The daily gazette., 1879-06-14
FIRST EDITION.
The Murder of Mrs. Hull.
The Police Utterly MystIAed, MAX.
ing nO Arrests NJ Yet.


The house at 140 West Forty-second
street was all of yesterday the point on
which were focused hundreds of pairs of
inquiring eyes. Early in the morning
when few others were astir, the milkmen
drove blocks out of the way to stop their
horses in front of the house where a few
hours before Mrs. DR.. Hull had been
crllelly murdered.
1t is said that the police are utterly
mystified as to the murder, the motive
that led to it, the hour at which it was
committed, and, indeed, as to all that
pertains to it, except the fact that a
woman was killed. 1t is said that a
dozen men worked all of Wednesday
night, and, as far as can be learned,
every clue they followed up came to
naught. Superintendent Walling has
charge of the case, and has been absent
from his office since he took the control.
1t is said that Pinkerton's detectives
have been employed by the family, and
there is rumor that a well-known eX-
police officer is working on the case..-
The theory of the police is that the muir
der was unintentional. They argue that
for some reason or other chlorofOrm and
sufiocation by pillow were used by the
robbers, and under this treatment the
woman died. Cologne from her own
bottle and water from the ice pitcher in
the adjoining room were dashed in her
face in an Intellectual effort to revive her,
and afterwards matches were burned so
close to her face, in the hope that she
would wink or close her eyelids, thus
showing that life remained, that her eye
brows were singed. 1t was no. until
after she was dead, according to this
hypothesis, that she was tied to her bed,
and this was done to mislead the police.
Mrs. Hull had frequently visited the
family OF Mr.. Mansfield of 61 West For
ty-second street. Mrs. Mansfield, Mis-.
Newton, Secretary of Sorosis, and Mrs.
Hull were intimate friends. Wherever
one was at a public receptions and enter
tanments, the others were almost sure
to be. In her circle of friends, Mrs.
Hull is described as aimiable and kind
hearted, and woman of great courage,
a frequent expression of hers being, .'I'd
like to see them do that to me-" On
Saturday last Mrs. Hull attended a re-
ception in the house of Mrs. Newton in
West Forty-third street. The was hand
somly dressed, and her jewels and orna-
ments excited attention. She was ami
mated and in very jovial mood and on
the way home Mrs. Mansfield remarked
to her daughter, "IIow well Mrs. Hull
looked this evening""
Mrs. Mansfield was one of the first tC
enter Mrs. Hul's bedroom on Wednes.
day morning, and her daughter, a self
possessed, intelligent young lady, follow
ed soon afterward. The cords around
her feet and hands and the position Of
the body indicated to them that Mrs
Hull had suffered extreme pain, but they
were surprised to see how natural the
features were. "It was a horrible sight, ,
the daughter said last evening, "but
expected to see great deal worse. 1t ap
pears to me as if she had struggled hard.
The body rested partly on one side, ant
one foot was bent as she had tried tC
push herself nearer the head of the bed
and have wondered to-day whether sht
was dead when the servants first saw her
There was the odor of cologne in tht
room and the empty bottle stood on the
lid of the trunk near the bed, and watel
was trickling from silver pitcher OF
her neck, where the murderers had lef
it, evidently, so that it might aid in re
vivng her after they went out. Ant
another peculiar thing was that one o
the windows was left partly open, s,
that any breath of air might reach her
All those peculiarities make me believe
that those who were in that room tina
night did not intend to kill her. Bu
whoever tied that bandage around he
neck knew something about clothing
There was a silk polonaise near by, bu
they did not use that because it woult
slip if tied. They used heavy woolleI
polonaise that could be tied firmly"
al hid not look TO see whether thu
thieves took all the pieces of her topaz
set" the continued. "Only few day
ago she was here with 1t on, and sh
said. Here's that topaz set that yo
have admired SO much She alway
wore great deal of jewelry, but she Sc
dom wore all the topaz set, and we ha
often asked her TO put it on. The stone
were set in gold, and brilliant. He
rings were large and brilliant, but W.
often thought that she wore too many
Her appearance was striking and | hav
often ST en- gentlemen turn and look a
her. She had a stately walk and aspler
did figure"
"Was she any different than usual q
the whist party on Tuesday evening?
the reporter asked, having been iuforn
ed that Mrs. Mansfield and her daughte
were in the party.
"There was no whist party" the dau
=, ghter replied, "and neither my mothe
nor myself was in Mr.. Hull's house tina
evening The only persons In Mrs. Hull
! parlor that evening we're Mrs. Hull, MI
- Chlttenden, her broker and DIR. HUI
q Or. Hull read most of the time and MI
, Chittenden explained to Mrs. Hull som
speculatlon that he had made for he
that day. Mr.. Chittenden is the onl
person who knows all about her none
matters. 'I've made 1000 for you TO
, day, Mrs Hull he said, naming som
stock thar he had dealt in. 1f that is sc
then You had better 90 and purchase
I hundred shares of that stock again NJ r!
Hull said. And, by the way, you Ca
buy fifty shares more, and the inferes
on them will bring something for tn
!, Doctor meaning her husband, in cas-
ANYTHING should happen to me- An
something did happen to her III lss
3 Iban Twelve hours. They talked TO
some time about the speculation, ami ri
ter Mr.. Chittenden went away the Doc
n tor nut up his book and started to go u
II bed. In the hallway he stopped an
" said, "Shall put ont the light! an
Mrs Hull replied. mo; Ill pn, IL out
There were no harsh words spoken Una
evening, and there was no cause 10
them, because they had lived happily te
N pvsr md