COMMITS SUICIDE IN SPEEDING TAXI

The New York Times
December 27, 1922

Employe of Charles & Co. Had Ordered Driver to Hasten Before Shooting Himself.

Coasting down Seventh Avenue shortly before last midnight, Louis Stillman, a taxicab driver of 532 West 152d Street was hailed at 127th Street by a well-dressed man, apparently about 70 years old, who asked to be driven to 510 West 176th Street.  Stillman in response to his fare's request, put his gears in high and started off.

The chauffeur was turning into 170th Street from Broadway a few minutes after midnight when there came the sound of a report from the darkened body of the car.  Stillman pulled up to the curb abruptly and flung open the door of his machine.  Inside he found the crumpled form of his passenger.  The chauffeur ran to the corner, where he informed Policeman Jones of the West 177th Street Station.

With Jones beside him the taxi driver sped to the Columbus Hospital in 163d Street, near Edgecombe Avenue.  Examination there showed that a shot from the .22-calibre revolver found on the floor of the automobile had penetrated the man's right temple.  At 1 o'clock the man died.

The police said they believed the suicide to be Emil Berenger, who lived at 510 West 170th Street.  They made their statement on the basis of cards found in the man's pockets.  Detectives who got in touch with his wife found that Berenger had worked for many years for Charles & Co., fruiterers and grocers, at Madison Avenue and Forty-third Street.  For a time he had an unsuccessful venture into business for himself, returning to his employers several years ago.  Mrs. Berenger told the police that her husband had been in ill-health for some time.