New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-08
ALL DEPENDS ON A LETTER
IF 1T is GENUINE MRS. JACKSON PROB.
ABLY KILLED HERSELF.

If NOT. HER HUSBAND WILL. HAVE GREAT DIFF
FIcULTY IN ESCAPING CONVICTION FOR MUIR
DER-rHE ToUR-YEAR-oID CHILD SAYS
HIS MOTHER HELD THE PISTOL.
NEWMARKET. n. j.. June OpecaD.-The mys-
terry surrounding the death Of Mrs. Mary Carter
Jackson. who died at about $50 O'Clock on Sat
urday morning, as the result OF being shot twice
in the head seems rather to deepen than to
clear. The Coroners inquest found that Mrs.
Jackson came to her death from two bullet
wounds inflicted by her husband. Charles II.
Jackson. g New-Ycrk newspaper reporter. AS
result Of this finding Jackson is now confined in
the Middiesex County Jail in New Brunswick.
pending further developments. There are cir
cumstances In the case which sustain no other
theory than that Of murder. and there indi-
cations which give strong color to suicide.
1t is understood that the finding OF the Coro-
ners jury was attributable mainly, If not solely.
TO the contents of letter which was found lying
folded on a bureau in Jacksons room under
hairbrush. The letter bears no date. 1t pur
ports to have been written by Mrs jackson. and
addressed to her husband. copy OF this let
ter is here given:
My Darling Jack
and %ory have driven me nearly h frantic
stand SIX years ago thought that all poetry of
realize awu TSs fear hs G"
children may grow up bad haunts me. especially
lie. ] stunned and broken by II:
cent M hours G e Wien wan ovs
strength and comfort. ne is not here 10 give 1t
When you get this shall be beyond your re.
proaches far away IN anS;her sphere, i may IND
good 10 the boys Your wife, MARY.
THE LETTER FOUND BY JACKSON.
This letter was found by jackson one-half an
hour after Mrs. Jackson died. and he. after pick
ing It up and reading 1t. said: See what che has
left" The letter is written copy paper in
rather bold hand; the writing is good and per-
fectly legible. Witnesses before the Coroners
Jury who are familiar with Mrs. Jacksons hand
writing are OF the belief that the writing is
by Mrs. jackson. The jury were not convinced
Of the truth Of this. and, while the members Of
the jury Will not say that they believe the let
ter to have been written by Jackson. they DO
say that they are In doubt AS the genuineness
Of this letter will be almost determining factor
in the case. the Jury say that their verdict was
the only one possible.
Dr. Samuel Long. Of New-Brunswick, the
County Physician said that he had compared
the letter with letters written by Mrs. Jackson
and that the handwriting bore strong rescm-
blance
Prosecutor John s. Voorhees, was In Newman
ket this afternoon in company with Professor
A. Ellsworth. OF Rutgers College. relative Of
Mrs A. F. Ellsworth. the owner OF the large.
old-fashoned, one-story frame house In which
the tragedy occurred. Prosecutor Voorhees, was
busy collecting evidence and examining letters
written by Mrs. Jackson The letter found by
Jackson on the bureau has not yet reached tie
Prosecutors hands. but will tomorrow. The
81 art inn
ton, and will be compared with undoubtedly
genuine letters Of Mrs. Jackson.
Prosecutor Voorhees, told Tho Tribune CORE
spondent that II the letter was genuine. the case
was undoubtedly suicide. but that II 1t was not
written by Mrs. Jackson. IT was the strongest
evidence supporting murder.
It will be remembered that Jackson declares
that when he rushed into his wife's room after
hearing the first shot his wife spat blood into a
receptacle. The receptacle was found TO con-
tain blood. This is a point favortng suicide
Mrs. Jackson could not have expectorated INTO
the receptacle unless she were sitting on the
bed. The probabilities are that If Jackson had
murdered her he would have shot her as she lay
asleep.
STORY OF THE CHILD.
There arc two other circumstances which
weaken the murder theory. The revolver was
not fully loaded. II contained three bullets. ana
two OF these were fired. The third bullet IL still
IN the revolver, which Is In the custody OF County
Physician Long. Those VINO believe In the sui
eide theory argue that Il man deliberately plan
ming a murder would have loaded all chambers
and thus better insure the execution OF his de-
sign.
The other circumstance is the story OF IN"
four-year-od child Of Mrs. Jackson. The child
in the room when the shooting occurrel
The child said to-day that its mother had IN"
pistol in her hand The child also said that az
the pistol lay on the bed ne held II In his hama
for moment or two. The child Is only four years
old but his very youth may be n guarantee or
the truthfulness Of his story
Circumstances which some argue indicate muir
der are these: Mrs. Jackson is rieht-hani led
woman and she would have shot herself with
the revolver in her right hand After the shoot
ing her right hand was covered with blood
There was not a single drop OF blood on the pls-
tol, according to Or. Long. and an inspection %
the pistol this evening by The Tribune CORE
spondent verified his statement. Also. the pistol
lay on her left side by the pillow. II she had
shot herself would the pistol have fallen, or
would she have laid 1t down on hcr left side even
IL she were physically able with bullet imbcd-
ded four inches in her brain?
THE CORONER's EXPLANATION.
Coroner Brace and County Physician Long have
received undeserved censure because the autopsy
aid not take place until the verdict of the cor
oncr's Inquest known DR. Long. in ex-
PLANTATION, said that II the only pra 'tcable
course 1t was the province Of the Coroner's
Jury to determine whether the pistol shots had
been inflicted by Mrs. Jackson or by somebody
else. 1t was the verdict OF the jury which rem
derad an autopsy necessary. In a case Of suicide
the external appearance Of the wounds would
have been sufficient to enable him to certify what
caused death The verdict made an autopsy
i,nnera,lye so that II Jackson is indicted. Dr.
Long can testify to the exact counse OF the
hullets and the cause OF death.
Another necessity for the autopsy was 20 dis
coyer whether Mrs Jackson was about 10 become
a mother so as 10 anticipate this defence as
prompting suicide The woman was not preg-
nant. ~, ,,, :,
Jackson was seen at the Jail in New-Brunswick
NJ .i,n,,I, caid This IL "A pretty bad