1909 Suicide of Union Parish Louisiana Woman
Submitted by:       Shawn Martin
Date of Submission: 12/2008

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1909 Suicide of Union Parish Louisiana Woman

From the Biloxi, Mississippi "Daily Herald", issue of 10 September 1909
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                     Orleanian Cuts Throat in New York Hotel
             Member of Prominent Wholesale Grocery firm Committed Suicide
                     Widow now visiting town of Ocean Springs
              No Cause Assigned for Act—Had Spent a Good Deal of Money—
                       Handsome Estate Was Left by His Father.

New York, Sept. 7 — A man who registered under the name of Theodore L. Schmidt, of 
New Orleans, committed suicide in the Gilsey House today by cutting his throat with 
a razor.  Papers found in his effects indicate that he was a member of the wholesale 
grocery firm of Schmidt & Zeigler of New Orleans.

                                HAD SPENT MUCH MONEY.

New Orleans, Sept. 7 — None of the members of Mr. Schmidt’s family who were seen 
would discuss the caused leading to his suicide.  All of them were visibly shocked 
by the tragedy in New York and were especially solicitous to keep it from his aged 
mother, who is now at Ocean City, on the upper Atlantic coast.

   One gentleman who knew more or less of the young man’s affairs, said that he had 
used up a good deal of money in one way and another since his father’s death, who 
left a large estate, estimated at bout a million dollars, to his children.  He was 
once a director in a large firm left by his father, embarking later in business on 
his own account, but was not engaged in any regular pursuit at the time of his death.

   The head of the family was the late William B. Schmidt, founder of the large 
wholesale grocery firm of Schmidt & Zeigler.  James Schmidt, one of the sons, 
himself a member of the firm, had received a brief notice of his brother’s act 
before noon, and its effect upon him was still obvious when the reporter visited 
the store.

                                  LEAVES ONE SON.

   “I can give you no information about it at all,” he said.  “My brother was about 
thirty-six years old, and he left New Orleans a few days ago in robust health.  Our 
mother is very old and we want to keep the news from her if possible.  The body will 
be brought to New Orleans for interment, and the funeral arrangements will be 
announced later.”

   The widow of the dead man is said to be at Ocean Springs, Miss., the guest of 
a sister-in-law.  She was a Miss Bougiere of Union parish, and they have one son.  
The family had made its home at 1240 Louisiana Avenue.

 
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