mr. Allsopp’s sudden death in an automobile accident near New Brunswick, Friday, was a great shock to the business community, particularly the jewelry trade. His wife, who was seriously injured in the same accident, was brought from the Wells Hospital at New Brunswick on Saturday afternoon and is now in St. Michael's Hospital in this city. She was told of her husband's death just before leaving New Brunswick as she insisted upon having him taken to Newark with her or knowing exactly what had happened to him. She has borne up remarkably under the shock. Both her legs are broken and one of her knees shattered. A successful operation was performed on the latter Saturday night, and to-day it was said that she is improving and that in the absence of any development of internal injuries which was at first feared it is now expected that she will recover.

Mr. Allsopp was an ardent automobilist. He had owned a big and powerful touring car since Easter week. With his three nieces and his wife he made a fast run to Asbury Park on Friday, starting on the return trip to Newark at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. The three young women are the Misses Nellie and Annie Allsopp, daughters of Henry Allsopp, also a manufacturing jeweler, and Miss Florence Baker, of 21 Madison Ave. They occupied the rear seat of the machine.

While running at high speed on a straight stretch of road near Old Bridge, Mr. Allsopp tooted his horn for a wagon, which was ahead and going in the same direction, to turn out. The driver did so, but when Mr. Allsopp tooted his horn a second time the driver evidently became confused and turned back into the middle of the road and then directly across the path of the touring car. In order to avoid a collision Mr. Allsopp turned his machine sharply to the side of the road. Unfortunately there was a telegraph pole at that spot. The machine struck it with frightful force just as Mrs. Allsopp slid out of the machine to the ground and Mr. Allsopp slid into her seat. The front end of the automobile was smashed up and a piece of it struck Allsopp on the left side of the head, fracturing his skull and causing almost instant death. The three young women were thrown at least 30 feet but escaped serious injury. Mrs. Allsopp lost consciousness and was later removed to the New Brunswick Hospital, the body of Allsopp being taken to a morgue in the same city.

Mr. Allsopp was a partner in the jewelry business with his brothers Thomas, Albert and Edmund F. He was one of seven sons, and was 31 years old. He was married but leaves no children. He had been highly successful in business.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 6th June 1906

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CHRISTOPHER GINI

New York


Trade Victims of the Sinking of “La Bourgogne’’

Among the passengers believed to have been drowned in the ill-fated La Bourgogne which sank July 4 was Christopher Gini, a manufacturing jeweler, who was in business at 31 E. 20th St. New York. Mr. Gini lived with his family at Grant City, S. I., and started on a pleasure and business trip to Paris on the French liner July 2. He had been in the jewelry trade both in this country and abroad for many years. Mr. Gini was born about 40 years ago in Paris, his parents being Italians, who had settled there. For the first 25 years of his life he remained in that place, where he learned the trade of jeweler and worked for many large houses. He was also in business for himself. About 15 years ago he came to America, and after one or two transient positions, finally obtained employment with Tiffany & Co., with whom he remained until about two years ago. He was employed in their jewelry establishment and was also at the Paris and Chicago expositions for them. A little over three years ago he left Tiffany & Co. and formed a partnership with a Mr. Schenck under the firm name of Schenck & Gini, and did business at 29th St. near Broadway. After about a year the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Gini started for himself in 20th St. as a manufacturer of fine diamond mountings. Mr. Gini did a small wholesale business, but his principal clients were retail customers among the French residents of New York. The deceased was married about eight years ago and a widow and two small children survive him. He was a member of L’Union Francaise No. 17, F. & A. AL, and of the Royal Arcanum. He was also a member of the Atlantic Club, of New York.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 13th July 1898

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A. RAYMOND

New York


Trade Victims of the Sinking of “La Bourgogne’’

Among the passengers who were drowned by the sinking of La Bourgogne was Mrs. Adele Raymond, the wife of A. Raymond, watchmaker with Adolph Alexander, 200 Broadway, New York.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 13th July 1898

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An interesting side-note to the above two posts:

