The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-20
HA|CH NOT
0vERWORKED,
So Says Employer Of Man Who
Killed Himself and Son.
SHOWED SIGNS OF NERVOUSNESS
Was Called Frequently 10 the Telephsn.
Curing the Last Two Weeks Widow
Secures Rest al Last.
SHOWED SIGNS NERVOUSNESS

Mount Vernon, May 9o-For the first
| time since the tragedy which deprived
her Of her little son and husband by the
latter.s deed on Friday. Mrs. John l..
Halgh. of Pelham was able 10 forget her
sorro~s in brief slumber late yesterday
afternoon.
since her husband poisoned himself and
his six-year-old son with cyanide OF po-
tassium Mrs. Haigh had been unable to
sleep, and the horrible spectacle which
she saw when she found her two loved
ones dead has been constantly before her.
When seen by reporter in her pretty
little cottage At Pelham, Mrs Haigh sat
on couch directly beneath crayon por-
trait Of the dead boy Close TO her side
she hugged the only living member OF her
immediate family-a little haxen-haired
three-year-old child.
She did not appear TO realize the nature
OF the occurrence which has brought all
Pelham ds prOmenaders past her door A
Younger brother OF Mr.. iIaigh refused TO
let his slster-in-law explain gurther the
cause Of her husbands double crime
Tie reiterated the temporary insanity
plea, and dwelt upon the fact that ~ 81
nancisl difficulties had caused the father
10 commit suicide, they would not have
inspired him TO take his child's life
lie said that for weeks before the
tragedy his brother had been depressed.
but that on the evening OF its occurrence
he had seemed brighter than usual He
said that the dead man had shown no
symptoms OF insanity than the unusual
depression
FEARED FINANCIAL RUIN.
Unless financial difficulties were the
primary or indirect cause OF the crime. IL
Is surrounded with mystery. Apparently
Mr.. Haigh had made preparations To take
MS lie and that of mis- son I'm order To
save both Of them from the financial
ruin which. II seems, he feared was about
to oyertake him
The papers of the dead man found by
Coroner Archibald Banning, of Mount
Vernon, consisted principally of several
letters from H. G. Staynought, OF IseIin,
MiddleseN county, n. j., an ink manu-
iacturer. for whom John l.. Haigh sold
goods on commission.
Nathan B. Roberts, OF Roberts & Cush-
man, by whom Mr.. HaTgh was employed
as an assistant bookkeeper. said thar so
Iar as ne knew Mr.. Haigh had no reason
for taking his life. He denied that press 1
Of business had made IL necessary for Mr. 1
Haigh 10 take the firms books To his
nome. and declared that he was not over /
worked
For the last two weeks he had noted
nat MT. Haigh had been extremely ner-
'ouS, ana had been frequently called In
ne telephone. Since Monday he had not
'eported at the office
Letters left by ltaigh show that STAY
lnusht had been trying TO secure a big
NIX contract from the government hut /
alled. IL Is plain that Haigh had invest |
81 Sv" with Staynought I'm the ink busj
less. Mr. Staynought wrote on MAY IA
iong letter to Haigh. begging him to
'uN MS farm at lseln i'm order that no
hlght nave money to put up with his bid
or the ink contract from the government
Ihe bidding Will be closed on June
[ we don't have this money an Is lost
cannot get bond or secure a certified
neck. There Will be a profit of s4JOo n
ear staynoughts letter concluded
on Haigh's desk at his home TODAY was
pund letter which reads: Collier from,
4nclent Order of United Workmen nolicv
Or $2Nv Notify James Wikie. No I2go
'ergen street Brooklyn From i'm
roVed Order of Red Men $1,000 brop
oseph l.. Hagh about $500 balance dtie
n verbal agreement To divide nroats !
rom specula ton"
coroner Banning is trying To clear nm ,
~ sterous feature OF the tragedy. which
the receiving Of letter by Haieb an
fldaN morning This letter was brouobt
the Pelham postoffice by a stranger
hd cropped into Haighs box What III
,te contained is a mystery but those
~" SdW halgh open II say that II caused
m 10 oecome depressed I'm spirits. Th,
= 'oile' mas oeeh unable 10 find this