LOUIS EDWARD HILL OBITUARY, ERIE COUNTY, NEW YORK

Copyright(c) 2002 by Margaret Logan-Behrns

http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm
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SOURCE: BUFFALO EVENING NEWS -VOL.XXXIV-NO. 145 - September 27, 1897 

TRAGIC DEATH OF LOUIS E. HILL 

PAYING TELLER OF THE ELLICOTT SQUARE BANK DROWNS HIMSELF IN CHICAGO RIVER 

He Was Short In His Accounts 2000 Dollars And Disappeared A Week Ago Saturday 
He Lost On the Races 
And The Day Before He Went Away He "Plunged" To Win It Back 
Young Man Had Friends Who Would Gladly Have Helped Him 

Information was received from Chicago police yesterday that the body of Louis Edward Hill,
paying teller of the Ellicott Square Bank of this city, and a young man highly connected, had
been found in the Chicago river. Young Hill had been missing from Buffalo for a week.  It now
appears that he had taken money from the bank, where he had been a trusted employe for 6 years,
and driven to despair, apparently, by meditating over it, through himself into the river rather
than face influential friends, who would gladly have helped him. The details of the drowning,
which is generally believed to have been a premeditated suicide, are contained in the following
special dispatch from Chicago.

CHICAGO, Ill. Sept, 27 - Special

The body of Louis E. Hill of Buffalo, was found floating in the river in front of the Western
Transportation Company's dock, 376 North Water street, early yesterday morning. With the aid of
a river man Policeman Radian towed the body ashore and the East Chicago Avenue police removed
the remains to Rolston's Undertaking Rooms, No. 22 Adams street.  The Chicago police had been
looking for him for his family for a week, but could find no trace of him. In the man's pockets
were found $40, a gold watch and chain, a gold ring, a complimentary ticket of admission to
Buffalo Yacht Club and a complimentary ticket of permission to store his bicyle in the Ellicott
Square Bank Building in Buffalo.  There was also a receipt for a mortgage in one of his
pockets.  This bore a date of Buffalo New York August 26, 1897. The body had evidently been in
the water several days, but precisely what time had elapsed could not be told.  The coat and
overcoat were closely buttoned and from that fact it is surmised that his death came during one
of the recent chilly days.  The Buffalo relatives of Mr. Hill were notified and his brother,
Henry W. Hill is in this city to take charge of the remains. Young Hill was under a bond of
$10,000. The Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland were the surety.  But as soon as the bank
officials informed the family of the shortage they made the amount good.

TWO LETTERS RECEIVED

Last Tuesday afternoon the sisters of the young man received a letter from him, dated at
Chicago. All it said was; "Forgive me if you can. Goodbye, Louis". This was the first
intimation that the family had of the young man's whereabouts. The brevity and tone of the
missive alarmed them. They wrote letters to him asking him to come home, telling him they had
straightened his affairs, and even put advertisements in Chicago papers requesting him to
return. They heard nothing more from him until Saturday morning, when Charles B. Hill, the
well-known lawyer, who is a brother, received a package containing $1000 in currency.  There
was no message in it. The family had hoped then that the young man was alive, but yesterday
they received the sad news that his body had been found floating in the Chicago river. Charles
B. Hill immediately telegraphed to the Chicago police to hold the body until the arrival of a
member of the family.  Last night Henry S. Hill, the real estate man, who is also the brother
of the dead man, went to Chicago to bring the body home. He is expected to arrive here with it
tonight. The family believes that the young man commited suicide in a fit of despair.  They say
he had such a good conscience and such a high sense of honor that he doubtless was afraid to
come back home and face his friends.  They attribute his act of taking money from the bank to
loses at the races at Fort Erie. Lewis Edward Hill was about 25 years old.  He lived with three
unmarried sisters at 801 Fargo avenue.  He had an excellent reputation, scores of friends and
was very popular. He was sociable and a jovial companion, but, although a man of many intimate
acquaintences, he never confided in anyone.  Had he done so in this trouble which came upon his
friends would have been glad to help him. Young Hill was in the habit of visiting friends at
Orchard Park, Erie county, almost every Saturday during the summer months.  One week ago
Saturday, after his work was done, he left the city, presumably to spend Sunday in the country.
He went away without saying a word to anyone. Monday morning when the bank opened for business,
Hill did not appear. The officials were at a lose to account for his absence. They communicated
with his sisters. They had not heard anything of him. They supposed he had gone out to Orchard
Park. When Tuesday came and nothing was heard from him, the bank officials examined the young
man's accounts and found he was short $2000. 

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