University of South Carolina Libraries
;DS ADVENTUROUS CAREE Beaufort Man in New York Shooti Prominent Broken, Then Kills Himself. A special from New York to th N:d Courier, under date of De ee . savs: I. Oliphant, head of one o: the oldet and most successful of Stock Exchange houses, was sho down in his office at 20 Broad stree this afternoon by Dr. Charles A Geiger, of Beaufort. S. C. Dr. Geig er killed himself the next instant putting a bullet into his brain. To night, after an unsuccessful opera tion had been performed on Mr. Oli phant, it was said that he had per haps one chance in ten to pul through. He came from under th: influence of ether satisfactorily, bu the dreadful nature of the wound, thi bullet iav' gone through the .cen tre of his abdomen and pierced thi iarger intestines, made it practicall, impossible to "xnect. that he woulc survive. Dr. Geiger for more than a yea had been a most luckless trader wit' the firm of James H. Oliphant, hi. son, lAfred. L. Norris, and Floyd W Mundy. As a suit case full of state ments and daily reports, found to uight in Dr. Geiger's room at Hol land Hc.sse showed, whatever hA turned his hand to went wrong. An3 stock he happened to fancy prompt iy withered in value. If he sol short, the particular stock was cer tain to advance -swiftly in value. When Geiger began to speculat< with the Oliphant firm on Septembb3 2.5, 1906, he was worth perhaps $75, 000. When the police carried hi! body out of 20 Broad street this af ternoon through a narrow lane th" reserves aut in a crowd of 10,00( people, he was worse than ston4 broke. He owed James H. Oliphant 6 Co. $5,000 or thereabouts, and ther; was. to his credit in the Fifth Avenu< Bank exactly $2.50. His other visibl< assets consisted of ,$11 in cash, bottle of Scotch whiskey, a morphim iayout with needles and tubes and pair of faded blue pajamas. The coroner, who went over witi an observant eye the bundle of let ters, account books, the slips whic] represented his daily 'operations with his brokers, and sheets of figur es wherein he had set down profit! and losses, earK the eonclusior that Dr. Geiger~ lost' $80.000 in litth more than a year, and that when hi wen.t to Mr. Oliphant 's office today he was no better than a crazy man In any case his health was poor, h; was addicted to morphine and hi correspondence indicated that he be lieved he had been badly used. Dr. Geiger went down to Broai street from t.he Holland* House al 10.30 o'clock in the morning to hay a chat with James H. Oliphant abou the state of his affairs. The docto: had been coming to New York fre. quently in the- past six months ani was fairly wefl kniow at the Holland They had paid no special attentioi to him at the hotel. He paid hi: bills and minded his own business. Mr. Oliphant was in when Geige: appeared and received the Souti Carolinian in his privaite office on thi second floor of the building. at 24 Broad street. Save James H. Oli phant himself no one knows wha fook place at the morning conference Mr. Oliphant was barely able to sa: a few words to Coroner Acitelli, ii the Hudson Street Hospital, while N the surgeons were waiting to operat, on him. It appeared that Geiger wa: * angry, insisted that he deserved bet ter treatment, demandinz extensioi of credit and permission to operate without putting up further margins :Mr. Oliphant talked to Dr. Geige: dtwo hours in the morning, explaining that Geiger not only had no mone: to his credit with the firm but tha he owed James H. Oliphant & Cc about $5.000. At 12.30 Oliphant having a luncheon enpgiement, ex emied himself and left the office When he returned at a few minute past 2 o'clock Dr. Geiger was wait ing for him. Dr. Geiger. when Mr. Oliphant re turned from lunch, was paeing nei vously up and down the custom * ers' room, stopiping jerkily now an: then to finger the ticker tape. Evi dently Mr. Oliphant was surprised t see Dr. Geiger again, as those withil hearing heard him raise his voice trifle above the normal tone with ''Here again, Geiger.'' Mr. Oliph ant walked over to hi own desk in a corner of the bi room and Geiger followed him. The talked quietly for five minutes. tihe Mr. Oliphant started to walk dow the room and motioned for Geiger t follow. They stepped into a sma ,. l 1 \a L .ujli' i Iir 21r. ()iphant related )riefly to the coroner. Dr. Geiger asked me to buy more stocks for him without his put tii up extra margin. I refused be cause his collateral was exhausted 3 and he owed us considerable money. "I told him that the best I could do for him was to keep his account open for a month. "He said sharply: 'Is that all you are goinsr to do for me?' "I s-id: 'That's all,' and started to turn away. "Befo're I had time to take one step he had a pistol out of his pock . et and close to my stomach and he - fired without aiot'aer word. After - that I remember hearir' two shots I and wondered dimly if Geiger had shot me again. or himsalf." t Mr. Oliphant, when Geiger fired, felI back on the table, lying there - unconscious for a short time. parhaps