New-York tribune., 1902-02-01
LEARNS OF HIS CRIME, DIES
WIFE OF MAN ARRESTED ON CHAPcr
OF LARCENY COMMITS SUICIDE
AT NEW-ROCHELLE

Mrs. Nellie Harmer, young woman of New.
Rochelle. whose husband. Edwin Heber Hs-.
mer, has been employed by Peter Duryee & co
in this city. committed suicide at their home IN
New-ROchelle. Thursday night Her bod.,
was found yesterday morning in the parIor %
their cottage. at No. 40 North-st-, by Georra
Van Orden, u baggageman in the employ OF the
NewYork, New-Haven and Hartford Railrosa
Company, who was a close friend OF the counla
Beside the corpse was a half empty bottle NJ
carbolic acid.
Coroner Banning after brief investigation
is of the opinion that Mrs. Harmer took her Vfa
because she learned that her husband was in
the Tombs on the charge of robbins his an,
ployers- In a note which she left on a writinr
desk in the parlOr the dead woman said.
"Heber is in the Tombs; cannot stand e..
There was another letter addressed n Mr.
Hiram Taylor. with whom Mrs Harmer's araI
mother lived. but its contents has not bas,
made public. Mrs. Harmer's relatives saw thai
IL she was in trouble she concealed II fron,
them. and that she always appeared cheerful
and happy. Ii is supposed that the deed was
committed when she was in fear Of the humiIis
tiOn and disgrace her husbands arrest woul5
bring on her.
Before her marriage she was Miss Nellie
Pryor. the daughter of Captain James H PRYOR
a we'll known sea captain on Long Island Sound.
She possessed a soprano voice which made her
a faVor1te in the choir of Trinity Episcopal
Church, where she had sung for the last ton
years. Her marriage to Harmer took nIaca
about ten years ago At that time Harmer was
a stranger in New-ROchells. He had come
there from Kingston, Ontario, and sales
man in George d. Fergusons hardware store
He subsequently started in business for him
self, but was not successful and in a few years
closed UP.
On Wednesday night Harmer did not come
home, and Mrs. Harmer told her mother that
she had received message from him that he
was taking stock at the store and would stav
mere all night. Harmer had evidently succeeded
In keeping his troubles TO himself uD to thar
time, but 1t Is surmised that his wife learned
of them on Thursday, and deliberately plsnned
ner death. AT = O'Clock in the afternoon she
went to a local drug store and purchased the
acid. She told the druggist she wanted il for
cleaning purposes, and. to avert suspicion io<s5
with him as he poured IT out Then she went
to the railroad station and Van Orden. She
gave him the latchkey to her cottage and asked
mp 10 stop in on yesterday mOrnink and look
'Heber has been detained in New-York.- shs
said, and l am going to stay all night with
mother"
Harmer returned to New Rochelle late last
evening Coroner Banning did not call or him to
testify at the inquest. Harmer was employed
by Peter DuTyee < Co. hardware firm. al No
II West Broadway \ few weeks ago he was
warned by member of the firm that he was
responsible for the disappearance of small ar
ucles from the department in which he was a
salesman. and he was told that he was 10 be
discharged on February |. On Wednesday
when he was about to leave the store he was
stopped and searched, and some razors ami
rules. said to be worth ST. were found in his
pockets. He was arrested and on Thursday
was held for examination in the Centre-St. court
Not being able 10 furnish $500 bail on the charge
Of larceny, he was sent To the Tombs.
When Harmer was informed OF his wife's sui
eide yesterday he was overcome by grief. His
folmer employers heard of the sad result OF
their charge against him and asked leave To
withdraw it Yesterday afternoon Harmer VAS
called before Justice MCkeOn. in the Court OF
Special Sessions and a member OF the firm
asked leave 10 withdraw the complaint and al
low Harmer TO 20. Justice MCkeOn said the
prisoner had received punishment more severe
than the court could infiict. and then told HaT-
mer he was discharged Hammer walked out,
SObbing.