The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-29
SUICIDE, SAY ROBERT JURY
BROTHER OF THE MILLIONAIRE
ASKED FOE a sTRIOT INQUIRY.

Dissatisfied with the Investigation made ~
the Authorities. ne Hnstructs mis- Counsel
TO make = Public Observation-Disclosures
That the Cheap Pistol Used was not Traced.
Coroner Fitzpatrick and q jury held an In
quest yesterday in the case of Christopher r.
Robert, SO years old. tho millionaire who was
found dead on Jan. 2 with q pistol by his side
and q bullet hole in his right temple in La
Rochelle apartment house. which he owned, at
81 West seventy.hfth street.
Before the inquest Frederick Robert Of the
Union Club, brother Of the dead man, had q talk
with Coroner Fitzpatrick. MIR. Robert said that
he wanted q full investigation Of the death of
his brother. and the Coroner said that every
witness who could throw any light on the case
had been subp1naed.
Mrs. Julia Robert, tho widow, was the frst
witness called. She testified that she was In
the bathroom on the morning Of Jan. 2 and
heard the report OF q pistol. She informed her
maid. who Immediately communicated with G.
H.. Norman, manager Of the apartment house
and private secretary Of Mr.. Robert Louisa
Stoltz, Mrs. Roberts maid, corroborated Mrs.
Roberts story. c. II. Merriman. the next wit
ness. testified that no found Mr.. Robert sitting
on n chair In his room dead. There was n bullet
wound in his right temple and q 3s.calibre re-
volver was lying on the floor beside him. DIR. G.
M. s.oockel. who was called in to examine the
body Of the dead millionaire, was also a witness.
The jury returned u verdict that Christopher
II. Robert came to his death on the ID day of
January by shock from pistol shot wound of
head solf inflicted while temporily insane"
Frederick Robert was present from the time
the first witness was sworn until the jury rem
dered its verdict. With that verdict no was
evidently not satisfied. for. as soon as he heard
1t, he left the Coroners Office and communi-
Gated with his attorneys. Kcnneson, Grain &
Alling of IL William street. who presently asked
THE SUN to send q reporter to see them. To
the reporter Mr.. Grain, tho former City Cham.
berlain. said:
we are requested by Mr.. Frederick Robert
to call THE SUN attention to the fact that the
inquest into the death of his brother. Christie
pher Il. Robert. found dead in his room on the
p"trieRR today er i i've was are ne' also Se'e dire %9eSne 10 f say
that Mr.: Robert requested Coroner Fitzpatrick
in Whieh bis brother came ne to his Is death" t r'D' way
MI; Grain, after making this statement, paused
why was IL that Mr.. Robert wished to have
such a statement made publicf Has he any sus;
To this Mr.. Grain replied;
Some persons feel that when reports arc
committed suicide a stigma has been cast upon
the memory of the dead. This Is particularly
manner Mre and la actions Of the heG alleged Sedos suicide Edd:n w ere
s ,bet b as ct to ALMOST most b preclude dWn The thought t
made i to %dispro1Se Tho Z theory eHSs Of suicide sui itdtseVWpSs et GsS
there should be much OF, little publicity given
person desires to keep as MANY OF. the details
that only through The greatest publicity Of all
the circumstances surrounding the death can
the stigma OF suicide be removed from tho
| memory OF tho dead. In the case of the death
OF Mr.; Robert It appears that thos , most famil.
IL, ,ssm mi from mt sh fa eabi fss as Sas 81 keep as many of
about his personal appearance and about the
he soor was sssss s;slr; Ard ssSaly such !. =
formed, to hnd out whether he ever owned
sion. 40 Di s.fsmp pr has been IN made a1s pfP's s@
told. to learn when he bought it. II he ola. and
been, had the weapon been held as close to
1 TS.r head vas as " s suicide to,d might gn a haze held rh It;
Coroner. as ! am Informed. only heard
Of tho case in a casual way, when the
q the deceased was Informed Of his death. MT.
brothers. death only when he read 1t in the
papers. Only a day or two before the man died
he had COMPLETED all his arrangements for sail
In answer TO questions Mr.. Grain said he was
informed that Mr.. Robert had by a will dated
property TO his wife.
and ~P Si. he bSd lssye T FrsS SthsF relatives save " wife
He had another brother. Howell. who. I be-
lieye' Is in Europe. He also had q sister, Mrs.
sons; who. I understand, are sbrosd"m
"H shon %as shy OF aS sn 1' 81 teo S5d 'oe &c !hsaver'
Christopher Rhinelander Robert was born in
New York in 1929. His father. whose name
Ing a,. II sugar and Fast India RnS. goods He acsumu.
t~inople, which he helped found. was named for
him. The son, when a young man. was taken
that the young man married Miss McRase,,
Stuart. The elderC r. Robert died about TWEEN.
topher r.. Frederiek, Howell, and Mrs. Jane L.
o AMONG his e eSi nis mi and IL Ro Beptpe eoiie wss divided
equal. Twelve hftieths each went to the sons
Christopher and Frederick. ten fftieths to
70 Robert College. Against Jane and Howell
the executor. Christopher. r: Robert, found GER
tain moneys charged on his fathers books.
vances made by the ~testator to those ~legatees.
and. therefore, should be deducted from their
shares Of the estate. This CLAIM. Jane and Howell
contested. The case was carried to the Court
Of Appeals. which construed the will as the OK
ecutor had construed 1t.
Robert died about three years after her mar.
riage; Laying no children. Later Mr.. Robert
her first husband and none by the second.
Shortly after his fathers death, Mr.. Robert re.
tlreS from business, and spent much hn OF his time
house at Oakdsle. i. l.. adjoining W. k. Van
derbilt's Idle Hour, Within a year be had
] DOft, lie WAS a member or the kDipkefDOcker