A DREAM SAVES JOHN L. BORSCH

Philadelphia, Pa., July 9.—John L. Borsch, the well known optician, had made all arrangements to sail for Europe on the ill fated La Bourgogne. He was to have taken his wife and daughter. He desired to go on this steamer, because his son, who is chief physician of the De Wecker Eye Hospital at Paris, was to be given the medal of the Legion of Honor on July 14, and unless he sailed on La Bourgogne he could not get to Paris in time. But he didn’t go. His wife on three successive nights dreamt she saw a shipwreck, and on the side of the ship as she went down, she read the words “La Bourgogne.” Mr. Borsch tried to persuade his wife that her fears were groundless, but he finally yielded to her alarms and stayed at home. He will now give a dinner in token of thankfulness to his friends.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 13th July 1898

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J.L. MITCHELL

Houston, Texas


Houston, Tex., Jeweler Charged With Killing a Hackman During a Quarrel

Houston, Tex., July 29.—A tragedy which occurred at La Porte, Sunday, has caused considerable sorrow in the jewelry trade, owing to the fact that the assailant of N. J. Bonner, the hackman who was shot and instantly killed, is said to be J. L. Mitchell, a well-known jeweler of this city. The shooting occurred during a row between Mr. Mitchell and the hackman. Mr. Mitchell had accused the hackman of upsetting his family carriage a short time before.

After the shooting Mr. Mitchell immediately went to his home, where he was placed under arrest. Justice of the Peace R. A. Milam was notified and held an inquest, and ordered that Mr. Mitchell be conducted to jail without bail.

Later an application for a writ of habeas corpus was filed by Mr. Mitchell’s counsel, and the jeweler was released upon a bond of $25,000 pending a hearing on Monday. Monday Mr. Mitchell was bound over to the Grand Jury on the charge of murder, and a new habeas corpus hearing was set for to-day, the preliminary bail of $25,000 being continued.

When asked to give a statement Mr. Mitchell refused to discuss the affair for publication. He said that he had greatly regretted that the man was dead, but that he had had trouble with him on the road between his home and La Porte for a long time. He said he did not intend to kill the man, and felt that his act would be considered justified when all the facts of the affair were known.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 5th August 1908

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=32464&p=191133#p191133

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ALFRED HART

San Francisco and Los Angeles


Jeweler Alfred Hart and His Wife Lost In the Sinking of the “ Rio Janeiro”

San Francisco, Cal., Feb. 24.—Among the lives lost by the sinking of the Pacific Mail steamship, Rio Janeiro. Friday, according to the latest revised list of the passengers, were Alfred Hart and Mrs. Hart. Mr. Hart was formerly in the jewelry business here and at Los Angeles, but recently be had been in Manila. He was returning home when the steamer ran aground in the fog. The body of Mrs. Hart has been recovered.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 27th February 1901

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H.R.C. LINDEMANN

Providence, Rhode Island


Providence Jeweler Commits Suicide in His Shop by Swallowing Poison

Providence. R. I., Dec. 8.—H. R. C. Lindemann, a metal spinner, committed suicide in his shop at 102 Friendship St. Thursday by swallowing some cyanide of potassium. His son, W. C. Lindemann, and a workman were in the shop at the time, but knew nothing of his act until the former discovered his father's dead body.

Mr. Lindemann was in his 59th year, and long-continued illness is believed to have made him despondent. The funeral was held from his late home, 59 Algonquin St., to-day at 2.30 o’clock. Only the immediate relatives and friends were present, the service being a very simple one.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 12th December 1906

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F.W. BUCKINGHAM

Chicago


F. W. Buckingham, 30 years old, of Chicago, was taken to St, John’s Hospital, Allegheny, last week, suffering from the effects of morphine, taken supposedly with suicidal intent, Buckingham is said to have formerly conducted a jewelry establishment m Chicago and had been in Allegheny two
months.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 8th April 1903

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LAWRENCE HENNIGHAUSEN

Baltimore


Lawrence Hennighausen, formerly in the employ of F. Hahn, 35 S. Calvert St., was found dead on the floor of his bedroom at his residence, 808 Edmondson Ave., Friday morning, from the effects of illuminating gas. Mr. Hennighausen was 41 years of age and is survived by three children.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 8th April 1903

