www.925-1000.com

WILLIAM JACKSON - EUGENE HAMBURGER

Clerkenwell, London

ROBBERY OF PEARLS.
About 12 o'clock noon on the 13th January, an attempt was made by William Jackson, a jeweller, late of 407 Park-road, Hockley, near Birmingham, to murder Eugene Hamburger, a wholesale jeweller, of 26 Woodridge-street, Clerkenwell, by shooting and stabbing him, in the top chambers of 33 Holborn Viaduct. It appears that on the morning of that day Mr. Hamburger, a tall and powerfully-built young man of 22, was passing along the Holborn Viaduct, carrying a bag containing diamonds, pearls, and rubies, of the value of upwards of £2000, when he was accosted by a customer of the firm named William Jackson, a jeweller, late of 407 Park-road, Hockley, near Birmingham, but since residing with his wife and three children in Spencer-street, Clerkenwell, and invited to show a parcel of pearls, if he had any for sale. Jackson's previous transactions with the firm not being creditable, Mr. Hamburger at first demurred, but ultimately he asked the man where the pearls could be shown him. Jackson pointed to a large new block of buildings on the station side of the Viaduct and replied, "At my office, just here." He proceeded to the building, and they entered an empty office, when Jackson slammed to the door, and, turning upon young Mr. Hamburger with a pistol, shot him in the head from the back. Mr. Hamburger instantly turned upon his assailant, and a desperate struggle ensued. Jackson declared that he wanted money, and money he would have. Finding that the pistol-shot did not take effect, Jackson drew a formidable dagger from his left side pocket and made a terrific plunge at Mr. Hamburger's right eye. The blade entered just below the eyeball and passed through the flesh, under the skin, to a point close upon the ear. Mr. Hamburger again retaliated seized the back of the dagger with his left hand, and another struggle followed. Fortunately he managed to prevent the man from again stabbing him, although his hand and fingers were nearly severed by the force with which the blade was withdrawn. In fact all the arteries were cut, and the hand was rendered utterly useless. Mr. Hamburger struck Jackson a forcible blow with the butt end of the pistol, and inflicted other injuries to the head and face, and moreover he managed to secure both the pistol and dagger, which he placed in his bag, already saturated with blood, and made his way into the street. Then he hailed a cab and drove home, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile. The services of Dr. Henry Franklyn, of St. John-street, Clerkenwell, a gentleman who had had considerable experience in the treatment of gunshot wounds in the Crimean war, were immediately procured, and he at once saw that the patient was in imminent danger. Dr. Franklyn deemed it advisable to call in further surgical aid, and he and Dr. Morrant Baker then came to the conclusion that a bullet had lodged between the dura mater and the skull. An operation with the object of extracting the bullet will have to be performed, and it is not at all improbable that erysipelas may supervene. Mr. Hamburger remained conscious, and gave the doctor an account of the manner in which he was attacked, and of the desperate struggle he had with his assailant. He said that he had opened his bag and was about showing the pearls, when the pistol was discharged. The blood from the wound gushed into the bag, but fortunately he retained his senses and made a grasp at the pistol, which he secured. A hatchet in a bag was found by the police in Jackson's offices, in Holborn. The man is still at large. He is described as from 20 to 30 years of age, complexion fair, face thin and pale, hair dark and curly. On Wednesday a photograph of the man was shown to Mr. Hamburger, and he at once identified it as that of the would-be murderer.

