2112 S. Prairie

Location: 2112 S. Prairie ¹
Occupants: W. G. Wilson, Max Rothschild
Life Span:
Architect:

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1880
Wilson W. G. pres. Wilson sewing machine co. 129 State, house 2012 Prairie av.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1884
Rothschild Max M. (R. Rothschild & Bros.) 203 Monroe, house 2112 Prairie av.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1885
Rothschild Max M. (E. Rothschild & Bros.) 205 Monroe, house 2112 Prairie av.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1887
Rothschild Max M. (E. Rothschild & Bros.) 203 Monroe, house 2112 Prairie av.

Inter Ocean, October 29, 1880

Mr. Max Rothschild, of the firm of Rothschild Bros, has purchased the residence of William G. Wilson, President of the Wilson Sewing Machine Company, at No. 2012 Prairie avenue. The sum paid was $44,650.

Chicago Tribune, September 6, 1893

Max M. Rothschild, a wholesale clothing merchant, committed suicide yesterday afternoon by hanging himself in a room of his residence, No. 2112 Prairie avenue. Mr. Rothschild’s act is believed by his family to have been the result of a disordered brain. Mr. Rothschild had been melancholy and depressed for some time, and it is believed that he had attempted to shoot himself just before he ended his existence by hanging.

Shortly after noon yesterday Mr. Rothschild was in his own room at home with his young son Monroe. They talked for a time when Monroe was called out of the room. When he returned he was surprised to find the door locked.

He called to his father several times but received no response. As he entered the room through another door he saw the body of his father hanging from a door-hinge on the opposite side of the room by a piece of slender rope. The body was swaying back and forth slightly, and a chair that had been pushed aside on the floor indicated the manner of suicide. The household was aroused and a messenger sent for Dr. Hale, No. 62 Twenty-second street. Mr. Rothschild’s body was cut down and placed on a sofa.

Dr. Hale pronounced the man dead as scon as he arrived. It was his opinion Mr. Rothschild had been dead two hours when discovered. He said it could not have been more than ten minutes from the time that the boly was discovered until he reached the house, which is a short block from his office.

Rope Placed Around a Hinge. The doctor said the dead man had shown determination in his actions. He had placed a rope around the hinge of the door, which was closed, and standing upon a chair he kicked the chair from under his feet as he jumped, and it was lying tipped over on the floor when the physician arrived. At first glance the doctor 6aid it would appear that Rothschild had shot himself, but upon closer examination it was seen that this was not the case. When the desperate man had jumped from the chair self-preservation it is supposed caused him to struggle and to make efforts to release his neck. But this could not be done, nor could he make any outcries, at least, the family heard none, and in his wild attempts to liberate himself he bruised his forehead on the left side severely.

The story of the death as told by Dr. Hale differed from that given by the family of the dead man. His brother, A. M. Rothschild, who was a partner in business, at first declared that the death was one of no unusual moment. Upon being informed that the death had been reported at the Coroner’s office as a suicidal one and asked whether this was bo, he replied:

“Well, it was a suicide and then it wasn’t. He really did make an attempt to kill himself, but they think that death was caused more from heart disease than anything else.”

“How did he attempt to kill himself?” was asked. “My brother and his son, Monroe, were sitting talking together in the former’s room. The boy had occasion to leave it for a moment and when he returned he found his father dead. He had tried to kill himself with a toy pistol—just a boy’s weapon and one which could not injure anyone, and the doctors think that the death was caused by the shock more than anything else.”

In assigning a possible cause for the death A. M. Rothschild, the brother, experienced considerable difficulty. He said that certainly his brother had been ill for the last two years and had not done any business to speak of, but so far as he knew there was nothing that should have caused the act committed. Asked as to his brother’s financial condition he said that it was of the best.

The police at the Cottage Grove Avenue Police Station were not notified of the occurrence and when informed of the death last night they were taken somewhat by surprise. Officer Smith was sent to the house. He was refused all particulars as to the death and was told by A. M, Rothschild that he would go to the station at a later time and give the facts in the case.

There will be no Coroner’s inquest over the remains, Mr. Rothschild said last night, the physician of that official having given a burial certificate, the cause of death assigned being heart disease. He also said that the arrangements for the funeral had not as yet been completed.though it would probably take place tomorrow.

Max Rothschild was a wealthy man, it was said last night at his late home, being worth in the neighborhood of $l,000,000. He was 44 years of age and had been engaged business in Chicago since 1871.

Chicago Tribune, September 7, 1893

DEATH BY HANGING AND SHOOTING.
Coroner’s Jury Returns a Verdict of Suicide in Rothschild Case.
The verdict of the Coroner’s jury in the case of Max M. Rothschild, the clothier, who was found hanging to the hinge of a door at his home, No. 2112 Prairie avenue, is:

Max M. Rothschild came to his death from suicide caused by hanging himself Sept. 5, 1893. He also shot himself while temporarily insane.

Monroe R. Rothschild, the son, testified that between 11 and 12:30 o’clock he was in the room with his father, who appeared to be uneasy and a little out of his mind. The boy said: “I left the room and when I came back the door was locked and I went around to the other room and in another door. When I got in I found my father hanging to one of the doors. He had also shot himself in the head. I ran and told the servants and they came up and my brother cut him down. My father had been ill for the last three years.”

It was rumored yesterday that the family was not satisfied with the verdict and had called upon the Coroner to try to have it changed. This the Deputy Coroner denied. The only witness examined besides the boy was a brother, Abram M. Rothschild of No. 8725 Michigan avenue..
Coroner’s : Jury Returns a Verdict of Suicide in Rothschild Case. The verdict of the Coroner’s jury in the case of Max M. Rothschild, the clothier, who was found hanging to the hinge of a door at his home, No. 2112 Prairie avenue, is: ** Max M.

Rothschild came to his death from suicide caused by hanging himself Sept. 5, 1893. He also shot himself while temporarily insane.” Monroe R. Rothschild. the son, testified that between 11 and 12:30 o’clock he was in the room with his father, who appeared to be uneasy and a little out of his mind.

The boy said: I left the room and when I came back the door was locked and I went around to the other room and in another door. When I got in I found my father hanging to one of the doors. He had also shot himself in the head. I ran and told the servants and they came up and my brother cut him down. My father had been ill for the last three years.” It was rumored yesterday that the family was not satisfied with the verdict and had called upon the Coroner to try to have it changed.

This the Deputy Coroner denied. The only witness examined besides the boy was a brother, Abram M. Rothschild of No. 8725 Michigan avenue..

Chicago Tribune, January 9, 1898

Mrs. M. M. Rothschild of 2112 Prairie avenue is a widow, her husband having taken his own life while temporarily insane. Mr. Rothschild’s dementia took a peculiar form, for, although he left an estate valued at $2,000,000, he imagined himself a pauper and hanged himself in his own home.

NOTES:

¹ It appears the original address was mistakingly stated as 2012 by sources in 1880. Number changes occurred in 1879, so it can be assumed the number at that time was not confirmed as all other later references refer to 2112.

NOTES:

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