The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-02-27

terror is but an indication of the pleasant
interior. IL is situated at No. III South
street, directly opposite the silk factory
owned by the deceased.
When / called yesterday flag was
floating to the breeze half masted and q
notice on the door announced
CLOSED ON ACCOUNT OF DEATH.
Excepting the bookkeeper and watch
man, no employees were in the building
and the looms were quiet.
THE POLICE DRIVEN AWAY.
So jealously was the house guarded that
not even Detective McNaIly, who went
there to investigate the death, could gain
admission without breaking down a
door, although he showed his shield and
explained who he was. He returned to
the station house for orders.
1t was night before the full particulars
of the suicide were ascertalned, and it
was until then believed that Mr.. Chaffan-
jon had committed suicide by drowning
himself in a bathtub. His arrangements
were more elaborate, however,
Tuesday night Chaffani jon, his nephew,
Claude Boudin, and the housekeeper, the
only inmates in the house, sat up until
half past ten playing cards. Mr.. Chatfan-
Jon appeared in excellent spirits, and
when he said Good night" he went to
his sleeping apartment.
FAREWELL LETTERS.
Soon afteward he left the house and
went TO the factory where he wrote and
sealed dozen letters. All but two were
to business men in New York and else
where The two others were addressed
to his nephew, Claude Boudin, and his
bookkeeper
Before these letters were sealed he
made letter. press copies of them. They
were all written in French.
flor oor,1rinfinc fhia tUork which Ynr1st
have taken him two or three hours, he
returned to the house and removed all
his garments excepting his under cloth
ing. He hung his clothes on the accus-
toned hooks and then went to the bath
room, which adioins his sleeping apart
ment. Here he removed the rest. of his
clothes and placed them on chair and
then turned the water on in the tub un-
til it was nearly idied.
Then he unsheathed bowie knife
leaving the sheath on a stand. This
done, he clasped a thirty-two calibre re-
volvsr, Remington make, in his left
hand, and, clutching tne knife III the
right hand, entered the bath tub.
THE FATAL KNIFE PLUNGE.
1t is believed that he must have knelt
on his knees, and, using all his strength,
plunged the sharp pointed knife in the
left breast just beneath the nipple. The
knife penetrated nearly to the hjlt, but
was Withdrawn before he fell face down
ward in the tub.
The revolver was no doubt for the pur-
pose of finishing the job if the knife was
not sufficient. 1t was unnecessary, how
ever, and dropped from the nerveless
hand with the blood covered dagger to
the bottom of the tub.
Death must have stalked into the room
as the knife was withdrawn. The knife
was sharp pointed bowie with bended
1,l dc, or.lxr a fr,or boA
plunged four inches or more into the old
mans breast.
1t had always been the custom of Mr.
Chaffanjon to be at his office by seven
O'Clock, and when fifteen minutes after
that hour he had not even put in an ap-
pearance at the breakfast table, his
nephew went to his room to call him.
Boudin made known to the housekeeper
his fear that his uncle was sick and he
burst open the door.
THE BODY DISCOVERED.
At a glance he saw the bed had not
been slept in and noticed his uncle's
clothes were in the room. He crossed
the floor and pushed aside the curtains
that separated The bash room.
Horror-stricken, he beheld the tub
filled with blood-dyed water, and beneath
its surface the old man lying face down.
ward 1t was several moments before he
had the strength to move, and then ne
shouted for the housekeeper to come in.
Together they carried the dead man
to bed and sent for physician, who OF
course could be of no service.
The police were also notified and so was
County Physician Converse, who made
an examination last night. He found
substantially what is above described,
and also that all the chambers in the res
volver were loaded.
t. I-rx x>.I hat loAf ~ I.
nephew said:-
am unable to pay my debts AND shall kill
myself.
The balance of the letter referred to
private matters.
The letter to the bookkeeper said
Our business is not going WELL and l shall
withdraw from it forever.
The other letters were mailed as adj
dressed.
DR.. Converse said he was thoroughly
convinced that 1t was case of suicide,
and he would not order an inquest
Mr. CHAFFANJoN'S HISTORY.
Mr.. Chaffanjon came from Lyons to
this country twenty-five years ago. Here
he learned the siIkmaker's trade, and as
soon as possible opened factory himself.
Chaffanjon had charge of the Favorite
Mills, on Southstreet, number of years.
lie also became proprietor of the Victory
Mills, on lHuCOlH SLreeJ anu GOlulnDla aV-
enue, and another on Irving street. Later,
he bought most Of the village OF Sterling,
in Morris county, and erected a lar2e
mill, using the houses as homes for his
employees.
He contributed largely to the erection
of Catholic church and public school,
in both enterprises being backed by the
workmen of his Jersey City mills.
TO AID HIS WORKINGMEN.
nho cilk roarkat hpcana nvarctnolra al
for two years, but Mr.. Chaffanjon who
had competence to retire upon, if he
had so chosen, persisted in running his
mills as he said, ''for the benefit of his
employees" He received advances from
New York houses for his manufactured
stock, but sales were few, and about two
years ago he was obliged to suspend, and
creditors took the mills
He went subsequently to France, ex-
pecting to remain, but he returned about
eighteen months ago and commenced
manufacturing in small way in New
York.
More recently he again secured posses