Source: Evening Post - 26th March 1878


THE HOLBORN DIAMOND ROBBERY
An entirely new aspect is given to the so-called Holborn mystery by the result of the inquest hold on Tuesday at Falmer. The facts of this strange case will probably still be fresh in the memory of the public. On the afternoon of Tuesday week last Mr Eugene Hamburger, a diamond and jewel merchant, was walking over the Holborn Viaduct, when he met a man named Jackson, whom he had known for come time, but of whom, as it now appears, he did not entertain a very high opinion. Jackson, it seems, suggested what is commonly called a "deal," mentioning that he should like to buy a parcel of pearls; and Hamburger, not suspecting any danger, accompanied him into a room up several flights of stairs in one of the large buildings situated on the Viaduct. No sooner had the chamber been reached than Jackson suddenly made a murderous assault upon his companion. He fired at him with a pistol and attempted to stab him with a dagger. A desperate struggle ensued, but fortunately for him, Mr Hamburger escaped. A bullet from the pistol of this would-be assassin was lodged in his head, and his hand and fingers were cut through to the bone in an ineffectual attempt to seize and hold the double-edged weapon with which his life had been attempted. Being, however, the more powerful man of the two, fan got the best of his assailant, and managed to make good his retreat. Although he had a considerable amount of valuable property about him, he was not robbed, and there is now no reason to believe, as was at first supposed, that plunder was Jackson's object. The motive of the attack, indeed, appears to have arisen from some bad feeling entertained by Jackson towards his intended victim, yet the cause of his animosity, so far as it has been explained, is hardly enough in itself to account for so terrible a crime as that which he attempted. Mr Marcus Hamburger, in a letter which we publish elsewhere, declares that there was no quarrel between his son and the deceased, and that the statement of the latter that the former libelled him is utterly false. He admits, however, that his son, having had dealings with Jackson, had not been able to give a favourable reply to the question put to him in the trade as to whether Jackson's credit could be trusted, and it is possible that this circumstance rankled in the mind of the latter. Nevertheless, a desire to avenge a real or imagined wrong, does not seem to have been the sole cause of this tragedy, especially when the sequel to the struggle in the house on the Holborn Viaduct is considered.

Jackson, after his ineffectual attempt to murder, put an end to his life by suicide. On Sunday morning, at about half-past 11, he made his appearance at the Swan Inn, Falmer, about half way between Brighton and Lewes. He had a glass of ale, and announced his intention of coming back at or about midday for lunch. This he did, and after lunch he left the house. A little later, the report of a pistol was heard in the parish churchyard, and some persons who were close by, hastening to the spot, found the body of the deceased lying in the footpath, with a wound from a pistol bullet in his left breast, immediately over the heart. Death, must have been almost instantaneous. Upon him was found a long, rambling letter giving his own version of the struggle between himself and Mr Hamburger, and making some sort of attempt at an explanation of the strange mystery in which he himself had borne so conspicuous a part. The epistle was addressed to his "friends, his dear parents, and his sisters," and assured them in it he had decided to put an end to his existence, and release them however painful of the contemplation of his awful condition. "There are many keepers about here," the document proceeds, "and I shall wait for one, seize his gun from the corner of a public-house, and shoot myself." After a little more vague rhapsody of this kind, the letter goes on to describe the deadly combat between the deceased and Hamburger as a fair duel." There had been so this strange story runs–" a long and severe quarrel he had libelled me, and I was determined to be avenged. I drew part of the powder from the cartridge, and did not think it would kill. I asked him which he would have, the dagger or the pistol and he said the dagger. I threw it to the other end of the room, and when ho rushed to pick it up I fired. I then closed with him, and, after a terrible struggle, wrested the dagger from him and threw him off." There can be little doubt that this extraordinary statement is no representation of the exact facts of the case. It is the tale of a madman, and the mental aberration by which it is guided and dictated becomes painfully apparent as we proceed. "My life," the wild and incoherent letter runs, "has been a misspent one, but I do not think it has been a wicked or unkindly one. My worst passions were roused in my last interview with Hamburger, and the issue is only too much to my disadvantage. I have been backward in the world all my life, and it was hardly to be expected that I should die a natural death. I am determined to die, and await my end with impatience. I have not heard a single gun fired, and it is now 12 o'clock.... Englishmen have died by the bullet, and, if there is any difference, it is more brave to die by rabbit shot." I hope," Jackson concluded, "that Hamburger will get well but do not consider I shall have his murder on my soul if he dies." In a pocket-book found upon the deceased there was written a long statement to the same effect, ending with a request that after his death he might be buried at the place where he was christened. These documents, in themselves, would be evidence of insanity, but other evidence was forthcoming. A friend of the unfortunate man deposed that he had known him for some time that he was temperate in his habits, but strange and eccentric that he had often complained of severe pains in his head that he was in no want of money that he was in the habit of going armed and that he had frequently talked about his having been grossly insulted. After all this it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that the assailant of Mr Hamburger was not altogether responsible for his actions. We may even go further, and say, although the jury were of opinion that there was no evidence to show what was his state of mind, that the deceased was decidedly insane and attempted to murder Mr Hamburger in a fit of temporary mania. We know what homicidal mania is, and how people who in all other respects behave reasonably will suddenly and without the least provocation, take life, or attempt to take it, as recklessly as a Malay running a-muck under the influence of opium or Indian hemp. On the other hand, it is doubtful, to say the least, whether at present we know the whole of this strange story. According to the evidence of Chief Inspector Harnett, the deceased bore an excellent character, while Mr Hamburger himself would seem to have been of the contrary opinion. It may very well be that Mr Hamburger did the dead man an injustice which, in his peculiar mental condition, had a greater effect upon him than it would have had on a perfectly sane person. We have no right, of course, to assume that anything of this kind was the case but, at the same time, the circumstances strongly point to some such conclusion. We may, indeed, almost take it for granted that when one man makes a desperate attempt to murder another, unless he is indeed an actual maniac, there will be more in the matter than meets the eye at first sight. We may admit that Jackson was mad, but we must also own that there was, at any rate, a very considerable method in his madness. It is evident that he intended to kill Mr Hamburger, and that, failing in the attempt, he resolved to kill himself. All we know is, that he was more or less insane, while his wrongs, such as they may have been, were perhaps of a nature which can never be explained now that he is dead. For the rest, this shocking affair serves to remind us how easily, even in the centre of a great city like London, a murder may be not only planned and attempted, but actually achieved. It is a common notion that in lawless parts of the world for instance, in the more turbulent of the South American Republics, on the fringe of civilisation in California, in Greece, in the southern parts of Italy, and on the frontiers of our Indian Empire the life of the traveller is exposed to perils unknown in populous and well-governed countries. It may be doubted whether this is really the case. In spite of the boasted activity of our police, it is certain that strange things occur in London. Mr Hamburger has escaped with his life but it is perfectly possible that his enemy might have murdered him and eluded the grasp of justice. Such things have happened before, and it is sad to think that they ore only too likely to happen again.

