The Press., 1896-03-26

A Son Shocked by the Sight of His Fathers
 Corpse-The slungshot's Silent Stroke-De-
 tectives Find No Clew-Robbery Evidently
 the Motive-Fullest Particulars to Late
 Hour.
 At2p. m. today Hon. Simon Sawtelle, ex- mayor of Bloomfield, was found murdered in his sleeping room at his suburban residence at East End. The body was cold, the dastardly deed having evidently been committed under cover of darkness 12 hours before, how or by whom is as yet mystery.
 MT. Sawtelle retired ct the usual hour last evening, only his son Caleb, recently returned from California, and one servant. Margaret Spinnings, being in the house with him.
 For some months past, owing to failing health and business cares, deceased had been troubled by insomnia and usually requested to be allowed to sleep Gs late as he could ill the morning. He has frequently slept till noon, and for this reason nO alarm was felt today at his nonappGarance at le 10 c clock breakfast. At Il o'clock MT. ( Sawtelle went out for a short drive, and returning at l p. m. deter mined to arouse his father. His rap at the door elicitCd no reply, and after some time he attempted to open it when he found it locked within. Going outside, he saw the window open and determined to force aD entrance or enter by the window. No ladder being handy with which to climb to the window, he called the servant and broke open the lock of the door. The lock was ordinary bolt and | yielded to the sons strong push.
 On entering horrifying spectacle was pre- I sented. Stretched across his bed, where he had evidently fallen, lay the body of the un- | fortunate gentleman only heavy confusion just above the right ear showing the manner of the assault No weapon was near, and it would seem as If slungshot had been used and carried away by the murderer.
 The small safe at the farther end of the room was open, and papers and documents of vari- l < <. tered about the floor. The elegant diamond stud usually worn by MT. Sawtelle and on his ! shirt bosom when he was last seen alive by his son and the servants was missing, as were also his watch, chain and purse. It therefore seems f highly probable that robbery was the motive | which prompted this terrible crime. As be | fore stated, the door was bolted on the inside, | and the murderer must have made his exit by | the window yet, strange to say, there were no | footmarks visible on the soft sward beneath | the window from which he must have leaped. On discovering the body the family immedi- ately sent for Detective White, who made a minute examination of the premises and is | now working on the case. The coroner will have been notified before this article appears, and these officials may succeed in unraveling the horrible mystery of the night.
 | As before stated, the discovery was made by MT. Caleb Sawtelle, who is greatly prOstrated by the shock. After years of rigorous toll in l the far west, where he has acquired a compe- | tency, the son had returned to live out his days with the aged parent he so dearly loved, and whose declining years he hoped to make l pleasant.
 Simon Sawte1e, who was nearly 84 years of | age, had lived in Bloomfield 40 years. He was mayor for two terms and by reason of his | wealth and business ability was a leading citi- zen. He leaves an estate of nearly or quite 1 $8OO 900, mainly in real estate, stocks, bonds and mortgages. His only son is the sole sur
 viving member of the family so far as known. l daughter by second wife was living in | New York city some 40 years ago, but is | now dead. Her mother died at the child s | birth. This daughter also had a daughter, but the granddaughter whereabouts are unknown, and she is supposed to be dead. If living, she would be not far from 40 years of age. This vast property will therefore proba- bly descend without question by right of in- | heritance to tHe son, now man of 60 years, and while the appointment of an administrators by the surrogate may be necessary, so far as the personal property is concerned, that part Oe the estate consisting of real property goes to him at once.
 Tuesday, Sept. 12, the following ar ticle in substance also appeared in The Blade:
 It was yesterday stated that no imprint of feet had been discovered on the sward under the window of the room in W hich was found the body of the late Simon Sawtelle. IC now