Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-03
BURIED IN MYSTERY.
Traces of Murder Appear in the Strange
Death of "A BrItOu.


New YORK, November 2.-The my,-
terry connected with the death OF James
II. Edgar, the English druggist, al the
Getty House, in YonkerS, on Monday.
has not been cleared up.
James II. Edgar, according 20 Broker
i. II. Sumner, is the real name Of
man who registered as George Smith ON
! the Getty House register. Mr.. sumner
says that the letter which the suicide
left for the proprietor Of the Getty
House is not in Mr.. Edgar'S handwriting.
Mr.. Sumner unhesitatingly pronounccs
the letter a forgery. The letter read
as follows:
| To the Proprietor of the Getty House:
ask pardon for causing YOU or your
guest any trouble. The inhumanity of %
few persons has driven me 10 despair aud
death.
The entry on the hotel register.
George Smith" which was written by
Mr. Edgar when he took his room 90
the hotel, is in his handwriting. Mr..
/ Hall, the clerk, saw him sign IL. The
handwriting in the letter differs In -omo
points from that on the register.
Mr.. Sumner IS positive that there has
been foul play. When Mr. Edgar was
found in the room a revolver Of large
calibre lay upon the bureau. 10 was
then supposed that the man had intend
ed to shoot himself I'm case the poison
he had taken did not Kill him. All this
looks TO Mr.. Sumner as II IL was care
fully prearranged plan.
Mr.. Sumner says that the dead man
and his ncpEews had some difficulty In
England. Mr. sumner did not tell
what the precise nature Of the dllicul-
" was, but said that IL was of serious
nature. Mr.. Edgar, the dead man, took
the name Of Smith 10 New York few
months ago. lie wanted Sumner to GO
10 London and settle some troubles
there. lie offered TO pay Sumner $1,000
for his services. Sumner refused tO
90.
George II. Edgar and Robert Rowe.
the nephews Of the dead man. have NOT
been heard Of since the former rushed
into the Office Of Mr.. Sumner Thursday
and told him that "Unclc James bad
committed suicide In Yonkers.
The two detectives that Inspector
Byrnes put on the ease at the request oi
the Yonkers officials have no trace of
them. The. black satchel that dozen
persons saw Edgar take 10 the hotel
with him and that might have contained
s.. 900 in cash which he had received
Just one week ago last Saturday is still
missing. No one seems tO know what
has become Of the rest Of the $4,000 that
Edgar brought To this country.
The whole thing resembles somewhat
the Benwcl- -Blrchall mystery. Edgar
was an old man. and ne had wife and
six children in England. 10 would not
be natural for a man Of his age and p0s-
sessed Of wealth 10 leave his home and
his country unless through cXtra0rd-
mary inducements.
Edgar intended 10 go back. All The
while he was in America be- kept mp 20
continual and pleasant correspondence
with his wife. Like Benwcil,
hc may have been induced 10 come
here by swindlers and robbed and
finally murdered or driven 10 take hi.
own life. The doctors say be died of
morphine poison, but no autopsy has
been made. The body has not even
been carefully examined FOR any eNtcr-
nal wounds there might bee.
In all probability there will Doe an
autopsy made tomorrow on Edgar's
body. The officials have awakened t0
the fact that something besides NOR
phine might have caused his death.