Source: Timaru Herald - 28th March 1878


This William Jackson is not to be confused with William Henry Jackson, who coincidently was working at Spencer Street, Clerkenwell at around the same time.

Trev.

EUGENE HAMBURGER

What of Eugene Hamburger the victim in the above incident?
As mentioned in the report he was the son of Marcus Hamburger and his wife Emilie.
Marcus was born in Poland around 1818 and his wife born in France around 1829. Eugene was also born in France around 1858.
Marcus and Emilie appear to have recently arrived in the UK at the time of the 1861 Census as they were entered as lodgers at 26 Bridges Street, Covent Garden from where Marcus dealt in precious stones; their children were not resident with them at this time.
The 1871 Census shows both his parents as dealers in precious stones living at 26 Wilmington Square, Clerkenwell where Eugene and his elder brother Arthur, also born in France around 1854, were already employed in the business.
Marcus died in April 1881 and his wife with her two sons Arthur and Eugene carried on the business from the same address until her death in 1893 at some point prior to 1891 moving to 6 Wilmington Square, Clerkenwell .
Eugene continued as a diamond merchant at the same address in 1901 then working with his younger brother Gustave, born in London in 1870. Brother Arthur had married and become a glass merchant living in Ilford.
He married Beatrice Newcome Cohen in London in 1908 and was recorded in the 1910 Electoral Register at 21 Skardu Road, Hampstead where he was noted in the 1911 Census continuing as diamond and precious stones dealer living with his English wife Beatrice who was born in Whitechapel around 1868.
His name appeared in the phone books for 1914-22 at 218 Walm Lane, Willesden. In 1916-23 the phone books also listed E M Hamburger as a diamond, pearl and gem merchant at 37-38 Hatton Garden. He may have adopted the "M" in tribute to his father although as can be seen below it was not his given name. Gustave Hamburger was also in the 1923 phone book as a dealer in precious stones at 109 Hatton Garden.
Eugene Lucien Felix Hamburger was noted in the England & Wales National Probate Calendar having died on 11th December 1924 at 17 Langdale Gardens, Hove, Sussex, probate for his estate to the value £2666+ being granted to his widow Beatrice Newsome (sic).

Mike

MARCEL GAYET

Paris

LEAP TO DEATH
PARACHUTE THAT FAILED
(Received 1.30 p.m.)
PARIS, March 20.
Marcel Gayet, a jeweller, who has devoted his leisure to parachute experiments, jumped from the first platform of the Eiffel Tower, 186 feet, to demonstrate the efficiency of the parachute. This did not open and Gayet fell like a stone and was killed.

Source: Auckland Star - 21st March 1928

Trev.

