The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-09
SALESMAN MOLrEws ODD DEATH.
His Body Found In an Area Under APP
parently Suspicious Circumstances

His Body Found In an Area Under APP
pnrently Suspicious circumstances.
Frank II. Molten. n travelling salesman in the
employ Of Kirschbaum & Co. OF 1853 Broadway.
was found dead in an areaway at 251 West
Twenty-ninth street at z o'clock yesterday
morning. Circumstances pointed to a posi-
bility Of foul play. and the police Of the West
Thirty-seventh street station worked on the
case all day. but without establishing any evil
dence OF murder.
Tho body was discovered by John Stahlman.
milkman. Of Ala West Fortieth street. It lay
face downward with arms outstretched. The
body was removed to the station house and n
Roosevelt Hospital ambulance summoned. DR..
Gale found the mans face covered with blood.
evidently from q hemorrhage of the nose. which
was crushed. An autopsy last evening showed
that death was due to conclusion OF the brain,
from a blow or a fall. Alcoholism was a con-
tributory cause.
The mans hat was not found with the body
and no money or valuables we're in his clothing.
His watch and chain we've missing. These facts
aroused the suspicion that the man had been
robbed. beaten and his body thrown into the
areaway. Nothing but negative evidence has
been found to bear out the suspicion. The
6oTSfs At ts5 2SI Nest TwsntyItnin wihd street ,r Is 2
the areaway on each side Of the steps. An iron
stairway leads to the east, side of the
that the body was found. The railing
protecting this side is Q little above the waist OF
G could Md2 not s't tumble over Sa III this ~a Il is dif sSGHr to m see
how a drunken man could. but drunken men
f6s cp qaiIins t hiRSs fa 4 I man t fhssg po5itIog to to sit Nhi On
Motions body was found. 4 drunken man
might fall over the side railing of the main
steps and land in the areaway.
Occupants Of the tenement say they heard no
unusual noise during the night. The janitress.
who occupies the room fronting on the space
where the body was found. says she is a light
sleeper. but was not awakened Thursday night.
She thinks t there had been any struggle she
Cards il Molten,s pockets led to his identia,
trade. and was an expert designer Of goods.
Molten, 4 :DuyaI. woollen dealers in Worth
as salesman and buyer for Kirschbaum 4 Co;
He was to have started on a New ENGLAND
rfa9 aGr 'I lived wit With Wis" his wife iiffe'iin in a " Boarding DIM:
house on West Twenty-frst, street; At times
Molten was a hard dripkeE; about two
his boarding house, telling his wife that he was
for her use during his absence. Since Monday
Molten had been drinking. He had been seen
Two checks in his pocket showed that he had
been at the Sinclair House, Broadway and
umbrella anda small grip there. How. much
money Molten had is not known. but his friends
say that It was a small amount.
T. $. Bird Of Brooklyn, a brother-in-law OF
Molten, said yesterday:
Il know that he did not have much money.
He did have a watch and chain. but the chain
was gold-plated and the watch was silver or
nickel. He had no diamonds or valuable Jew
elry. ! don't know whether he was murdered
or not. but IL he was, 1 don't think it was for the
sake OF robbery, He might have pawned his
Defective Mahoney of the West Thirty-sev-
enth street station. who worked on the case
death was accidental. 1t was impossible TO de.
termine how he had fallen into the areaway,
mhhano9ey sac, Sut 1 " T was tn9 0ni{ th m{sIMTP pItoS
had been drinking, and that was. a neighhor-
hood to which a drunken man might go. The
! and the mans clothing gave no proof of rob:
berry. He probably spent all his money. pawned
his watch and chain. and lost his hat before
reaching the place where he was found.
Detective MahOney reported his findings tC
McClusky agreed in the conclusion that Mol.
tens death was accidental. but told the detec.
was removed.