The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-26
DEAD GIRL, MISSGRASETTE.
TINE MYSTERY or RIA REGENT HOTEL
CLEARED N.

HL
tew,s IT.. johnson, n Druggist, tho MN
Who Took Her to tho Hotel and De.
serted Hcr-He Is Arrested-ToIIs this
story-A Jealous Quarrel, Then snicide.
The Brooklyn police succeeded yesterday in
nnrayelling the mystery surrounding the de-
scrtion and death on Tuesday night OF the
roung woman iu the Regent Hotel, Full.
ton street. The young woman was identified
Yesterday as Annie Gordon Grasette, a native
n Barbados. who had been living with her
foster parents. Mr.. and Mrs. II. A Johnston. al
ion state street. Brooklyn. for the past two
years.
The man who accompanied her TO the hotel
was Lewis II. johnson. also q native OF Barba-
dos. He Is a drug clerk. % years old, living
NJ pa West 124th street. and employed In a
drug store at Thlrty-ffth street and Eighth
Avenue. He was arrested at the latter place.
while waiting on some customers. last night by
n detective Of Deputy Chief John MneKellar's
staOr. He was taken over to Brooklyn, where
he made q clean breast OF the whole affair.
Although the police believe the man innocent
OF any part in Miss Grasette's death. they de-
cldcd to hold him pending the inquest, the
date for which has not yet been set. He was
locked up.
when the Johnstons recognized the body
ana ItillaNu NhO ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi Nv lOuHk
woman's death they were greatly shocked.
She was reckless and self-willed. but
they had the most implicit confidence
IN her otherwise, and allowed her to have q
latch key to the house. She was never away
from home overnight before Tuesday. they said.
although they admitted she might have FREE
ouently come home in the early hours Of the
morning. without their knowing It.
From the Johnstons the police learned that O
man named Pinado. an old admirer OF Miss
Grasette when she lived In Barbados. had re-
Gently been In Brooklyn. and the day was
spent in a vain search for him. Then
they went back to tho Johnstons and
asked II there was anybody else with
whom Miss Grasette had been in the habit OF
going out. There was no one. said Mr.. John
ston, but Lewis johnson, an old friend from
Barbados. Johnson's sister lives with the
Johns,ons. and she and the rest OF the family
laughed at the idea that he might be the man
who had accompanied Miss Grasette to the
hotel on the night OF her death.
When Johnson got to Deputy Chief MacKel-
lars office in Brooklyn he said that he would
tell the whole story. He came to this country
in November. 1897. and a few months
after that M he beard ,ardtt that at, the John
f here to I've. It wasn't, until November. i$S5s.
however, he said. that he. found out where they
U TSrff rEEeinddssGip was renewed His sister !. who
had come to this country with him, went over
TO live with the Johnstons. He saw O great
deal of Miss Grasette. he said. and on q num-
Der OF occasions they went to the Regent Hotel
and took a room.
He registered as "P. McDermott and wife,
Boston, and after going to their room they
had several drinks. Then. according to john
son, they had a misunderstanding" about
another man. Johnson refused to say who the
He was jealous of this man. he said, and had
some words with Miss Grasette about him.
The quarrel finally became so fierce that
Johnson said he was going away. He. told the
girl that she would never see him again. Then
he ~ P SStei on h his that has s snS f Miss ard Gfase ,sts
was in perfect health. He didn't know
anything about her death until he read
It in the newspapers the next day. Ever
since. he said. he had been trying to make up
do it.. Miss Grasette killed herself. he said. as
she had, frequently threatened to do IL he
ever left her.
The police are convinced that Miss Graaette
committed suicide. A son. of Proprietor Rey-
nolds OF the Regent Hotel told Can't Dunn oil the
the room to which the couple had been assigned
at 1890 o'clock on Tuesday night and that
light was burning there at that time. As the
gas was on, but unlighted. when Miss Grasette
was found dead in the room she must have
hours after johnson left her. -
Miss Grasette, according to the Johnstons.
was a daughter of an English army officer.
She. was born in Barbados. but her parents
died when she was quite young. The john
stons adopted her and brought her up. They
say they cannot afford to bury her and she Will
he blrin1 nv the pity