Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-04
THE IO%KERS CASE.
Mystery Surrounding the Death Of
James II. Edgar


The death OF james II. Edgar, a wealthy
1onkers, NY, few days ago and which at
hrst was thought TO be of suicide has
become a most mysterious affair. 1t has al
ready been likened TO the case of Benwell
lured to this country and murdered by Birchall.
Inspector Byrnes Of New York detailed two of
his most competent men for the task of track
ing down the coaspirators who are responsible
for great crime. or OF otherwise unraveling a
mystery which grows daily more tantalizing.
STORY OF EDGAR's DEATH
The story of the alleged suicide is substan-
italy as follows: An expeEsIveIy dressed old
gentleman. who two weeks ago gave a receipt
for So, 900 in cash. was found dead in a room at
the Getty House, Ioukers, with less than 81
on his person. In the room was bundle of
rags such az no man in hrs condition of life
would think of wearing and q note to the pro-
prietOr. signed with his assumed name Of
George Smith" asking pardon for the incon-
venience he was causing. and saying that the
inhumauity of few persons had driven him TO
death. Perry II. sumner a broker at No. 1893
Broadway, identified the body as that of James
IL. Edgar and exhibited the above mentioned
receipt for 5000.
STRANGE FEATURES OF THE CASE.
The strange conduct of George II. Edgar, o
nephew OF the deceased, and his subsequent
disappearance, the fact tina: a valse carried by
the Englishman is missing. the presence of the
bundle of rags in the room, and the absence of
any bottle or flask which coCld have contained
polson-these are the chef points upon which
the theories and operations of the police are
based. But there is vastly more than this TO be
thought Of Mr.. Summer says. in effect, that
James ii. Edgar and his two nephews, George
II. Edgar and Robert Rowe, came here from
Eng and three years ago. and that the old gen.
tleman brought with him in the neighborhood
OF 100000, which was increased by successful
dealings in drugs in New York city.
James II. Edgar is described as a man of in
expensive tastes. The idea that he could have
sqUandered $1,000 in two weeks. to say nothing
about a much larger amount, which, on the au-
thorlty of Mr.. Summer, was not invested ia re-
garded as prepOsterous Added 10 this is an
other most significant circumstance. MIR. Ed
gar, like many other EnGlisbmen who come to
this country. did not put his money in bank,
but carried it with him. Ii he carried it with
him to lonhers in the black valise, where is the
money ana where is the yalise?
no PROOF OF POISONING.
One thing to which the attention Of the au-
thorities is directed is that there is no proof
that Edgar died from the effects of a dose of
morphine or that he was poisoned at all. There
has been no autopsy. i perfunctory examina-
ton suggested to a local physician that NOR
ph1ne was the cause of the mans death As
before remarked, no bottles that could have
contained poison were found in the room.
NEPHEws AND vALIsE MISSING.
Where is Geo. Ii. Edgar, the nephew who ex-
cItedly brought the news to Mr.. Sumner, ar
ranged to go with him to Yonkers and then dis
That is what the police want to
know. And how did young Edgar hear about
the suicide OF Geo. Smith" and at once know
that his uncle was the man lying dead IN the
hotel at YUnkers?
This man whom fate pursued so relentlessly
expected some one to meet him in Yonkers. He
hoped that meeting would bring him good
Some old clothes left in his room indicates that
there was a secret meeting of some sort, and
the death of the old uan shortly after showed
that his hopes had been disappointed. Who
lured Edgar to AmericaY