The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-06
MYSTERY IN FIFTH AVENUE.
An IMPORTER's STRANGE ACTIONS FOL-
LOBED BY ms DEfTH.
Pound u.ircic~ In Bed-His Face Thrust Int
stew ran Containing Acids and Chio-"-
forn-Wns n Suicide or an A,cidents


n stew Fan Containing Acids and Chiore-
form-wns II Suicide or nm A.cidents
Mr.. Francis Copcutt, wealthy importer
Mt Howard street. was found dead in his
bachelor apartments at 20s Fifth avenue yester-
day noon. under very singular circumstances.
John Barnes. the colorcd porter. who last saw
Mr. Copcutt alive. said that Mr. Copculi camo
from his room TO the stairway on the second
floor about 10 o'clock on Tuesday night. and
looked down.
Barnes says he had his hand TO his face.
which was red and swollen. aud that he ap-
pcnrcd 10 be in pain "Y Yes. John. I am Sick"
he said. He asked John whnt time he would
retire. John said IN a few minutes and Mr..
Copcutt turned and went into his room. John
followed him and saw lying on the bod tin
stew pan wrapped In a cloth. Mr.. Cop-
cuit was fumbllng over some bottles, aud
said he was going to tako sweat
John wont down stairs and stood on
the front steps. Looking through the glass door.
he could gee Mr. Copcutt Mt the head Of the stairs
leaning over the balustradc and looking down
As he opened the door. Mr.. Copcutt went back
into his room and boltcd the door. That was
thr 70 ri at WIS sccn 81 him alive.
Ae-l 'rlay mnrning Barnes wont to Mr.. Cop
cuii room The door was locked. Through
Mr. Cop.utt iny on his inrr In bed.
Barnes. unable to rouse him. called
III The police. \ telegraph messenger boy
crawled through the trnn-om aud drew bnck
the bolts. and the officers entered. Mr. Dopcuti
was pndresscd ut fun length the bed. with his
Kim up iIa :" WIS @ Gesd III. farc e''IN Was dssci 's
orsd. and i was apparent that he had sui1ocated.
which had contained murlntic ncid. On tho
table was small bottle of Oil Of almonds. An
dresser These artelcs ,ogcther with thc st s,nte fo
mcnt that Mr.. Copcutt was n man of sngulas
SSJp2istGiH SnJp rgd to he r7 supEo1M1op M st be
vclopmonts tended 10 prove that death was
! accidental.
Coroner woltman and Deputy Coroner Miller
made an autopsy in the afternoon. and granted
dcath certificate Of death from asphyxia ~
sutlocuton." IN the bottom Of the stow pan.
| which tightly fitted the face. was about half an
inch OF water with which some liquid had been
! mixed. 10 analysts was niadc nut DIR; Miller
| though, thW chloroiorm ana muratic acid wera
NJ Copoutt had been in tho habit Of doctor.
ing himself for several years. aud had Doculii
I inNnr,t. Oil. ."-r Of treatment, and around hia
neck when he was rou,.,. lend was wet towel
a gentleman who was formerly H--v..l''u WIN
him in business said that Mr.. Copcutt WV
always trying experiments and he had often
predicted that he would destroy his life in soma
Mr.. Copcutt was of English descent hut was
born in this city, For many years he was in
& b&artnerSehip with his 9r9ther' John Copcui. un-
| ington street. Tho house did n very large busi-
ness IN importing wood veneerings. Two years
| ago they dissolved partncrshp. nd Francis
started in business in Howard street.
His partner. Mr. G. G. Houghton. went 10 Eu-
| rope n few weeks ago on busin =. and Mr..
! .,op:plt has had the sole management of affairs.
| Within tho last two or three weeks Mr.. Copcuu
had been SIX. and be was at times much do
pressed. Mr.. Houghton's son. who was con-
nrctcd with the house. says that the firms busi-
ness WIS IN sound condition. and that Mr. Cop
! cutt could not have been seriously embarrassed
/ nnuh 'iully.
| Mr.. Copcutt wns n man Of culture. and was q
| wide traveller. lie had written several hooks
| of travel, ono Of them on the ascent of Mont
! Blanc. which he made in 1861. II was about
| sixty years Of nge. AMI unmarried. His brother
| lives In lonk"rs. and he has three sisters In
! Tarrytown. Mr. Cop'utt was member oi tho
! Union l"ugu' and Travellers Clubs.
physician who was int imately acQuaintcd
with Mr.. Copcutt said last evening that Nc.
| Con Mt had suffered from n nasal cancer soy
crn y"nrs ago. and Il was not improbable that he
! was trying 10 NapuriH' or s'uop away facial
! lain when H. was suilocit'd. H. adlc thai
| Mr. Cpp'uit hnd often spoken Of suicide with
| horror, and regarded il ns the unpnrdonabe
/ n. ' He was the very last man who would
! think OF suicide, the physician added.