ANDRE MONNET

Paris

CINEMA-LIKE DRAMA.
Russian Bandit In Paris Causes Sensation.
GAS PUMPED INTO HOUSE.
(Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) PARIS, August 12.
A crowd of shoppers on the Faubourg du Temple found themselves involved in a cinema-like drama at noon on Friday. A bandit strolled into the shop of Andre Monnet, a jeweller, shot the proprietor dead, and seized a tray of diamonds. The thief found his retreat cut off. however. Thereupon he fired at random, injuring a man and a woman. He then turned and ran upstairs. In the meantime, Madame Monnet. who was in the room above the shop, hearing the shots and seeing the bandit coming, screamed and leaped from the window. Her fall was broken upon an awning and she tumbled unhurt upon the crowd in the street. The bandit was now in the room from which the woman had escaped. He appeared at the window with pistols in both hands. He fired madly into the street and into a wineshop opposite, doing deadly work among the bottles Several hundred policemen surrounded the shop and summoned a special gas brigade as well as steel shieldsmen. A hole was made in the wall and asphyxiating gas was pumped in. Then, when there were no more shots, the police forced an entry. The bandit was found dead with a bullet in his head. A policeman had picked him off from a window across the street.
The criminal was Edouard Psyck. He was born in Leningrad, and had lived five years in France. Recently he married a Frenchwoman. Yvonne, who is missing. Psyck was out of work.
His shots wounded three spectators two of whom. Madame Begaud and, M. Batiloup, are in a critical condition.

Source: Auckland Star - 13th August 1928

Trev.

FREDERICK GAPES

Auckland, New Zealand

Auckland, 26th December.
Frederick Gapes, watchmaker and jeweller, of Pitt-street, committed suicide on Friday by drinking cyanide of potassium in his workshop. He entered the shop, called out to his wife "Here's luck," and then went and lay down on the dining-room sofa, where his wife found him insensible. He died six minutes later. The verdict was that deceased poisoned himself by drinking cyanide of potassium while of unsound mind.

Source: Evening Post - 27th December 1909

Trev.

GEORGE LORIMER

Nelson, New Zealand

George Lorimer, a jeweller, Nelson, who on October 20 filed in bankruptcy, committed suicide, death occurring early next morning. At the inquest on Oct. 22 a verdict of suicide by taking cyanide of potassium whilst temporary insane was returned. It is said his estate will pay 20s in the £.

Source: New Zealand Herald - 2nd November 1894

Trev.

CECIL ALLEN

Palmerston North, New Zealand

JEWELLER'S SUICIDE.
INHALED GAS FUMES. (By Telegraph.–Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH, Thursday.
An inquest was held regarding the death of Mr. Cecil Allen, a jeweller, of Palmerston North, who was found dead in a bathroom on his business premises. The evidence was that he entered the bathroom during the night and inhaled gas fumes. Business troubles and ill-health recently had seriously depressed him. A verdict of suicide by gas poisoning was returned.

Source: Auckland Star - 11 December 1925

Trev.

HARRY MATTHIAS

Auckland, New Zealand

DEATH FROM POISON
(By Telegraph.–Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, 15th Jan.
Within a few hours of being admitted to hospital this afternoon, suffering from the effects of poisoning, Harry Matthias, a married man, died. The police believe that he was formerly a well-known Auckland jeweller.

Source: Evening Post - 16th January 1931

Trev.

LIONEL JOSEPH BELLVE

Hamilton, New Zealand

FOUND DEAD IN SHOP
(By Telegraph.–Press Association.) HAMILTON, 4th August. Lionel Joseph Bellve, a single middleaged man, in business as a jeweller at Hamilton, was found dead in his shop in Victoria street this afternoon. The circumstances point to gas poisoning.

Source: Evening Post - 5th August 1930

Trev.

H. PENZHOLZ

Shortland Street, Auckland, New Zealand

ALLEGED SUICIDE
On June 10th it was reported to the police that an old Auckland resident, Mr H. Penzholz, watchmaker, and jeweller, of Shortland-street, died, the cause of death being supposed to be laudanum poisoning. He was 70 years of age, and had been in ill-health lately. An inquest was held and a verdict of accidental death returned, it transpired that deceased was in the habit of taking laudanum to relieve pain.

Source: Auckland Star - 5th July 1900

Trev.

JOHN MATTAN

Christchurch, New Zealand

A FATAL MISTAKE.
DEATH FROM POISONING.
BY TELEGRAPH.–PRESS ASSOCIATION. Christchurch, Tuesday. The death occurred suddenly in Christchurch this morning of John Manttan, a well-known wholesale jeweller and dental importer. Manttan had been suffering from rheumatism, and to refresh himself during frequent periods of faintness he kept a bottle of lime juice in his strongroom. Last Tuesday, at about one p.m., he felt weak, but instead of taking the lime juice he took by mistake a dose of an acid which was in the strongroom, being kept there for dental purposes. It is known as a deadly poison, and Manttan suffered severely from its effects, passing away at 11.15 a.m. to-day.

