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General First nameJohn Albert
LastnameRyerson
GenderMale
CountryUnited States of America
Date of birth1866-01-25
Place of birthNew York, United States of America
Date of death1910-05-16
Place of deathChicago, Illinois, United States of America


About

From The Chicago Tribune, 19 May 1910:

“John A. Ryerson jumps to death – Plunges from the thirteenth floor down inner court of the Chamber of Commerce building – Business worry hinted – Investment in motor company brought burden that caused mental lapse, brother thinks.

“Under a sudden suicidal impulse, induced, as it is thought, by worry over business troubles, John A. Ryerson of 150 East Superior Street, automobile manufacturer, university graduate, ended his life at 6:20 o’clock last evening by leaping over a railing on the thirteenth floor of the Chamber of Commerce building and plunging to the ground floor of the inner court.

“Only one person, E.J. Pudic, is known to have witnessed the suicidal act. ‘I had just left an office on the thirteenth floor of the building,’ said Mr Pudik, ‘when my attention was attracted to a man at the railing near the northwest corner of the court. I saw him raise his hands high in the air and throw himself over the railing. I rushed to where he had been standing and peered down over the railing. His body was then lying on the ground floor of the court.’

“There were few persons in the building at the time, and the only one whose attention was attracted immediately by the tragedy was Gus Hansen of 1663 Mozart Street, the night watchman. ‘I was standing near the elevators, at the front of the building,’ said Mr Hansen, ‘when I heard a dull sound and felt the floor tremble. I looked around and saw the body of a man lying on the floor.’

“Whether Mr Ryerson was impelled suddenly to end his life after he had reached the thirteenth floor of the building, or was drawn there by the strange lure that is said to have laid hold on other men who have killed themselves in a similar manner and in the same building within the last few years is a matter of doubt.

“So far as the police could learn, Mr Ryerson had no business that called him to the Chamber of Commerce building, nor it is believed, did he know any of the persons occupying the offices on the thirteenth floor. It appears possible that further inquiry will show that he had visited an office in the building just before he ended his life.

“But John Willman of 612 North May Street, janitor of the building, informed the police that he had noticed a man resembling Mr Ryerson on the thirteenth floor of the building, and he said the man had been walking back and forth near the railing of the court for half an hour before Mr Ryerson leaped to his death.

“Evidence tending to show, as the police say, that Mr Ryerson had determined upon suicide was found in a memorandum book in a pocket of his clothing. On a leaf of this book, underneath the name of Julie Ryerson White of Montclair, New Jersey, who was a cousin of Mr Ryerson, had been written these words, presumably an attempted Bible quotation: ‘I will both lay me down in peace to sleep, for thou Lord only maketh me dwell in safety.’

“Aside from the cousin’s name, and the quoted line, the book contained nothing but the name and address of Mr Ryerson’s brother, Dr Edwin W. Ryerson of 753 Lincoln Park Boulevard. It is the expressed belief of the police that the names and the quotations were intended by Mr Ryerson to be a farewell message to Mr Ryerson’s relatives.

“That financial reverses served as the main cause of Mr Ryerson’s suicide was indicated by a rough statement of account of the affairs of the Ideal Electric Company, of which he was the president, which was found in a pocket of his clothing, and by the statement of his brother, Dr Ryerson. A statement of Mr Ryerson’s account with the company seemed to show he had put $35,300 into it since last November. The figures appeared to show a total investment in the concern of $35,424, and present assets of $48,305.

“‘I did not know much about my brother’s business,’ said Dr Ryerson, ‘but of late he seemed at times depressed and greatly worried over the progress of the firm’s affairs. At other times he was optimistic. I know that he had invested a greater part of his money in the company and he was in fact the financial end of it. If my brother ended his life and I can hardly believe that he did. It must have been during a sudden attack of insanity brought on by business worry. He always was a man of normal mentality, and we all relied upon him for sound advice in business matters. The automobile business was strange to him.’

“‘I don’t believe his financial affairs caused Mr Ryerson to commit suicide,’ C.J. Holdredge, secretary and sales manager of the Ideal Company said. ‘Ours is a new company, started only last fall, but our business has been growing steadily, and there is nothing about it that should have caused discouragement to any of us. I saw him at noon, and he was at work at the company plant this morning. His demeanour was the same as usual.

“‘He has been more quiet and reticent for several months than formerly, following what threatened to be a nervous breakdown. We urged him to take a rest at the time and have given him the same advice since, but our work has been heavy and he has insisted on staying with it.’

“Mr Ryerson was the son of Mrs George W. [Sarah] Ryerson of 645 Cass Street. He was married in 1905, to Violet E. Stone, the only daughter of the Reverend James S. Stone, rector of Saint James’ Episcopal church. There is only one child, Albert, 18 months old. Dr and Mrs Stone are now travelling in Italy and Mrs Ryerson was alone at home when she was informed of her husband’s death.

“Mr Ryerson was 44 years old, and a native of New York city. He was graduated from Columbia University in the class of 1885, and with his mother and brother came soon afterward to Chicago. He was a member of the University and Onwentsia clubs. About fifteen years ago, Mr Ryerson, first with Winfield Carver, and later with S. T. Chase, won two western tennis championships.”

Media


Archive statistics Career1886 - 1907
Tournament wins0
Matches49
Match wins25


Tournaments Western States Championships - 1907 US Open - 1903 Niagara International Tournament - 1903 Western States Championships - 1901 US Open - 1900 Niagara International Tournament - 1900 Western States Championships - 1898 US Open - 1897 Western States Championships - 1897 US Open - 1895 Western States Championships - 1892 US Open - 1891 Western States Championships - 1891 US Open - 1890 Western States Championships - 1890 Narragansett - 1890 Wentworth Invitation - 1890 US Open - 1889 Narragansett - 1889 US Open - 1888 Narragansett - 1888 Central New York amateur Championships - 1888 Far and Near LTC Open Tournament - 1886 Orange Spring Tournament - 1886