A SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1052, 27 June 1883, Page 3

A SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.

No small sensation has been created (says the Paris correspondent of the Times ) by the suicide of M. Biedermann, a wholesale oildealer, in consequence of rash speculations : He bought a revolver and cartridges on the plea of going on a journey, took it away loaded, visited his two warehouses, and bade the cashier join him at half-past 12 at the counting-house of his bank and warehouse and partner, M, Carlin. All this time he had discussed topics of business, and shown no suspicious symptoms; but on arriving at M. Carlin’s establishment he deliberately shot himself. He had organised a “ ring,” which had bought up 45 million kilogrammes of colza oil in Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg and, thus securing a monopoly, had run the price up from 75f to tolOof or 11 Of. Indeed, it may be said that the Parisians, who use very little gas in private houses, have all through the winter been paying a high price for oil for the benefit of the Biedermann ring. Of date, however, there have been symptoms of a re-action, and between Thursday and Saturday prices for cash fell from 106f to 88f. ' M. Biedermann had sufficient funds to meet his liabilities up to August, but had no prospect of then avoiding ruin, and hence his suicide. But a few years ago he was a clerk at 1800f a year. Mr Carlin detected his business qualities, and opened the way for him, on one occasion lending him 300,000f in a lump. They were partners in this last speculation, but,, it is supposed that the deceased fancied he had some cause for resentment, and on this account committed suicide at the bank in order to foil any attempt at hushing the matter up, There is still, however, some mystery in the affair.