Source: New Zealand Herald - 19th June 1912

Trev.

A.M. VIENER

Blackpool

A Painful sensation was caused, on March 10th, in Blackpool by the announcement that a highly respected jeweler, Mr. A. M. Viener, had died from the effects of an overdose of chloral taken medicinally.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st April 1892

Adolph Viener had been a very old established jeweller at North Shore, Blackpool. He was noted as one of the founder directors of Blackpool Pier when it opened in 1863.

Trev.

M.J. GOLDSMID

Birmingham

Extensive Robbery and Sad Sequel.–While Mr. M. J. Goldsmid, a well-known jeweler of Vittoria Street, Birmingham, was engaged in showing his goods to a Deansgate, Manchester, jeweler on the 5th ult., one of the sample bags, containing £2,500 worth of stock, was stolen from a handcart in charge of a railway porter, who, instead of maintaining his post at the cart, was abstractedly gazing into the window. The police were at once communicated with, and every effort made to obtain some clue, but entirely without success. It was therefore arranged to advertise a reward, and the bill was accordingly got out. Mr. Goldsmid was naturally upset, although, according to several people who saw him, not unnaturally so. In the course of the afternoon he visited a chemist's shop and bought an ounce of cyanide of potassium, stating that he required it for cleaning his stock. The chemist, however, employed all precautions, and made Mr. Goldsmid establish his identity with the card he gave. Next morning however, sad to say, he was found dead in his bed, with a glass standing near, in which was a solution of cyanide. At the inquest it was suggested that a post- mortem examination should be made to see if he met with his death from poison.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st June 1892

See: https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... id#p209473

Trev.

MAURICE LOEWY

Paris

Suicide of a Diamond Broker.–A great sensation has been caused in Paris by the suicide of Maurice Loewy at the Hotel Terminus, leaving liabilities of £120,000. On the day of the suicide Loewy left his house in the Rue Denfert-Rochereau, and called at the different places where he transacted business. He appeared gay and. smiling as usual. The day after, a jeweler who was a private friend of the deceased, and had large dealings with him, received this message : " Before you receive this I shall have ceased to live. There will be searchings and questionings after my death, but nobody will know anything positive. My life has been nothing but lies, and nothing shall be discovered. Farewell.–M. Loewy, Hotel Terminus." The jeweler hastened off to the hotel and asked for M. Loewy. He was told there was nobody of that name. He gave a description in which the clerk at the office recognised that of a man who had come the day before and given the name of " M. Laurent." His room was opened, and M. Laurent, now recognised as M. Loewy, was found lying on the bed with a bullet wound in his forehead. Death had occurred some hours before. The deceased had embezzled money right and left. The jeweler who received his last note has been swindled out of £20,000, another one of £48,000. A Berlin diamond merchant and two Paris publishers are also large losers. It appears that Loewy bought diamonds on credit, and immediately sold them for ready money below cost price. He did this on so large a scale as to depress the market in precious stones.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st August 1892

Trev.

HENRY SMITH

Shoreham, Sussex

Suicide. –Henry Smith, watchmaker, Shoreham, Sussex, recently committed suicide by hanging himself over the bedroom door. A daughter, who gave evidence at the inquest, stated that the deceased had been drinking for the last three months, and that for the last three weeks he had not been sober!

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st December 1892

Trev.

WILBUR B. BRADLEY (Assistant Treasurer of the Gorham Company)

Guilford, Connecticut

GUILFORD, Conn., June 30.– Wilbur B. Bradley, assistant treasurer of the Gorham Co., New York, and his wife, Jennie, were burned to death in their Summer home on Boston St., here early this morning.
Flames were noticed by a woman who has a tea room across the street. She called the firemen, who, believing that the house had not yet been occupied for the season, began to move out the furniture. A neighbor, being awakened by the fire apparatus, told the men that she knew Mr. and Mrs. Bradley had been in the house.
A fireman went up a ladder and into the chamber on the west front. The bed was empty but on the floor were Mr. and Mrs. Bradley. It was evident that Mrs. Bradley was then dead, and Mr. Bradley died while efforts were being made to move him.
The house, of colonial type, was built about 1750, and had belonged to Mrs. Bradley's family.
He was about 65 years of age, was a native of New Haven, Conn. and entered the Gorham Co. on May 9, 1889, in the bookkeeping end of the old retail department at New York. Here he remained until he had charge of the department and was then transferred to the wholesale department, finally becoming general bookkeeper for the New York branch of the Gorham Co. As the business grew his work grew in importance. and several years ago he became assistant treasurer of the Gorham Co., the New York corporation which acts as the agent for the Gorham Mfg. Co. in Providence.
Deceased was married about 40 years ago to Miss Jennie Schellay of Guilford.
Funeral services will be held today (Wednesday) at the chapel of the Grove St. Cemetery, New Haven, where the remains of Mr and Mrs Bradley will be interred.
Mr. Bradley was highly esteemed by his associates in business and his death comes as a severe loss to them and to his employers. Upon receipt of the sad news a representative of the Gorham Co. New York, went at once to Guilford, Conn.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - Volume 78 - 2nd July 1919