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CYRUS C. HICKS

Providence, Rhode Island


Cyrus C. Hicks, who was fatally injured in the railroad accident on the Pennsylvania railroad near New Florence, Pa., on Friday morning, November 14, dying the Sunday following, had been traveling salesman for the firm of B. A. Ballou & Co., of Providence since 1880 The deceased was well and favorably known throughout the trade. He was the son of William Hicks, formerly of Richardson & Hicks, the old firm of manufacturing jewelers at the corner of Page and Friendship streets, and afterwards of the firm of Sackett, Potter & Hicks. He was born in Providence June 11, 1843, and was educated at the public schools. He had been a traveling salesman in the jewelry business for about eighteen years, off and on, having represented the manufacturing houses of Churchill & Chase, Manchester & Richards and H. De Witt Smith. By trade Mr. Hicks was a machinist, learning the trade of Brown & Sharpe, of Providence, and afterwards working for two years in the Burnside Rifle Works.

His employers speak of him in the highest terms, and consider that the firm has sustained a loss in his death which is almost irreparable. Among his fellow travelers he was deservedly popular, being of a cheerful disposition and always granting kindly counsel and advice to those of his associates that might be benefitted by his experience. He leaves a widow, an invalid, and a fifteen year old daughter.

The funeral was held from his late residence, 7 Hudson street, at 1 :30 this afternoon, there being present the immediate relatives of the deceased, members of the Manufacturing Jewelers’ Board of Trade, New England Jewelers’ Association, Westminster Lodge of Odd Fellows, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Rhode Island Protective Travelers’ Association, a delegation of New York associates of the deceased and visiting brethren from other places, and workmen of B. A Ballou & Co. Among the floral designs was a harp from the widow and daughter, a pillow from the brother, an anchor from Mr. and Mrs. James A. Blood, a large bouquet of roses from the M. L. A. Club, a unique representation of a grip sack from the Rhode Island Protective Travelers’ Association, and the Three Links from Westminster Lodge. A specially beautiful floral piece was the tribute of about fifty of the New York colleagues of the deceased. It was very large, being about three feet in diameter, in the design known as the Henry Ward Beecher ; the ground work was of ivy leaves, festooned with white roses, chrysanthemums, lilies of the valley and hyacinths, the whole being crowned by a white dove holding aloft a wreath.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - December 1890

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MAX L. GUTMANN

Rochester, New York


Max L. Gutmann at Length Ends His Life

Rochester, N. Y., Dec. 26.—Max L. Gutmann, a retired jeweler and a well known resident of the city, died yesterday afternoon under circumstances which lead to the belief that he committed suicide. The cause of his death is not known and this morning Coroner Graham will hold an autopsy. Mr. Gutmann was 55 years of age. Mr. Gutmann for many years conducted a jewelry business in the basement of the house at 52 N. Clinton St. On account of ill health he retired from business a couple of years ago. Last Summer he became mentally unbalanced and while in his room one day tried to committ suicide. He secured a revolver and fired a bullet into his head. The bullet did no serious injury and when the members of the family, attracted by the report of the weapon, rushed to the room Mr. Gutmann held them at bay with the revolver. The police were notified and after disarming the half crazed man they took him to the police station. After the wound in his head had been dressed he was committed to jail where he was examined as to his sanity. He was pronounced sane and was shortly afterward released.

After he returned home he became more quarrelsome and his wife and family were obliged to leave the house. Some time afterward he closed up his residence and went to board at 95 Chestnut St., where he had since been. It was late when Mr. Gutmann came home on Christmas Eve and when he did not come down to breakfast yesterday morning no significance was attached to his absence. At 1 o’clock in the afternoon a member of the family with whom he lived knocked at his bedroom door and told him to get up. He answered incoherently and a short time afterward he was heard walking around in his room. At 2 o’clock he was called again, and as there was no response to the summons, the door was burst open and Mr. Gutmann was found lying dead on the bed. He had been dead but a short time and there was nothing in his appearance to denote that the end had been other than peaceful.

