New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-21
TOGETHER EVEN IN DEATH.
DOUBLE SUICIDE AT THE GRAND UNION
HOTEL
YOUNG MAN AND WOMAN, LOCKED IN EACH
OTHERS ARMS INHALED GAS THROUGH
RUBBER TUBEs-THEY REGISTERED
AS p. BEHREND AND WIFE

AS P. BEHREND AND WIFE
For the third time in its history the Grand
Union Hotel has been the scene Of romantic
suicide. Early last evening" in the busiest period
of the day, while the work and hustle Of the
hotel business was at its height, man and
woman, both young and of handsome presence
were found dead in their room, suffocated by gas.
Soon after 10 O'Clock yesterday morning tall
blonde, well-dressed man, accompanied by
woman, apparently year or two younger than
himself entered the office of the hotel and asked
for room. He was assigned TO Room 8,
large double room on the third floor overlooking
Forty-frst-st.
In cramped, unsteady hand he registered as
"P. Behrend and wife, II. Y" Mr.. Mason, the
clerk on duty at the time, noticed that the man
was tall we'll built and Of distinguished appear
ance He was also struck by the brunette beauty
of tho woman The man wore q black diagonal
suit with dark overcoat, and the woman wore
light gray spring costume. They went 10 tne
room Immediately, and during the rest OF the
day were only seen at occasional intervals as they
passed in and out of the hotel They took their
meals in the hotel restaurant, and spoke to 20
one From their manner they appeared to be de-
voted to each other.
Early Yesterday afternoon they went to their
Room D 8 rang, and in response bellbOy went to
the room where he was met by the man, VINO
ordered two bottles of beer. The bell-boy was
thus the last person who saw these two people
alive. Once or twice each day it is the duty of
the head hall-boy to go round the rooms and col
ect KEYS which may have been left in the doors
of rooms by careless guests. 1t was past 8 80
D. M when the hall-boy turned into the corridor
on the third floor He found it filled with gas.
quick inspection of the rooms showed all we'll
until he stood outside of d 8. There the smell Of
gas was strongest. Then he found to his con-
sterpntion that the door was locked on the
inside, and that the key had been left in the
lock, which was q double one. He rushed to the
end Of the corridor and got step-adder, up which
he climbed and looked the transOm into the
ROOM What he saw there unnerved him for mo-
ment. Then shouting for help he climbed over
the transom into the room and unlocked the door.
Mr. Fitch one Of the managers of the hotel,
and crowd of hotel servants entered the room.
The man and woman who had registered as
p. Behrend and wife, lay on the bed side by
side, locked in each others arms. The mans head
rested on the woman's shoulder, while her arm
was twined around his neck. They were both dead.
In each of their mouths was one end OF long,
thin rubber tube The other ends of the tubes
were tied to the two gas burners of the chandelier.
From the general appearance it was evident that
the suicide had been deliberately planned and
had been resolutey carried out In order
to facilitate the work the bed had been drawn
into the middle of the room Immediately under
the chandelier. The end of the tubing had been
affixed to the gasburners, which had been turned
on full Then putting the other end OF the tubes
in their mouths the couple had inhaled the fumes
of the gas until they sank into insensioility and
death. Both faces wore q peaceful and even
happy look, and on the womans breast lay
bouquet of white roses.
ON tine table was twO-ounce bottle about hall
full of laudanum, obtained at the Oriental drug
store. By the side of the bottle were four sealed
letters Two Of these were addressed by the man
to Mrs. Thomas Miller, of No. 2lO Last Ninth7St.
One of the letters addressed to Mrs Miller appar-
entity contained a key. The third letter was aO,
dressed TO Fritz Behrand, South William-st,
while the remaining one bore the one word Cor,
oner" In the corner of the room was small hand
yaliSe which the woman had been seen TO carry
when she first entered the hotel MS contained
neither the man Cor the woman were there any
marks which could lead to identification, ana there
were no letters documents JeWeIfy, or even d
Coroner Haniy was at once sent for, but in ac-
cordance with the usual practice OF the Coroners
office, failed TO appear at the hotel, ana cohehted
himself with sending removal permit. lhcn tne
bodies were taken to an undertaking establish
ncnt in Fourth-ave. The police Of the twenty
third Sub-Precinct took charge of the letters and
refused to open them until the arrival of the
Coroner. p-,.
The address of Fritz" Behrend or Behrand
couH not be found in the directory and Mrs
Miller refused to come to the hotel and identity
the bodies. ,,
When a Tribune reporter called upon MIS-.
Thomas Miller at No. 2l0 East Nlntn-st, last
night to learn what she knew of the couple she
at first denied all knowledge Of either the man
or woman. When asked if she had received the
letters addressed to her, she said she had not,
and that she wanted 70 have nothing
to do with the matter. She , afterward
and woman. and intimated that the latter had
room in her house. Further information she re-
fused to give.