The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-25
MURDER AND SUICIDE
MYSTERIOUS DOUBLE TRAGEDY In
A NEW YORK HOTEL.
DIR. #. l.. Caldwell Enters the Room Of
Mrs. e. e. Hayes, a Dentists wife,
and Kills Her and Himself.

NEW YORK, Feb. 24-Mrs. Matte
Hayes was murdered tonight in her Sleep
ing apartment in the Hotel Endicott by DR..
Franklin L. Caldwell, who then shot and
killed himself. The woman was shot in the
head. Caldwell was employed as an assist
ant by DR.. Ephriam H. Hayes, husband OF
the dead woman. Three days ago Caldwell
ordered a solution OF morphine which was
delivered to him tonight. an hour before
the shooting. The bottle which had con-
tanned the morphine was found on table
in the room with the bodies.
DIR. E. III. Hayes came from Chicago four
years ago to take charge of the dental
rooms of department store company He
had been a dentist well known in Chicago
and when he left there he placed his Office
in charge of DR.. Caldwell. who did the
shooting tonight. Mrs. Hayes did not come
to the city with her husband, but remained
In Chicago for some time, just how long is
not known
Four weeks ago. when Hayes opened an
Office in the Hotel Endicott, Caldwell was
placed there as an assistant The Hayes
family occupied with the Office a set OF
apartments on the ground floor Of the
Hayes, a nephew of DR.. Hayes, aud a col
ored maid. Mrs. Hayes was thirty-ive
years old. DR.. Caldwell was the same age.
Tonight after dinner DIR. Hayes and his
nephew went out. Mrs. Hayes directed the
servant to attend to her work in the
kitchen, at the same time saying she would
change her dinner gown for a house dress.
Within half an hour DR.. Hayes's nephew
returned and as the servant opened the
door to admit him there came the sound OF
three pistol shots. The young man and
several others who had heard the shots ran
into Mrs. Hayes's apartments. On the bed
lay Mrs. Hayes. She had thrown OF the
dress she had worn at dinner. She lay I'm
natural position. There was a ragged
wound in her right temple from which the
blood flowed. The bullet had entered her
brain and she must have died instantly.
Beside the bed lay DR.. Caldwell. He, too.
was dead. There was bullet wound
in his head His right hand stu clutched
a revolver with the finger on the trigger,
showing how he had died. When the re-
volver was taken from the hand OF the
dead man IL was found that but three
chambers were empty. The third shot had
gone wild.
DR.. Hayes was found in a drug store
near by and hurried TO the rooms. He was
quite distracted, talked wildly and IL was
feared for time that he would have to
be restrained.
He could not offer the faintest suggestion
III.
police could learn but little. DIR. Hayes.
from being excited and talkative, cooled
down and refused TO say anything. The
colored maid was so frightened that not a
word could be had from her. IT was
learned, however, that DR.. Caldwell had
ordered the morphine solution a few days
ago. Then in their search Of the room in
which the deed had been committed, the
police found the vial. which still contained
a portion OF its contents.
Nothing was found that gave any idea as
to the cause of the shooting, so far as Is
known. or so far as any one would say.
IL was learned tonight that for several
weeks Mrs. Hayes had been attended for a
nervous trouble by DIT. Richardson, a
specialist II Is said that she was about
to be taken TO a private institution. as her
nervous condition did not improve and she
needed absolute quiet. There seems 10 have
been no indication OF intended murder on
ner with the family. The maid saws
that Mrs Hayes and Caldwell chat
ted together for few minutes after
the others had left the table. and there was
not the slightest suggestion OF a quarrel.
They were talking OF commonplace affairs.
she says. Everything indicated that DIR.
Caldwell had followed Mrs. Hayes into the
bedroom almost immediately. She had only
partly removed her bodice Apparently she
had been standing with her back TO the
bed when he fired upon her, and she fell
backward upon It, Then there was an In
Caldwell paused a few moments 10 make
sure that his shots were fatal. Then he
turned the weapon upon himself. Death
must have come 10 both instantly.
Persons who knew the Hayes couple and
Caldwell say that DR. Hayes had for years
befriended Caldwell and had given him
an opportunity TO advance In his profess
sion: i'm fact, had considered him almost
as one of his own family. AS a result OF
this treatment Caldwell became enamored
OF Mrs. Hayes and IL seems after many
repulses decided that IL he could not
possess the woman he would take\her out
OF the world with him. After brooding over
his failure 10 win the love OF the wife OF
the man who had been his partner I'm bust
ness and his best friend. DIR. Caldwell muir
dered the woman OF his affection ana then
put an end 10 his own life. There are evil
dences pointing to the intention OF tho
murder 10 also include his victims hns-
band in the tragedy which he had evidently
been planning for several days.
University President IN.