A book in which he had scribbled indiscriminately was found beside him. The book contained English prose, Latin verse, fragments of French and German sentences and shorthand characters. There were untranslatable hieroglyphics and disjointed statements which would lead to the belief that the man was demented. The writing had evidently all been done yesterday. In the course of the writing he spoke of his family trouble and made a request that his ashes be donated to Attorney Garlock, whom, he said, was his friend. At the conclusion of the writing he bade his children good bye.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 1st January 1896

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GEORGE W. PARKER

Ukiah, California


Jeweler George W. Parker killed in a Drunken Brawl

Sacramento, Cal., June 26.—George W. Parker, an old resident and a jeweler of Ukiah, this State, was shot and killed in a saloon kept by one, Neipp, at 1.35 o’clock last Tuesday morning, by J. D. Sherman, a sheep-herder living near Ukiah. Both parties had been drinking. Five or six shots were fired. Parker was shot at least three times, twice in the head and once in the body. Sherman at once surrendered himself to an officer. There were seven eyewitnesses to the tragedy.

The Coroner’s jury has returned a verdict that the shooting was done by the said Sherman wilfully and intentionally, but in self-defence.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 5th July 1893

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PERKINS E. BALDWIN

Boston, Massachusetts


The Suicide of Perkins E. Baldwin

Boston, Mass., April 16.— Perkins E. Baldwin, New England agent for the Acme Silver Plate Co., 22 Bromfield St., committed suicide yesterday morning by hanging himself at his residence in the suburb known as Hyde Park. Mr. Baldwin had been a prominent dealer in silverware many years in Boston. He was formerly associated with his brother, C. W. Baldwin, now of Chicago, in an extensive business establishment running from Bedford St. through to Avon St. The house had a large retail trade and Mr. Baldwin was personally known to thousands of shoppers.

Deceased was born in Orange, Vt., April 26. 1842. He came to Boston early in life, had resided in Hyde Park about eight years and was highly regarded in that community as well as in Boston business circles. Worry over dulness of business is supposed to have had such a depressing effect upon him, as to produce temporary aberration. His family had noticed such a tendency during the past week. Mr. Baldwin leaves a widow and three daughters.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 18th April 1894

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LOUIS SHIBLEY

Wooster, Ohio


A Retired Jeweler Killed In a Runaway

Wooster, O., Oct. 31.—Louis Shibley, a wealthy retired jeweler, met death Monday afternoon by persisting in driving a runaway horse. He was thrown headlong from the buggy to the curbing, crushing in the whole top of his head. He lived three hours, but never regained consciousness.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 4th November 1891

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P.H. PETERSON

Alameda, California


A jeweler named Peterson, living in Alameda, Cal., while attempting to take a gun from a boat in which he had just returned from a trip on the bay, pulled the muzzle towards him. The gun was discharged, killing him instantly.

Source: The Eugene City Guard - 24th September 1887


P. H. Peterson, a jeweler, of San Francisco, Cal., accidentally shot himself while out hunting, early last month. He was but thirty-four years of age, in prospering circumstances, and his death was a shock to his many friends. A wife and child survive him.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - October 1887

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JAMES ARMIGER

Baltimore, Maryland


Seven persons were asphyxiated, one was fatally hurt by jumping from a window and five others were more or less injured during a fire in the dwelling of James Armiger, a jeweler, at Baltimore.

Source: Carroll Herald - 26th February 1896

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ROBERT WESTWOOD

London


EXECUTION

This morning, (Wednesday), William Reading, aged 30 years, for stealing jewellery, value 2,000l, in the shop of Mr. Westwood, Princes-street, Soho-square.


Source: The Glasgow Herald - 2nd December 1822

Robert Westwood was himself murdered in the course of another robbery at his premises in 1839.

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H.A. WITTKOWSKY

Camden, South Carolina


Jeweler Witkowsky Shot in a Fight Regarding a Woman

Camden. S. C., Sept. 19.—J .C. Mann and H. A. Wittkowsky last week had a dfficulty in the store of H. S. Watkins about a woman. Three shots were fired, two by Mann and one by Wittkowsky. The latter was shot in the right hip, sustaining a serious wound. Mann is a successful merchant, Wittskowsky a jeweler.


Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 27th September 1893

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