New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-19
LOVERS FOUND DEAD.
MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY ENACTED AT SEA
CLIFF, L. !.

RIES AS TO TIE CAUSE of
TIE DOUBLE DEATH.
Tho neople of Sea Cliff. l.. l.. were deeply
checked on Wednesday Light at the discovery of
,,e ufeless bodies of Miss Mary S. Duff. daughter
~ Peter and Elizabeth Duff. of No 800 Clinton
40 and Elicit Livingston Titus, Of No. 40
Clinton-st Brooklyn. in The bathhouse near Mr.
D,,s.s summer-house. in Prospect-ave., in that
place. ..
,,,o Titus came to his death from bullet shot
IN the right temple.
Miss Duff and Mr.. Titus were engaged. and
-.ora 70 be married this ial Her father is
tho well-known and wealthy furniture dealer
whose establishment Is At No. 2oo Co!um-
hast. She was a pretty blonde. twenty
Ave years Old and an accomplished young
uoman. Titus was the son Of the late Colonel
Titus of Titusville. Fla. after whom the
o,,v was named His father the Collector
y. ,hs Port there His mother was a Miss Hop
.ns. relative of Johns Hopkins. of Baltimore
founder Of the university.
Titus came north nearly ten years ago. and for
aver eight years had made his home with his
sunt. Mrs. Hodskin. who is his mothers sister.
He had not been in active business since last
April Prior to that time he was clerk for
walsh & Floyd. No. 2G Broad-st. and made their
office his headquarters. He had been engaged To
Miss Duff for nearly year. having known the
Young woman about three years.
HE LEFT BROOKLYN on MONDAY.
On Monday night he left his aunt's house in
prooklvn to spend the night at the summer home
o, Mr. Duff He went from the Flatbush station
n, the 41O train. and was met at the station
:, Sea Cliff by Miss Duff in carriage They
drove TO the home of her father. which is a mile
and half from the station.
On Tuesday morning Titus got up early ana
told Mrs Duff that he was going out fishing lie
took his pole and tackle. and returned late in
the afternoon with a string Of seven bass on
his return he said to Mrs. Duff:
See here. mother. what have caught. am
going to take them to Brooklyn and show the
fish to the boys. and let them see il my stories
were fish stories or not
After he had changed his old suit the family
sat down to dinner. Both Miss Duff and her
fance were in the best of spirits. and there were
no signs Of any trouble between them. After
dinner the family went 10 the parlor, where MISS
Dun entertained those present with some seiec-
tons on the piano. As the evening Was rather
warm. Mr.. tits, Miss Duff her mother ana
father went out the veranda for uine
They all chatted gayly for an hour, Wheh MI
and Mrs Duff said they would go into the house
Mr. Titus Miss Duff. her sisters. and Nj. ana
Mrs Floyd Jones. Miss Euffs sister and nus
band sat there until abo Quarter OF 3 MISS
Duff and Mr.. Titus then pat on their hats, ana
Miss Duff said to her mother that she was gong
out for little fresh air, ana would return III
half an hour. 1t was walk to death:
As neither Mr.. Titus nor Miss Duff had 3aa re,
,urned at II o'clock the family became alarmed
at their absence. Mr. Duff. his son-in lave Mr.
Jones. and John Duff. Miss Duff's brother
started out to look for them. The grounds were
searched as was also the road leading from the
house to the village but no traces OF them could
be found The search was kept up until ma
night, and was resumed on the next oaE' ou'
without result.
FOUND IN THE BATH-HOUSE
About 9 o'clock on Wednesday evening Mr..
frloyd Jones. while searching in the neighbor-
hood of the bath house, suddenly thought that
they might be there. The bath-house IL used
by the family during the summer, but for sew
eral weeks it had not been In use owing 10 the
cold weather. Mr.. Floyd Jones and Constable
Brengle pushed the door ajar. MI Jones put ms
head i'm and was hOrror-Strcken TO see MISS
Duff and her fance on the floor dead MISS Dun
was living on her side. She appeared as II asleep
10 ciotbinp neatly arranged Her head was
resting against the side Of the small bath-hous"
Titus was found in kneeling position, his head
living on his breast. A pool of blood surrounded
him and by his side lay revolver. go
From the appearance of the bodies Ire mac
been extinct for more than twenty-four houis
AS soon as MI. Jones had recovered from t1'
shock he Informed the other searcherS. VINO
quickly FASTENED to the spot. DR.. ". j. burns
was the first to respond to the call ne mace al
removed to Mr.. Duf's cottage. When me Ha'
tidings were taken to Mr. and Mrs Dun men
grief naturally intense As MIs. Dun M Is Al
invalid il is feared that the shock VIII XIII hcI
The family cannot account for the mysterious
death Of the young couple, and the only theory
odvanced bV Dr. Burns Is that Miss Dun ha'
died from inhaling chlorofOrm given TO her pl
Titus to cure her headache II" said that MIS-
Duff had beer subject TO heart trouble ana ina
no doubt inhaling the chloroform had stoppe'
the beating OF the heart \ half-hlled bottle O
chlorofOrm was found In Titus's pocket II wa
purchased I'm Brooklyn II is believed. THUS nae
used chloroform himself for headaches ana al
WAYS carried il with him. In the course of the
evening on the veranda MIR. Duff had com
planned of a severe headache and it was TINS tna'
led her and Nj. Titus 10 take walk. thIhKAA
that the fresh air would do her good ,..,,
Before Titus left the house he took the Dot'i'
OF chloroform from mis- pocket and asked Mfs
Duff to put it away. bu' she said IN Johlht
way that he would better keep IT, Last weef
while Titus at the Duff country home MIS-
Duff had complained Of a severe headache. Sh'
was recovering from an attack OF nay leNtr
Titus took a bottle Of chOrofOrm from ms
pocket. telling Mrs. Duff that # would cure he
headache She smelt the drug and returned th'
bottle TO the young ma
1t is supposed that while the low RS were WALKING
along the beach Miss Duff complained OF th'
severe headache. and Titus administered th'
chOroform to her. Her heart was probably II
such a weak condition that after inhaung tn'
chloroform she fell into his arms. They Were
probably near the bathhouse and he carried mel
in there. II is believed, for the purpose Of re
viving her. When he discovered that she wa:
dead, IL is believed he became crazed from grief
drew a revolver from his pocket and fired bull
let into his brain.
As soon as the excitement was over Mr. DUFF
Informed Coroner William Duryea. who lives a
Hcksvile. The coroner arrived shortly after
ward, lmpanelled a jury consisting principally
Of summer residents. neighbors and intimate
friends Of Mr.. and NJ $. Duff. Coroner Durye;
and jury, afte~ ewing the bodies, ADJOURNED
the inquest until net Tuesday night. TIL
family announced yesterday afternoon that there
would be no post morton examination upon tn
bodies but II lumoret last night mat ont
had been made As the Duff house was close;
10 all Corners the report could not be verified
DEATH WAS INSTANTANEOUS
nr p,rrr noia thnt Tit,1s dlel INSTANTLY afie