fifteen or twenty seconds. As he r col(lapsed Geiger jerked the revolver I to h'- own head and fired. but his hand was shaking badly aad- th' mnz zie of the revolver was seesawing in th air. TiVA1 bullet furrowed his ri,ht cheek and clipped a piece off of his upper lip. The next second he jammed the muzzle squarely against his head, .just back of and a little below tha left ear, and pulled the trigger. The 38-calibre bullet split his brain and he died instantly, dropping in a heap by the table where Mr. Oliphant lay. The News and Courier received last night from its Beaufort correspond ent the fcilowing dispatch, which gives some of the details of Dr. Geig er's career-a career which was un doubtedly marked by a variety en counted by few persons: "harl.es A. Geiaei- was born in Roswell, Ga.. in 1862. His father was at one time a homeopathic phy sician of Baltimore. His mother was Miss Helen H. Barnwell, of Beaufort, S. C. Geiger spent some time in Beaufort as a boy with relatives La ter he practiced as a homeopathic physician at Roswell, Ga. "efore returning to Beaufort, in January, 1906, he had spent many years abroad. He told friends at Beaufort that he had been at one time court physician to King Men elek, of Abyssinia, and that while there he became a friend of Count Szeehenyi, financee of Miss Vand'er bilt. In his room at B'eaufort are many photographs of himself and the Count taken together in Abyssinia, as well as many curios collected in Africa. Geiger said that he had also Sserved as physician at the Court of the .Sulton of Morocco. To the very fw to whom he talked he showed himself to be a man of culture, broad educa.tion, wide travel and. skill in medicine. ''When h:e returned to Beaufort two years ago Geiger was suffering, She said, from sciatica and juangle fev -er, contracted in Africa. For the first year he was very much of an -invalid, -suffered acutely and could ' h-ardly walk with the help of a cane. SHe improved steadiIy and recently has rambled much about the coun :try. taking a keen interest in making ta collection of fossils f,rom t;he phos Sphate beds which abound in the )neighborhood of Beaufort. - ''The two years Geiger has spent tat Beaufort, since his return in Jan .nary. 1906. he has lived at the Sea 7 Island Hotel. During the entire per 1 -d he exchanged telegrams daily Swith Jaimes H. Oliphant, 'his brok er in New York, except during the telegraphers' strike last August. and - then lie went to New York. stating, i however. that lie was going to Char leston. ''Geiger left Beaufort last Tues d day, stating that he was going to At lanta. Before leaving he stated that he had lost heavily in the panic. t His improved health and spirits did .not seem to be in tUhe least affected .and1 he said niothintr abomut a zriev - anee against any oneC. ereiaer was. .however. nat urallv uncommunicative, einz morose. eraitie and easily excit - ed. but was usually quiet, nrever drank and seenmed to live an abstem - ious. simple and regular life. - He has a sister. Miss Carrier Geig - er, who is said to be living in New i ork city. but no other immediate -relative.'' o Dr. Geiger was perh'aps not so well a known in Charleston as in Beaufo;t, a but he had been to tiis city more :than once, and from what informa tion could be gathieed about him last s niht he has always been a reserved man, even before he went abroad for his health several ytears ago. Mue'n of his life was, it is undlerstood, spent ni in Baltimore. and at one timie he liv ed in Atlanta. It is possible that 1 Dr.. (eci'.er may hiave been partly mij 1 :ll)ibr'd. fo sun ersto om. that s h.!le he m.y hsave attendl:d K ing" siav in A ;inia. hie was never the reular Court physician of the Afri can ruler. He went to Abyssinia as physician to the Austrian embassy, having obtained that position while abroad for his health, and his en tire stay in Abyssinia was not uver six months. It was sufficiently long, hhowever, for him to contract jungle fever, from the effects of whieh he continued to suffer up until the time of his death. His reason for going to Beaufort was, in fac.t, the hope that his health migiht thereby be benefited. Remarkable Rescue. That truth is stranger than fic tion, has e c - heli demon strated in the little town of eedora, Tenn., the residence of C. V. Pep per. He writes: "I was in bed, entirely disabled with hemorrihages of the lungs and throat. Doctors fail ed to help me, and all hope had fled when I began taking Dr. King's New Discovery. Then i:istant relief came. The coughing soon ceased; the bleeding diminished rapidly, and in three weeks I was able to go to work." Guaranteed for coughs and colds 50c. ai..i $1 00 at W: E. Pel ham and Son's diug store. Trial bot tle free. BANANAS:-Get a fine bunch of bananas home for Christmas from Theo. Lambry, at wholesale price. 