The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-10
C. PITTS MURDERED.
HIS So YEAR-OLD HOUsEKEEPER
ALMOST KILLED.
ne Was Reading and she Was Sleeping In the
Kitchen or His Homo Mt summit. ". J.,
where Ills Family HAD Lived for n Century,
when the Murderer struck Thorn Down.

where Ills Family Had Lived for n Century,
when the Murderer struck Thorn Down.
SUMMIT. n. j., Sept. 9.-James c. Pitts, an
aged and life long resident Of this village, was
murdered in his home at $50 o'clock tonight.
His colorod housckeeper, Mary Davis, was al
most killed by the same ASSASSIN. She lies ut
the point Of death. with her skull fractured In
several places.
About o o'clock tonight the family OF Allen
q. Woodruff. who live q short distance from
Pitts's house. wcro startled by the appearance
OF the old negroes. who burst into their kitchen.
with blood streaming over her face and clothes.
She was able only to groan MIR. Pitts! Mr..
Pittsi" and then sank unconscious to the floor.
Mr.. Woodruff, with William H.. Delaney and
Charles Ballcntinc. ncighbors, who were making
q call. carried the housekeeper TO a couch and
then started for the Pitts house. There was a
light in the kitchen, SO they went to the back
door.
They found Mr.. Pitts lying in the centre OF
the kitchen floor. His face was turned upward.
and a Jagged wound, from which blood was still
coming. stretched across his forehead from the
right eyebrow.
The men lifted the old man and laid him on a
sofa in the kitchen. His body was warm. but
life was apparently extinct. Woodruff, how
ever. ran to his home. got u horse. and started at
once for the village.
Delaney and Ballentine made an examination
of the premises. They found everything in tho
house in order and came TO the conclusion that
tho assassin had been frightened of before he
could add robbery to his crime.
Woodruff reached tho village in ten minutes,
and ten minutes later he was on his way back
with DR.. Lawrence. Judge Kelly, and Police
Captain Stewart. The party stopped first at
Mr.. Woodruf's home.
They found that Mary Davis, who. despite her
go years. is still a vigorous woman. had been
conscious and unconscious by turns since she
came in with her awful news. In her conscious
moments she told the watchers by her couch
that she was sleeping on q sofa in the kitchen
at Mr.. Pitts's while he was reading a newspaper
near the door.
She was awakened by the no SC o. Mr..
Pitts falling to the floor when he was
struck by the murderer. Sh. rose to
her feet and screamed, and as she did SO the
murderer, who wore n tlack mask, rushed
upon her and struck her on the head twice.
Again he struck her. and then she succeeded in
getting into the next room and locking the door
before he could follow her.
She ran from that room to the parlor and out
Mt the front door to the road. screaming all the
time. 1t took all her remaining strength to get
10 tho Woodruff house. about 800 yards away.
DIR. Lawrence gave what attention he could TO
the woman and then went with the others to
I ne tlllS mouse. ne DOClOr pronounced Mr..
Pitts dead. Capt. Stewart searched his clothes
and found SoI. a gold watch. and several small
articles. Another examination OF the house
WAS made. Apparently nothing had been
touched. A trail OF blood leading from tho
kitchen to the front door showed how Mary
Davis had made her escape.
The search was continued through the garden
and tho barns. but no further evidence OF tho
assassin was seen. Judge Kelly hurried back
! - ,,,,,st a,1 potiHo "A tho prnnn .t ~, ~ fnrj
By this time the news Of the murder had
spread through the village and scores OF men
atoot and on wheels and horses hurried to the
Pitts residence. Many Of them carried arms.
II the murderer is caught before daylight IL will
probably go II with him.
The Pitts farm is about n mile and n half from
the Summit station. 1t Is located on the Stony
Hill Road and has been in the possession Of the
Pitts family for more than n hundred years.
The murdered man was horn on It and spent
all his life there. He has always had some In
come outside the revenue OF his farm. and two
years ago he sold II large part OF his place TO the
Fresh Air Home.
He was old fashioned in his ways, and often
kept money in the house rather than place it in q
bank. 1t Is thought that this fact led to his
murder. A month or 50 ago Pitts received
81 900 in payment OF n mortgage he held on
some Summit property.
Af' ~ ."
him to place it in the bank. But he does not
know whether the old man did so or not. II was
learned tonight that Pitts had an account with
the summit bank which he kept AS a sort Of
emergency fund.
A few days ago he drew 500 from the bank.
and this fact may have become known and have
led TO the murder. Pitts had never been mar
ricd, and for the last quarter OF II century
Mary Davis had acted as his hou sekcepcr.
He was q lifelong Democrat and was for sew
eral years q member OF the Summit Township
Committee. He was greatly respected here.
News came to tho police late tonight that
William Delaney, n relative OF the man wslo
was at Woodrun's, WAS held up by two men
within n short distance of the Pitts residence at
10 O'Clock tonight.
Att o'clock the town fire alarm was rung
and the members OF the hose companies were
organized into posses to scour the woods. Blood
hounds have been secured.