More on the Suicide of the Manager of the Pelham Manor Golf Club on Prospect Hill in 1899

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Yesterday's Historic Pelham article detailed a little of the history of the Pelham Manor Golf Club founded in 1895 by a group of leading socialites from Pelham Manor and New Rochelle.  The tiny golf course was located between today's Washington Avenue and the New York City Boundary and opened on November 6, 1895.  The article noted that the golf course seems to have ended operations after the 1899 season, less than four years after its founding.  The demise of the club seems to have been tied to the founding of the first Pelham Country Club in 1898 with its beautiful nine hole golf course located nearby and the suicide of the manager of the Pelham Manor Golf Club after the close of the golf season in 1899.  Today's Historic Pelham article sheds more light on the terrible suicide of that club manager, Frederick B. Russell.

Frederick B. Russell was the manager, groundskeeper, greenskeeper, and superintendent of the Pelham Manor Golf Club during what appears to be the club's last season in 1899.  He was born in Hudson, New York.  Some reports say he was 35 years old in 1899.  Others say he was 40.  All agree that he was unmarried and had no children.  Russell came from an affluent New York family.

For many years, Russell was employed as a clerk with Davis Collamore & Co.  According to one source:

"Davis Collamore & Co. was a high-end New York City importer of porcelain and glass, headed by Davis Collamore (7 October 1820 — 13 August 1887). The firm, rivals to Tiffany & Co. and Black, Starr & Frost, commissioned designs from Copeland Spode and Thomas Minton Sons, that featured hand-painted details over transfer-printed outlines and often rich gilding."

Source:  "Davis Collamore & Co." in Wikipedia -- The Free Encyclopedia (visited Jun. 17, 2017).  

Russell seems to have lost his clerk position at Davis Collamore & Co. in about 1896.  He turned to the Russell family lawyer, William C. Findlay, for help.  

Findlay had a law office at 19 Liberty Street in New York City.  He provided Frederick Russell with a desk and space in his law office to permit Russell to operate a small real estate business from his law offices.

Russell's real estate business turned out to be a bust.  Over time he attended to the business less and less.  He also spent less and less time at Findlay's offices.  At least one source suggests he was drinking.

It is not known for certain when Russell began working as manager of the Pelham Manor Golf Club.  Sources suggest that although he was in ill health during the summer of 1899, he was hired to manage the club on July 29, 1895 by notable Pelham Manor resident and club member William B. Randall.  It appears that Russell served the club from that date until the end of the 1899 golf season (in November of that year).

While working as Pelham Manor Golf Club manager, Russell lived with an elderly relative named H. H. Hadley at 451 South Seventh Avenue in Mount Vernon.  Hadley was a retired lawyer.  Russell occasionally worked as secretary to Hadley. 

On Monday, December 4, 1895, Russell entered Henry Dreyfus' "Devil's Island Hotel" (known as the Dreyfus House) on Main Street in New Rochelle.  Dreyfus later claimed that Russell told him that he had been employed as manager of the Pelham Manor Golf Club and that his financial accounts were $60 short (some reports said $65 short).  He claimed that the Club had "threatened him with arrest" unless he repaid the money by 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6, 1899.  

Early in the morning on Wednesday, December 6, Russell approached Dreyfus again and asked to borrow $60.  Dreyfus refused to loan him the money.  Dreyfus later claimed that upon refusal of the requested loan, Russell said that he "would commit suicide before he would allow himself to be arrested."   

A little before 2:00 p.m. that same day, Frederick Russell went to Brady's Hotel on Main Street in New Rochelle.  Brady's Hotel was operated by Alderman Daniel B. Brady who also served as bartender in the hotel bar.  Russell ordered a drink and seated himself in the bar area for a while.  Once the bartender's attention was diverted by another customer, Russell quietly slipped into an anteroom and sat down there.

At about 2:00 p.m., Frederick B. Russell pulled out a loaded pistol and held it to his chest.    He pointed the muzzle directly at his heart and pulled the trigger.

The crack of the gunshot startled all.  Russell was found on the floor with a gunshot wound to his chest.  Dr. O. N. Raymond, who lived across the street from Brady's Hotel, was summoned and was on the scene within three minutes.  It was too late.  Russell already was dead.  

