Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-24
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Last OF Their Family.
STRANGE DOUBLE SUICIDE OF A BROTHER
AND SISTER.

Special Dispatch to the Boston Hersld-
NEW YORK, July -, 1886. Thirty-fve
years agoa family named Crucy.6 brothers
and sisters. came from France and took
up their residence in what was then a
handsome tnree-stOry mansion, and is
now a queer. old-fashioned house on Lex.
ington avenue. They prospered financi-
ally, and would have lived in happiness
and content. but that death chose too ire
quent intervals for visiting them. The
death OF sister two years ago LETT Adrien
and Lucie the survivors. not only of the
six, but of the direct line of the Crucy
family. Last night, each fearing to be
left alone in the old house by the death OF
the other, they calmly and deliberately
carried out long-formed plan for avert
ing such fate, and this afternoon they
were found on two little bedsteads. drawn
side BY side 10 one of their rooms. their
countenances expressing perfect peace and
contentment, each with a revolver in the
hand and a ghastly hole in the temple.
The very smallest detail, even to the
choice and arrangement of their grave
clothes, had been attended to. A note
was left, addressed to the world at large.
written by the brother and signed BIZ both
in a firm hand. 1t read: New York,
July s, 1886 We commit suicide OF our
own will. (Signed) Lucie Crucy. All
Crucy." Another, addressed to Messrs.
A. Marsely. Eugene Petou, Jules
Vatabe and other friends read !:
'lf you still have some recollections
OF our friendship in former times.
1. -, Lot
in Calvary cemetery, near our beloved
departed ones. (signed) Ad Crucy'
The third and only other note left was in
the woman's writing, and said: They
the girls who will be with me at the time
of my death. and who are now Kate and
Rose Kelly-are to put with me in my coffin
all that will be left in the handbook after
am dressed, with the exception of the little
parcel or box marked 'Adrien Crucy,'
which dearly wish to put in Mr.. Crucy's
coffin after his death. (Signed) Lucy
Crncy.' The handbook contained every
thing requisite for dressing a corpse, and
was arranged with scrupulous care. The
little parcel or box" had in it nothing
but locks of hair-some youthful brown,
some gray and white. When found, the
aged couple-he was so and she 60-lay
on little iron bedsteads in his room in their
night clothes, in an attitude as though
asleep. Each right hand clutched large
revolver-hs huge army weapon, hers a
nickel plated chased one. One chamber
had gone through his head, back of the
lett temple. The other had pierced her
right temple. Her right eye had been
torn from its socket by the ball. Death
in each case must have been instantaneous,
but. TO guard against some unhappy acct
dent that might have saved the life of one
while the other died, they had turned on
every gas burner in the room full head
and unlighted, and had closed all the
windows and doors. On the left breast
of each, over the heart, was pinned to the
clothing a small gold crucifix. His eyes
were turned toward a large picture OF
the family plot in Calvary cemetery that
hung on the wall. Her one eye and the
empty socket stared at the ceiling. There
was another photograph OF the cemetery
lot in the sisters room. In a desk near
were all the family records and papers,
so arranged as to be easily examined by
strangers. The story of the servants in
deliberation with which the suicides had
been planned and carried out. On July
1. Mr.. Crucy visited the family burial
plot, and returned home suffering from
what the doctor told him was slight sun
stroke Since then he had been unwell,
but had been down town TO his office on
two DAYS. and had attended to business
matters at his home right along. Thurs
dav evening, according to the dates on
the letters, the brother and sister resolved
to commit suicide. They did things which
are now seen 10 have been in preparation
tor the deed of last night, but they acted
in no unusual manner. LucIe constantly
attended to Adrien in his sickness, and at
10 o'clock Sunday night had bottle OF
burgundy brought from the cellar for him.
Together they drank half the bottle, prob
ably to nerve themselves for the final act
in the plan they had been carrying out
for four days. When no sign OF them had
been seen up to one o'clock this afternoon,
the servants gave the alarm and the police.
breaking open the door, found the bodies.
The papers found in the desk included
railroad and mining bonds and other Sc
curities, showing that the couple were
well situated financially. He was en-
gagged in the foreign trade. in pro
visions, oils, ETC. and was member of
the maritime and metal exchange. Miss
Lucie owned also a certificate of member
ship in this produce exchange. When he
first came to this country. Adrien was cor
respondence clerk for the famous house
of Bachet in Paris. but he soon became
their American representative. and also
carried on a commission business of his
own. When the firm of Bachet failed
short time ago he succeeded to most of
their business in this country. His bust
ness has promised very large returns. and
he was involved in no financial trouble
Aside from intensely methodical habits.
other eccentrcities of the old couple are
shown by an examination of the house.
In each of their three bedrooms are two
iron bedsteads-one single and one double
like those on which their bodies lay to-
day. They had stood that way tor years,
though never occupied by anybody but
MIR. and Miss Crucy. They are not known
to have had any relatives, and. although
he was widely known and popular in bus
mess circles they had few social acquaint-
ances, and never went out. They were
Il very handsome couple. even in death.
tall ard dignitied, with fine features and
beautiful gray hair. The coroner. after a
formal investigation, no friends or rela-
lives appearing, sent for an undertaken
whose name appeared in their private pa
perS as having officiated nj former finer.