“Wednesday forenoon about half-past 11 o’clock JN Lutz1, the well-known photographer, was discovered running rapidly from the direction of Jack Cropper’s saloon, diagonally across the street towards his own residence. Charley Wertz was driving along in his buggy at the time, and slightly reigning in his horse said:”
“Hello, Jack, What’s your hurry?”
“Cause enough for hurry, for the reaper, Death, was close upon the heels of the unfortunate man, with his spear poised to strike. It was an unequal race, for every step the doomed man took he felt the cloud gathering around him, felt the icy breath of the King of Terrors upon his face, saw the earth and its objects grow dark, and felt the muscles and nerves of his heart relaxing. He continued to run, knowing that the barbed arrow of the Terror in a very few moments would pierce his vitals and he would feel the waters of the dark river around him. He reached his front door, turned the knob and rushed into the presence of his family. He pulled out his pocket book and keys and tossed them into the lap of his daughter Sallie. The arrow struck, and he fell on the carpet a struggling, gasping, dying, man.”
“In a few minutes he was dead.”
“There were few citizens bettern known in Portsmouth than JN Lutz, and when it became known that he had taken poison with suicidal intent the excitement was intense and the shock great.”
“When Drs. Lottridge2 and Rardin3 arrived he was still breathing, but heavily. The stomach pump was inserted, but all to no purpose, for he had taken cyanide of potassium, and the nature of this deadly drug is to immediately cause a relaxation of the muscles of the heart and entire collapse of the organ, causing death in a few minutes. The doctors did not know at the time what he had taken, and of course did right to take all the chances by inserting the stomach pump. Death followed very soon after the fall of the unfortunate manto the floor. He died surrounded by his wailing family, in his own sumptuous parlor, with costly pictures of his own deft artistic work looking wonderingly down from their polished frames.
“Dr. Lottridge thinks the theory that he took the poison in Cropper’s saloon cannot be the correct one, as he would not have had time to run so far before falling, so quick is the drug in its action. But Mrs. Lutz says he carried the poison with him to the saloon in a small vial, concealed in his pocket, and calling for whisky, poured out the liqour and when the bar keeper was not looking poured the poison into the liquor and drank it off.”
“Cyanide of potassium is used by photographers in the process of printing and developing. The cyanide is sold in the form of white crystals, very hard and brittle. The photographers make it into a solution, mixed with other materials. It is then a liquid, in a broad shallow dish called a ‘bath,’ which every one has noticed who has been around photograph galleries, and in which the ‘prints’ are placed prior to being finished off. GH Stillman4, an old and experienced photographer, thinks the preparation would not be strong enough to kill if taken in as small quantity as it would have been taken if the unfortunate man took it in his whisky.”
“JN Lutz came to Portsmouth from Pomeroy in 1873, purchasing the photographic establishment of GH Stillman, taking charge November 1st of that year. The gallery was in a frame building on the site of the present brick one. He was 47 years of age and a native of Baden, Germany, but came to America when quite young, living with his parents in Philadelphia. Later he came to Cincinnati, and was employed at the large and well-known photograph establishment of Porter5, on Fourth street. He was a bright teachable boy, and was at first employed to do chores and drive the horse for Mr. Porter in going to and from his residence back of Covington, in his carriage.
“At that time GH Stillman, of this city, was a young man, and a full-fledged operator at Porter’s. He speaks in the highest terms of the boy Lutz, and the two were warm friends until Lutz’s unfortunate and tragic death. Mr. Stillman says young Lutz progressed rapidly, and soon came to be a first-class photographic printer, that being his specialty. He ranked high and could always command the best positions and the highest salaries. He and Stillman worked together for Porter for many years, and were afterwards together at the gallery of JW Winder6 & Company. After this he went to Pomeroy and purchased a gallery, where he made a great deal of money, then came to Portsmouth and bought out Mr. Stillman. He always made money here, and took high rank for the character of his work, and rebuilt, enlarged and improved his gallery for a year and went to Philadelphia and remained there a year, then returned and took charge of his business at the old stand. He was married in Philadelphia to Miss Annie Justice, who survives him with his bright and pretty children. These are Misses Sallie, Lily, Louis, John, Royal, Rena and Madeline. Lou is married, and has had the principal oversight of the business for some time, and will continue to run the gallery.”
“There are many rumors afloat in regard to the probable causes which led to the fatal act. Whatever the predisposing and indirect motives were, there is no doubt that the immediate and most potent influence was a disposition to morbid brooding. No odds what reason, real or imaginary, there is for brooding and introspection, all experts in mental philosophy agree that it is a state of mind to be avoided, and thrown off at all hazards. Its natural sequence is insanity or suicide, and perhaps both. The theory that he was financially embarrassed was probably incorrect, and he is known to have been a prudent and forehanded man of business, and what is termed a ‘money maker.'”
“His business was always good. He had a bank account and building association stock. Several months ago he began the erection of a house on Second street, and it is said he was dissatisfied with the plan of the same, and worried much about it after it was too late to make alterations. He certainly has appeared moody and abnormal for several months, from some cause or other. His wife says his mind appeared unbalanced, and that he had repeatedly threatened to take his own life, necessitating his being frequently watched by his family. She says he was worried over the new house, and frequently paced the floor in moody abstraction. To his life-long friend, GH Stillman, he communicated troubles of a different character-those of a personal nature.”
“Said he, ‘You know how it is yourself George; I am getting old, and my eyesight is failing, and in my business, as you well know, a good and true eye is a necessary qualification.’ To Mr. Stillman he complained of approaching age, though in truth he was only in his prime. He was afraid business would leave him, and that after awhile he would become poor -a thoroughly morbid and unnecessary borrowing of trouble, a bearing of an imaginary burden. His health was not good. He was dyspeptic and troubled with heart disease. Many will recall his having been stricken down in Wilhelm’s Opera House one night during a place, from this cause, and carried home.”
It is said that manias of different kinds, including suicides, go in waves, and attack a community the same as epidemics. In truth it is held by many that epidemics are largely of the imagination and go in waves, or crazes. If this theory is correct it adds a startling interest to the tragic events in this city of the past week. Mr. Lutz had undoubtedly been brooding and contemplating suicide for a long time. Tuesday the city was startled by the report that a woman on Eight street had committed suicide. As usual in such cases the affair was discussed in all its lights and shades, and duly exaggerated. But it was doubtless not without its effect upon the morbid consciousness of poor Lutz. Following close upon this came the awful shock of Wednesday morning, when the news was spread broadcast of the shocking suicide the night before of young Ray Lyon, in Hacquard’s gun store. The air was full of this dreadful occurrence all the forenoon, and undoubtedly had the effect of completely unhinging the already shattered mind of Lutz, causing him to precipitate the deed he had meditated for many months. At the very moment everybody was discussing the Lyon tragedy, Lutz was seen to make his last fatal run, with poison in his blood, for his own door.”
“The funeral took place yesterday afternoon from his late residence, the Reverend HL Badger7, of All Saints Episcopal church, officiating.”8
- John N. Lutz
- Dr. William McClellan Lottridge
- Joseph Spangler Rardin
- George Henry Stillman
- William Southgate Porter
- John Wildman Winder
- Henesy Leonard Badger
- Swift and sure: tragic death of jn lutz the photographer. (1891, January 10). Portsmouth Times, p. 1.
