New-York tribune., 1891-02-07
MORE or TIE EDGAR CASE.
THE AsToR HOUSE SUICIDE AND TIE SUMNER
FAMILY.

THE ASTOR HOUSE SUICIDE AND THE SUMNER
FAMILY.
Coroner Levy Yesterday carried out his expressed
intention of masing r,id Investigation into the cir
cumstanccs attending Perrin H. summers latest idcnti-
Gca1iOu. Tie suicide OF Fred Evans" in the AstOr
House last Tuesday morning would have been forgotten
by this time but for the enterprise Of the Summers,
father and and friend, W. H. Powell, recently
Of no. ll2 Chambcr>St.. but now Of 40. 60 Decatur
ST.. EroohlyG. ON the morning following the dis
covcry OF the suicide Mr.. Powell came forward with Il
startling story that Fred Evans other than
George II. Edgar the missing nephew Of James H..
Edgar the supposed YOnkcrs suicide, with whose mys-
tcrioUs appearances and disappearance Perrin IL.
SufnCr has been 80 prominently identified. In this
Identification of The body. Mr.. Powell was actively
backed up by tie summers.
When thc inquiry opened yesterday il seen that II
would take in not only the circumstances surrounding
the suicide in the AsOr House, but a-D the whole con
ncctiOn of Perrin II. with The Edsars. from the
time of their alleged first visit 10 his Office in 1--6.
Dlstrict-AttOrncy De Laucey Ncol had resolved 10
take hand in the Investigation. and deputed a. IL.
Humme. who is familiar with all the facts IN the case,
To represent him. conjunction with Assistant Dis
| trict t-Attowey Lyon. Before the Inquiry opened, Ar
thur f.. and Mr. Powell sent out Of the
and placed in different rooms, that they might
have no communication with each other. Mr. sum
ncr sr.. wa then put on the stand and subjected to
I
made 10 give account Of hi, relations with the IA
gars and c,nised. haltng and contradictory account
il proved be-. lie ~aid that h" had tried Ia induce
the Edgar> to enter into several different land purchase
schemes, in the belief that they had S3O0OOO 10 In
vest He had gone TO Iowa in their behalf 70 ne
gotate for the sale OF 40 900 acres Of land bat that
transaction icll through He admitted that be had
vainy urged the Edsars to insure their lives IN tA'
Mutual Reserve and Mutual BENEFIT Offices. aud witn
that view had introduced them to his friend NJ Hlo>-,
who is an agent for the companies. He had never
made q cent ont OF uncle nephew. but went to
Yonkcr, identified the BODY and paid tn funeral eN-
pcnscs from purely philanthroplc motives. lie I'D
mittcd that hc had al first made sworn statement
to the lonlicr, coroner that body the t'ctr,
House suicide that OF the man whom he lad known
as James II. Edgar. and then changed his mind 1n
reading the cable Gi-plcnc, published IN IA" mOrnns
mad lived in the d,tict oi hcu,iug gtou. London III,
inst interview with james H. Edgar. after the suicide
took place Al No. ~ Et~t NlnetccIth>t: Illt was
about two month, after the discovery Of tn suicide at
NonkcI> lie received "A note signed James H. I'd
gar" asking him 10 call AT that address. lie went
there and asked for Nlr. smith
WHY did y0u ask for Mr. smith said Mr. llum-
Because in his note he had instructed me to do 50,
Wiv did you not mention that important passag'
when you gave the contents of that note Just now
Thc wines replied that he must have forgotten it,
He last .iW Jane, H. Edgar about week AZ Nu.
2lG Wet one hundred and tNcnty thri II. They la /
talked about Gcorsc II. Edgar, who was aoout 10 be
married.
Wherever Mr. sumner gave au account Of hi, in
crvicvS with Mr. Edgar h. idltc:ei. STATED stumbled
over minor detail, aud >poke With the manner ~ a
man who was c.ucfIlly compiling HIS story. Al the
Close Of the days proceedings It MAS arranged that
IN order prevent communication 0ctw en- tn fatcr
aud SON. Arthur f. Should bc locked up IN tn
which VIII be taken at 10 30 O'Clock on Monday morn
ing.