Attempted Saioide of a Rothschild

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3743, 23 February 1891, Page 2

Attempted Saioide of a Rothschild

Paris, January 10.

The report of the attempted suicide of Gustave Rothschild recently has been confirmed. He had, it seems, made the most careful arrangements to end his life. His papers were put in order, and a careful inventory of bis bequests made. His family were provided for, and a letter was partly prepared explaining why he no longer cared to face the world. He made it known that he had lost £5,000,000 by speculating in London and m Colonel North's scheme, which had produced the usual embarrasment, and which also would probably bring upon him the well-known ostracism that the Rothschilds mete out to any member of the family whose acts tend to lower their credit or injure their social standing. He wished to avoid the humiliation visited on his relatives in Paris who had been "sat upon" ever since he accidentally permitted a note tp go to prqtast in Naples.

The letter, it seems, was finished with the exception of the signature. He then told his servant to clear up his desk, then he sent for a qup of coffee and some cigarettes. When the valet returned noiselessly to the library he was horrified to find his master in the act of placing a revolver under his chin. In an instant the valet dashed forward and knocked aside the weapon at the moment when Rothschild, hearing him, decided to pull the trigger. The servant then grappled with his employer until be got the pistol away, when he pulled the b«ll a number of times and alarmed the household. During the scuffle the pistol was twice discharged, the second shot passing through an oil portrait of Gustavo's mptker. The affair was kept very quiet, both here ajid in Vienna, but as usual the details have leaked put through some of the unfortunate gentleman's retainers.