The body was taken charge by Coroner Banning of Mount Vernon.  It was removed to Davis' morgue in Mount Vernon.  

Within days newspapers throughout the region blared headlines and news that Russell had shot himself over a $60 (or $65) debt owed to the Pelham Manor Golf Club.  One headline, for example, read:  "SHOT HIMSELF FOR LACK OF $60. -- Manager of the Pelham Manor Golf Links Committed Suicide Rather Than Face Arrest."

Suicide over a minor debt made for sensational news, even if the news was not true.  On December 9, 1895, though only two days before it had published a prominent story about the suicide and the debt that reputedly was owed on page 2, the New York Times published a tiny reference buried on page 16 stating, in its entirety, as follows:

"The statement that Frederick B. Russell, manager of the Pelham Manor golf links, who committed suicide  in a hotel at New Rochelle on Wednesday, was worried over his inability to raise $65 which he desired to pay to the club, has elicited from George K. Perry, Secretary of the club, a statement that nothing was owing to it by Mr. Russell.  Mr. Perry says the dead man left the club's employ at the termination of the Summer season with his accounts correct."

We may never know why Frederick B. Russell, manager of the Pelham Manor Golf Club, killed himself that day.  Some reports indicated he was in ill health and may have lapsed into dementia.  Others suggested he was in financial distress.  It does not appear, however, that he was threatened with arrest for a minor debt owed to the Pelham Manor Golf Club.

Hand Colored Half Tone Depicting a Golf Match in 1895.

"A LONG PUTT TO HALVE THE HOLE. -- DRAWN BY A. B. FROST."

1895 Hand Colored Half-Tone.  15 1/2 x 11 Inches.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.  

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Below is the text of a number of articles that touch on the subject of today's Historic Pelham article.  Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"SUICIDE IN BRADY'S HOTEL.
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Frederick B. Russell, a Native of Hudson, N.Y., Kills Himself.

Frederick B. Russell, until recently greenkeeper [sic] of the Pelham Manor Golf Club, committed suicide Wednesday afternoon in this city.  He went into the saloon of Alderman Daniel B. Brady, in Main street, and while the attention of the bartender was attracted to another customer seated himself at a table in a rear apartment and put a bullet through his heart.

Doctor O. N. Raymond, whose residence is diagonally opposite the hotel, was summoned.  When he arrived, in less than three minutes after the shooting, Russell was dead.

Russell was about forty years old, and for many years had been a clerk with Davis Collamore & Co., importers of crockery, in New York city.  A few years ago he opened a real estate office at No. 19 Liberty street but as business grew slowly he closed it up.  On July 29 last his health became poor and he took charge of the links of the Pelham Country Club [sic] as superintendent and greenkeeper [sic], and continued there until about two weeks ago, when he lost his place, it is said, from drinking.  Russell was well educated and came of a good family, and it is supposed that he brooded over his misfortunes and failing health until he became demented.  The body was taken in charge by Coroner Banning, of Mount Vernon, and removed to Davis' morgue.

Russel's home was at No. 451 South Seventh ave., Mount Vernon, where he had an elderly relative, H. H. Hadley, a retired lawyer, to whom he sometimes acted as secretary.  Russell came originally from Hudson.  He was not married.

Henry Dreyfus, proprietor of the Dreyfus House on Main street near Drake avenue, which Russell frequented, made a statement that Russell had informed him that he had fallen $65 behind in his accounts with the golf club, and would have to settle at 2 o'clock Wednesday.  He told Dreyfus, so the latter says, that unless he obtained the money before that time he would kill himself.  The officials of the club deny that Russell was short in his accounts.  The body will be taken to Hudson this morning."

Source:  SUICIDE IN BRADY'S HOTEL -- Frederick B. Russell, a Native of Hudson, N.Y., Kills Himself, New Rochelle Pioneer, Dec. 9, 1899, Vol. 41, 38, p. 1, col. 1.  

"SHOT HIMSELF FOR LACK OF $60.
-----
Manager of the Pelham Manor Golf Links Committed Suicide Rather Than Face Arrest.
-----

NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y., Wednesday. -- Frederick B. Russell, who, according to cards found in his pockets, had a real estate office at No. 19 Liberty street, New York city, committed suicide by shooting himself through the heart in Alderman Daniel B. Brady's hotel on the Boston Post road, at two o'clock this afternoon.

