Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-08-30

Caused q Double Shooting in a
Leading New York Hotel,
TRIED MURDER, THEN SUIOIDBD.


OF f:,s Eri"n,, Es-1;ers. &c cglmrs
W,c.,. yon. Hi-t,,.-sraa.s>r Aa," q.
Factor d. ra" rs:ss.a..
New Yolk Ea~. 1,-at -ao f'.'-.
Vendame yesterday joan =. l.-'. ,-.
Essiuj. Of Chicago fired two uaise.,.
one into the head and the other iE.,
the body OF his friend a,l .a7J.iatt,
Harll3 II S,r. iron. aad the" tarusj-
ing the muzssa NJ ;Le revolver between
his teeth cert bullet shr.ugA bis o#n
head IGy Suicide expired immediate
Iy His r.u-ia has &HaL.ug Chance
for lis i.a Tine r...aa a," q. tac
opinion '4.. tna @r WI. fl-a1
the murder aAd tAeu Cym-a.a.. sui
eide was ciazad by the eXtremr at
and maddeued by drink and jealousy.
Both men came from Chicago orig
inally EssoD, or Essiu IS said to have
been a contractor IL that city. His
friends assert that he Camg TO New
York with me expectation Of getting
a contract on the underground road
now being constructed in this city.
Stridiron went 10 the hotel Friday
night and registered as coming from
Baltimore. For two or three days
prior to that time EssOu had been seen
about the corridors Of the hotel in the
company with StridirOn, and il was no.
ticed that both men were drinking
heavily. On Saturday the suicide reg
istered but for some reason, under the
assumed name Of II. j. Ford, Boston
He was assigned TO room No. 25S.
Stridiron bad room No. 507, on the
eighth floor. looking into FOrty-frst
street. The two men entered the hotel
about o'clock yesterday and asked for
their keys Both were under the in
fuence of liquor On the way up to
their rooms Esson said to his compan-
ion:
Il believe III go to your room"
What for?" was the answer You
have one of your own"
"Oh, I want to lie down" was Es-
sons answer Cant you let fellow
even lie down on your bed?'
A moment later the guests in the
corridor of the hotel were startled by
three revolver shots in rapid success
sion Then there was a metallic clang
on the street. where the weapon had
fallen on the paving stones
The suicide was found lying dead
on the floor near the window He had
killed himself by sending a bullet
through the roof Of his mouth into his
brain
To the Coroner Stridiron made the
following statement.
Coroner yucca, / am Harold H.
Stridiron, OF No ll9 Seeley avenue,
Chicago I came here for the FitZ-
simmons and Rubin fight from Chi
cago. / met John Esson here two
weeks. ago and saw him several times
afterward We drank together and
went around together. I met him yes
terday afternoon. Sunday, Aug. 26
| got him a room at the VendOme and
l signed for his meals. This morning
he came to my room and We went out
for an automobile ride on Riverside
drive When we returned to the hotel
he insisted upon going to my room to
lie down While there he shot me.
"On Saturday afternoon he told me
that he had attempted to commit sui
eide, but was stopped He asked me
to telephone a girl that he had at
tempted to commit suicide Shortly
after ! telephOned the girl hunted him
up and demanded her jewelry. She
then went away with Esson. While we
were riding in the automobile he told
me that he expected to get $3.50 to
give TO this girl but ! never saw him
with any money or jewelry Of any
kind"
Coroner yucca afterward learned
that the woman was Mrs Lillian
Hayes. She approached that official
yesterday and told him that she had
loaned the suicide $1,000 worth Of
diamonds because ne was in desperate
circumstances.
To a reporter Mrs Hayes explained
that she came here from Chicago two
months ago She said that she knew
the dead man in Chicago, that he
brought his friends around to see her,
and soon grew jealous. Mrs. Hayes
said that if he had not been drinking
he would not have been jealous.
Recently Mrs. Hayes said that ne has
often talked Of murder and suicide, and
that he attempted to kill her only Sun
day night.
This note was found on the dead
man.
The better the day the better the
deed The world and my friends will
be rid of me Those who have been
kind will forgive me, as I hope God
will. | am a failure"