Jaquith, Aruthur Bryon 1863-1907

JAQUITH, MCMURRAY

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 6/21/2014 at 12:22:22

Alton Democrat of April 6, 1907

A. B, Jaquith committed suicide in an Omaha park Monday night. He formerly ran the Peavey elevator at Alton and was later traveling auditor for the company. He is well known to many Alton citizens and will be recalled by many farmers who sold grain to him twenty years ago. The press dispatches say concerning him:

Alter two years of struggle to reimburse friends -whom he had involved In an attempt to corner May corn Jacqulth shot himself through the head in Krug's park at Omaha. The body was found in a pile of brush. At the time of his death he was president of the Exchange Grain company, vice president of the Nebraska Underwriters Insurance company, member of the Chicago board of trade and of the Omaha Grain exchange.

Twoyears ago Jaquith—who was prominent in the grain commission business and one of the originators of the Omaha Grain exchange—conceived the idea that he could corner May corn in the northwest. He had made money while manager for the Peavey company in Sioux City and was worth $60000. When he attempted the corner in corn he put not only his own resources into the margins but lined up a number of his friends to assist him in the attempt. When things broke loose and it became apparent that ruination faced all those who had put confidence in the scheme Jaquith went crazy. For a time it was thought he would take his own life the moment he could be alone.

Accordingly Mrs. Jaquith kept a close watch and two years have gone by since the attempted corner on May corn. George Lowe of Cedar Raplds a brother of Mrs. Jaquith—arrived in Omaha Monday and during the evening Jaquith left two notes on a table and went out of the house. A few hours later the letters were discovered. They were both addressed to Lowe. One said: "Remain at home until I return." The other said: "Take care my wife and children—I am going—Jaquith." As soon as the letters were found a search was started to find the man whom his wile knew to be demented by his losses. Not until nearly four o'clock Tuesday morning was his body discovered in the brush at Krug's park. A revolver which was found beside him told the story, Jaquith had two daughters and a son besides his wife. He had a brilliant financial career and between the time he left Sioux City in 1890 and his promotion to president of the Exchange Grain company of Omaha he made more than $100000 in the grain commission business.

Messers Folger and Slagle and others in Alton remember Jaquith well and have met him in recent years. They describe him as one of the coolest and most levelheaded fellows they ever knew and recall also that be was noted for his jolly disposition. It is said that his health in the last few years has failed. Mr. Folger saw him something over a year ago and says he was a nervous wreck to all appearances.

(This unfortunate man was Arthur Byron Jaquith born 14 Feb 1863 Cedar Falls IA died 1 April 1907 Omaha NE. Son of Cyrus Franklin Jaquith and Eunice Knapp, married Agnes McMurray, had three children Arthur, Eleanor and Alice. He was in the local area about 1885-1900 )