Very little is known of Russell in this city.  He was employed as manager at the Pelham Manor golf links.  

Russell was in Henry Dreyfus' Devil's Island Hotel, in Main street, on Monday.  Dreyfus said to-night that Russell had been employed for the Pelham Manor Club by William B. Randall and his accounts were $60 short.  The club had given him until this afternoon to make good his default and had threatened him with arrest unless he did so.  He tried to borrow $60 from Dreyfus this morning, and when the loan was refused he said he would commit suicide before he would allow himself to be arrested.  Dreyfus believed he made this remark simply to show that he was desperately in need of the money.  Russell was thirty-five years old and unmarried.

-----

Russell Had Been a Real Estate Broker in William C. Findlay's Office.  

At the office of William C. Findlay, in No. 19 Liberty street, who is attorney for the Russell family, it was said yesterday that Russell had had desk room with Mr. Findlay up to about three months ago.  He had done something as a real estate broker, but had not been very successful."

Source:  SHOT HIMSELF FOR LACK OF $60 -- Manager of the Pelham Manor Golf Links Committed Suicide Rather Than Face Arrest, N.Y. Herald, Dec. 7, 1899, p. 8, col. 5.  

"GOLF CLUB MANAGER'S SUICIDE.
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Frederick B. Russell of the Pelham Manor Links Shoots Himself.

NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y., Dec. 6. -- Frederick B. Russell, manager of the Pelham Manor golf links and formerly a real estate broker, with an office at 19 Liberty Street, Manhattan, shot and killed himself to-day in Alderman Daniel D. Brady's hotel here.  He had been connected with the golf club about two months.  He had a room there, and took table board at the home of a relative at 451 South Seventh Street, Mount Vernon.  Business troubles are supposed to have led to the suicide.

According to Henry Dreyfus, proprietor of the Dreyfus House, who made a statement to the police, Mr. Russell was worried over his inability to raise $65, which he desired to pay to the club.

Mr. Russell was about forty years old, and had been employed with Davis, Collamore & Co., glassware up to about three years ago.  William C. Findlay, attorney for the Russell family, said that Mr. Russell had not been well of late, and he knew of no reason for the suicide unless ill-health had brought about despondency.  Mr. Russell came originally from Hudson, N. Y."

Source:  GOLF CLUB MANAGER'S SUICIDE -- Frederick B. Russell of the Pelham Manor Links Shoots Himself, N.Y. Times, Dec. 7, 1899, p. 2, col. 3.  

"BROKER COMMITS SUICIDE.
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Frederick B. Russell, of This City, Shoots Himself in a Cafe at New Rochelle.
-----

Frederick B. Russell shot himself through the heart yesterday afternoon in an anteroom of Alderman Daniel A. Brady's hotel at New Rochelle.  Russell was a real estate broker, and had an office at 19 Liberty street, Manhattan.  He entered the hotel about an hour before he shot himself and called for a drink.  He remained about the cafe, and when he entered the anteroom nothing was thought of it.

Russell had been in this vicinity only a few days, passing most of his time on the links of the Pelham Manor Golf Club.  He stopped at a hotel on the Boston post road.  There were no papers in his pockets to show why he killed himself.

Mr. Russell, it was said, lived in Seventh avenue, Mount Vernon, and came of a prominent family.  It is understood that his health was not of the best, and that of late he had gone to his office at infrequent intervals."

Source:  BROKER COMMITS SUICIDE -- Frederick B. Russell, of This City, Shoots Himself in a Cafe at New Rochelle, The Morning Telegraph [NY, NY], Dec. 7, 1899, p. 4, col. 6.  

"Mr. Russell Not in Debt to the Club.

The statement that Frederick B. Russell, manager of the Pelham Manor golf links, who committed suicide  in a hotel at New Rochelle on Wednesday, was worried over his inability to raise $65 which he desired to pay to the club, has elicited from George K. Perry, Secretary of the club, a statement that nothing was owing to it by Mr. Russell.  Mr. Perry says the dead man left the club's employ at the termination of the Summer season with his accounts correct."

Source:  Mr. Russell Not in Debt to the Club, N.Y. Times, Dec. 9, 1899, p. 16, col. 2.  

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