Trev.

WALTER A. WITTIG

Philadelphia

DEATH OF WALTER A. WITTIG

Philadelphia Jeweler Dies as Result of Accidental Shooting.

Philadelphia, Pa., May 24.–Walter A. Wittig, widely known jeweler in the northwestern part of the city who was shot last night in his store while being shown a revolver by a friend, died tonight in the Lankenau Hospital. News of Mr. Wittig's death was a shock to the trade and many members of wholesale houses located on Sansom St. recalled that Mr. Wittig was in their places of business Saturday morning.

Mr. Wittig, who was 43 years old, was in his store, 1225 N. 28th St. last night when Harry Glackner, 27 years old, of 2729 Stiles St., a friend, entered the store. Glackner pulled a newly purchased revolver from his pocket. He wanted to show Mr. Wittig how easily it worked and emptied the chamber of the gun. He failed to notice that one of the bullets had stuck in the chamber and pulled the trigger. The bullet entered through Mr. Wittig's side, passed through his left lung and lodged near his heart. Physicians were unable to operate on the jeweler because of the proximity of the bullet to the heart.

Following the shooting Mr. Glackner was placed under arrest by the police of the 28th and Oxford St. police station. He was prostrated by the accident which caused the death of his friend. Magistrate Edward Roberts went to the Lankenau and took Mr. Wittig's ante-mortem statement to the effect that the shooting was accident.

Walter Wittig was born in the northwestern part of this city and has lived here nearly all his life. He learned the watchmaking and jewelry business at the Keystone Watch Case Co., which at the time was located at 19th and Brown Sts. Later he started in business at 1225 N. 28th St. and has been in the same location for several years, where he enjoyed the confidence of his neighbors. Mr. Wittig was a member of the Golden Star New Year's Association. He is survived by a widow Sarah Tully Wittig and a twenty-year-old daughter. Arrangements are being made for the funeral, which is to be held Wednesday afternoon, May 23.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 31st May 1922

Trev.

HENRY ALEXANDER

Fremantle, Western Australia


JEWELLER CRUSHED TO DEATH

Henry Alexander, a jeweller, aged 55, living at Fremantle, in attempting to board a moving train at Perth last night, fell between the platform and the footboard, and was crushed to death. He was a married man. His wife and family, with the exception of one son at Fremantle, live at Collingwood, Victoria.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald - 6th April 1908

Trev.

JAMES A. TODD (Towle Manufacturing Company)

Chicago

Silversmith Commits Suicide
CHICAGO, Dec. 24.– James A. Todd, manager of the Towle Manufacturing Company, silversmiths, at 149-153 State street, was found dead in the lavatory of the store to-day. He had locked himself in the lavatory after having drawn a tube from a gas jet through the keyhole. Todd was 52 years old and came here several years ago from Walcott, Conn.

Source: The San Francisco Call - 25th December 1901

Trev.

ADAMS

Torquay, England

FATAL FALL OVER CLIFF

A Torquay jeweller, named Adams, has met his death under very tragic circumstances, and an inquest was held upon the body on the 26th ult. The deceased was on the cliffs near Wall's Hill quarry, and appears to have lain down and looked over the edge in order to watch the men at work. One of them shouted to him to go back, as he would fall. Almost immediately Mr. Adams pitched head foremost over the cliff, fell on a ledge about 20 feet below, and then the body bounded to the bottom of the quarry, a depth altogether of over 80 feet. He was picked up insensible, but recovered consciousness for a short time, when he stated that the cliff slipped under him. He died from concussion of the brain and other injuries. A verdict of accidental death was returned.

Source: The Jeweller and Metalworker - 1st November 1885

Trev.