New-York tribune., 1884-12-01
opIEF AND SELF-MURDER.
,v,vc RESIDE HIS wIFE's BODY.

srorEI TO A DEATH CAUSED Hf AN 0'""
SkA"'o DOSE OF CHLoRAI.
lar exceptionally tragic circum-
so','us ,.rsd in Brooklyn yesterday. Frank
stance A" nf painfeld. Conn, crazed By the sud-
caun" c's.s of his wife from an overdose OF morphine
eeu Sr,orsI shot himself to death beside nor dead
.ru a. his father-;n-law's house. No. 63l Carlton
oo"' M and Mrs. Saunders recently removed
from BROOKLYN 10 Plainheid.
On thanksgiving Day they visited Brook
,xn aud took dinner win 'eoise
= Thomas, Mrs. Saunderss 1ather' WIN
IT,, tbey formerly lived. Mrs. Saunders
VIZ VIZ hoon an invalid for a number of years and
-.. . in the habit of taking morphine and chlorai
..S-ate 70 relieve her sufferings. On Friday noon
'rS,.ok a dose of chloral, and not having recov-
.r.a from # at ) D. H., Di. Charles Corey was sent
Co.. He had been her family physician for ten or
.u.,ve years. DR.. Corey employed the usual RENE.
a;.s hnt without avail. Mrs. Saunders renamed
uoco,scions until her death at a. m on SATURDAY.
The direct cause of death was decided to be paray-
sis of the heart. There was no reason 10 suspect
that she purpo,ely took an overdose OF the drug.
pr Corey believed that she used morphine
.un,os,,or;es as well as choral. Mrs.
Saunders's Christian name was L"eiia
C.. and she was thirty-seven years
old Her ill-health had dated from the birth OF
child in 1872.
THE HUSBANDS GRIEF.
Mr. Saunders was overcome by grief. and greatly
asnressed by the death of his wife, An intimate
sr,s,d Henry T. Chapman, IT,, of No. $40 Clinton.
ave. called TO condoe with him about o'clock Sat
inlay morning. He found him much detected in
snirits. despoudcnt aud suffering great nervous
nrostration. In order to arouse him from his sor-
row Mr. CHAPMAN proposed that Mr.. Saunders should
co TO his office in this city, and he promised to do
40 But Mr. Chapman did not see him, although he
came to this city, and it was thought that
he went out to his home in Piain.
field 10 arrange his affairs there He returned to
BROOKLYN Saturday night, but was apparently
nearly crazed by grief. He passed an unquiet
night, and yesterday morning, after leaving his
breakfast almost untastcd, he went to the room on
the third floor where his dead wife lay. The room
was bitter cold and his aunt seeing him in it urged
him to go downstairs to warm room. lie an
swercd "Tll be down in q minute"
She left him. unsuspiciOus OF his purpose.
TIE DEED COMMITTED.
She had descended one FIJI ght of stairs and was on
The landing when she startled by
pistol shot The members of the family rushed to
the room where Mr. Saunders was His dead body
Law partly across that of his wife, and a revolver
was clasped in his right hand: He had fired into
his mouth and the bullet had entered his brain,
causing instant ttueOus ueatn Ut. trdtt was cdliSu
in but could only say that life was eX tinct.
Mr. Saunders was jorty-one years oil age. lie was
an inventor. and was amanutacturer of parlor sew
ing machnes his business Office being at No 30
Nassaust. He was an ardent independent Repub-
can in the late campaign, and did no: remove from
brooklyn until after election day in order not TO
lose his vote. He was man OF high spirit,
aud was much respected by all VINO knew
lim He was member OF the Prospect
Club, of Brooklyn. The ill-health O. his
wife had greatly depressed him, aud her sudden
death seemed completely to unhingc his mind, Mr.
and Mrs. Saunders were to have dined at the house
of Mr.. Chapman Friday. and when they were
unable to comply with the invitation they agreed
TO do yesterday =,
Mr.. Thomas. at whose honse the double tragedy
occurred is the editor of Applet0n's Rd'twdy GUIDE
His daughter married Mr.. Saunders about fourteen
years ago The only child which came OF TINS
marriage died several years ago.
AN INQUEST on TIE DEAD.
Coroner Menninger summoned a jury yesterday
and held double inquest. Evidence was given by
George G. Thomas, a brother of Mr.. Saunders, of
Waterbury. Conn, who was at his fathers house
on a visit DIR. Corey and H. +. Chapman. jr. The
Jury found verdict of death from an overdose of
choral hydrate in the case of the wife, and OF
suicide under temporary alteration of mind III the
case of the husband. Arrangements for the
funerals will be made to-day.