Show Suicide of Ferdinand Van Zandt BUTTE Mont March 5ESpecial telegram tele-gram to TIE HEKALD Last Monday the community here was startled by the news that the property of the Blue Bird Mining company was attached for debt for a large amount and as its principal stockholder Mr F Van Zandt was in Europe it was hoped that his return which was announced an-nounced for the early part of this month would end all cf the difficulties Next cams the news that Van Zandt died suddenly sud-denly in London with no other particulars Although many suspected the actual cause of his death it was not learned uednitely until today when full particulars of the coroners inquest was received by cable It appeared that Van Zandt who is the soninlaw of Sir John Lubbock the eminent English scientist and banker went London to raise means to tide him over the present difficulties He met his wifes relatives and endeavored to persuade per-suade them to advance the needed funds but they positively refused and accused Van Zandt of snuanderine millions of the I familys money in the Blue bird mine and kindred enterprises and emphatically declined de-clined to advance additional means After the second interview which was of a very I stormy nature Van Zandt returned to Browns hotel wrote a letter to his wife I and shot himself Ho has been buried in London Mrs Van Zandt is in Menlo Park Cal and has been informed of the occurrence The direct cause of Van Zandts difficulties difficul-ties was the inextricable litigation he became be-came involved in regarding his mines and most of which was regarded as a blackmailing black-mailing scheme The mines have always been profitable but are now in the hands I of the sheriff and it is believed the present i company will go to pieces Mr and Mrs Van Zandt endeared themselves to all with whom they came in contact and the death I of the former and the bereavement of the latter are greatly deplored here |