Beer Baron Takes Own Life

William J. Lemp, Sr. owned and operated the Lemp Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Lemp, Sr.’s worth was estimated at 20 to 30 million dollars, a billionaire in today’s money. Tremendous financial success did not stop William J. Lemp, Sr. from taking his own life on Saturday, February 13, 1904.

William Lemp inherited the Lemp Brewery, a strong, local brewery, from his father, Adam Lemp. William Lemp, Sr. built it into one of the most successful national beer businesses in the United States. Lemp’s heirs could not duplicate his success.

In the February 14, 1904 edition of the St. Louis Republic, Mr. Lemp’s secretary, Harry Vahlkamp, reported a change in William Lemp, Sr. since the death of his son. Frederick Lemp died of a heart attack on December 12, 1901. Mr. Vahlkamp said William Lemp, Sr. was inconsolable after the loss of his son. Mr. Lemp’s friends and family thought he may have been slightly imbalanced after his son’s death.

Besides the loss of his son, William Lemp, Sr. also lost his closest friend, Colonel Frederick Pabst on January 1, 1904. Besides grieving, Lemp, Sr. also was suffering from stomach troubles and insomnia. All of these factors led Lemp to take his life.

On February 13th, Lemp waited until his wife left for Downtown St. Louis to shop before Lemp shot himself in the temple with a revolver. Two of his sons were working across the street at the Lemp Brewery, when the tragedy occurred. St. Louis’ biggest beer baron died at 67 years of age. Tragically, William Lemp, Sr. was the first of three Lemps to take their life in the Lemp Mansion.

In one of those strange coincidences of history, August Bush, Sr., another prominent St. Louis brewer, took his life in the Bush mansion on the same day 30 years later, February 13, 1934.

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