12-13-4t. SALE OF BANK STOCK. I will sail at public auction before the court house at Newberry, S. C., to the highest bidder for cash on the first Monday in January, 1908, five shares of the Newberry National Bank Stock, belonging to the estate of Miss Laura Dreher. W. H. Dreher, Administrater. LOW EXCURSION RATES Via Atlantic Coast Line. Aecount Christmas Holidays. Round trip tickets on, sale Dec. 20, 2-, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31st and Janu ary, 1st. Final return limit January 6th. Fox further information communicate with nearest agent, or write, .T. C. White, -~General Passenger Agt. W. J. Craig, Passenger Traffic Manag'er. Wilmington, N. C. YOUR B THE NEWDERRY Capital $50,000 - No Matter How Small, The Newberry will give it careful at applies to the men and JAS. McINTOSH, President. We Len 1 BuyE We provide easy ter We enable borrower in Monthly Installmeni allowed to meet obliga It is cheaper than pa: 'to save money to buy a Contract. If you want toisave r take a Security Contra Call on A. J. Gibson, Treasurer, at office, cc streets, next door to C SECURITY LAN Al NO2 .TLM.ENT I wi'l nakc i. 1_tticrment in the probate el..:L (1I. ,crry coun ty as guardiht; for Th. Ethel Der rick on Thurzda.1, Dee. 26, 1907, and imme lia.ely Lnereaiter apply to said court for discbarge as guardian of bi -inor's estate. B. J. Derriek, Guardian. CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY RATES. The Charleston and Western Caro lina will sell excursion tickets ac count of the holidays at very low rate for the round trip. Tickets on sale December 20th to 25th, inclu sive, 30th and 31st, 1907 and Jan. 1, 1908. Final limit returning Jan. 6, 1908. For ft .-ther information apply to ticket agents or, Ernest Willia.ms, General Passenger ;en} 807 Broadway, Augusta, ua. THE STANDARD WAREIIOUSE CO. BEGS TO ANNOUNCE: i. Its warehouse receipts are regarded as the highest class of bankable collateral 2 If money can be borrowed on any thing it can be borrowed on the receipt of The Standard Warehouse Company. 3 Banking institutions are familiar with the methods and strict business principles and financial standing of The Standard Warehouse Company, and seek its receipts as a basis of loans. 4. The identical cotton that you place in the warehouse is returned upon sur render of receipts. 5. In case of fire your cotton is paid for at market value, and you have no difficulty as to insurance, the full in surance being maintained by The Stand ard Warehouse Company. 6 All insurance on cotton is main tained at full value in the highest class English and American Insurance Com panies. ..7 The Standard Warehouse Company is absolutely independent of any other organization and conducts its affairs upon strict business methods. 8. The paid up capital stock of The Standard Warehouse Company is $350, ooo.oo, and the company is absolutely safe, and its warehouse receipts come ahead of the stockholders. 9. By having a number of Standard Warehouses constructed so as to comply with insurance regulations and econo mies in general management The Stan dard Warehouse Company offer the cheap est rate compatible with sound business methods, ample insurance and the full est protection of its receipts. ro. The Standard Warel'ouse Company is anxious to have all cotton of farmers and others storea, and offers the mo? comnple te protection and encouragenment for favmers desiring to hold their cotton, 11. Rates will be furnished upon ap plication to Mr. J. D. Wheeler, local manager Standard Warehouse Company, Newberry, S. C. ANKING! SAVINGS BANK - Surplus $30,000 No Matter How Large, Savings Bank ention. This message the women alike. J. E. NORWOOD, 1. Cashier. ii Money lornes! s of payment, sto accumulate a fund , on which interest is tions at maturity. ring rent. If you wani home take a Security roney for any purpose ct. It pays. Asstant Secretary and nner Boyce and Adams peland Brothers. DINVEST NT CO, Hav - :cided t1: genej al mercantil will, beginning E offer our entire Goods, Notions, SI Hats, &c., At CO All goods and fix by January 1st wi AUCT or in bulk, or as w These goods mu that date. Come TheS.S. E Some special loi bacco by the WAN Our friends to know tF to our stock a r TENNEY'S T enney's Cream Cake late Almonds, Korn I nuts, Chocolate Crearr Chocolate, Peanut 2 lows, Zettes, also Mack A nice line of 5c. an< For anything in Si Candy, etc., CALL Broaddus Herald and N NATIONAL BANK OF FIRM FRIENDS, BANING Al You ought to enjoy the frie of hving aBinl Account,'w or little money. It will enab with chechs and avoid mis1 and provide you with a conv your funds and collecting ci Ian account with us. I DIRECTI M. A. Carlisle. H. C. Mo. J. A. Blackwelder. Robt. Noa n C. Matthews. S. B, Aull 11UTIUKI ) go out of the e business we )eceiber 9th, stock of Dry hoes, Clothing, sta tures not sold i be sold at I.O N, e may decide. st be sold by early. irgeCo. u prices on To box. FED! at we have added lce line of CANDY, Chocolate, Choco aIuts, Salted Pea i Drops, Assorted rittle, Marshmel intosh Toffee, &c. I 10c. Box Candy, tationery,~ Cigars, ON ews Office. NEWBERRY8,.G@ D USNESMEHOS ndsipan cnvninc ncshi and drafts.iOpen 3RS: eley. T. B. Carlisle. rris. Geo. Johnstone. Jos. H. Hunter.