The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-09
SUTTON LEFT WILL
Giving Property and Insurance
to Miss Stevens.
CLEAR CASE OF SUICIDE
But No Cause Is Given for the
Act

The friends and relatives Of George
Sutton. whose body was found Friday
morning in his brothers store at SOC
East Murdoch avenue, are now fully sat
isfied that he wiIfully killed himself
There was to have been a coroner's in
Guest held yesterday afternoon, but Mrs.
Stevens. who was to have been married
to Mr. Sutton today. found letter at
her house which shows that he intended
10 XIII himself A reporter for the Eagle
was given a verbatim copy of the letter
yesterday afternoon by Mrs. Stevens.
and it is published with the consent of
all of the relatives of the dead man. It
is as follows:
$500 E Murdoch Ave,
wichita. Kansas.
FEB. 5th 1902.
Dear Mrs Stevens. take this op-
portunity 10 inform you that I have
decided my Murdoch ave. property to
you. You VIII find the deed to you with
the other papers. take it and have in re-
Corder as soon as you can.
Il also had my life insurance policy
changed ia your favor but it has not
been returned yet. ! had TO send it to
Topeya. I paved my last dues. You viii
find the receipt enclosed. if it is any
good 1 want you and the children to
have It But I expect they viii not pay
it. The agent Mr.. Carothers works at
Morris & Spear shoe store IA y Main
st
Don't let anyone see this letter.
But If you want TO try 10 get any
thing go to the agent d see if he viii give
YOU the policy. You can take the receipt
10 prove you are the right person the
policy is for 2000.e0 two thousand Dols.
May God bless you and the children.
Good bye
Good bye"
George Sutton intended to Kill himself
several hours before the deed was done,
as Will be noticed by the date Of the
letter. February .. The letter was found
under the sofa in Mrs. Stevens home by
her little daughter Helen. 1t was placed
there the night before Sutton's body was
found. which was two days after it was
dated. The letter shows who he wished
contemplating death at the time. as he
bids Mrs. Stevens and the children an
afectionate farewell
Mrs. Stevens said to a reporter for the
Eagle yesterday:
When George was sitting on the sofa
] was sitting beside him. had some
bread In the oven and he told me to so
and look at it. told him J had just
looked at it. but he insisted and I got up
and started 10 leave the room, and as
soon as my back was turned he made
quick movement. turned to see what
he was doing and then he looked at me
and got up and Strengthened out his
clothes and laughed. That was the time
he pat the letter under the sofa ] know
that he got me to 20 out of the room so
he would have chance 10 put 1t there
without me seeing him do it.
Helen found it this morning. We were
going TO put down carpet, and moved
the sofa. and there was the letter. Helen
picked it M and handed it to me- She
and my eldest daughter at FIRST thought
it was some of Georges private bust
ness papers that he had dropped. as it
was a very bulky letter, but when I
looked at it I saw it was addressed to
me. ! was badly scared and when 7
opened it 1 found II contained the deed
10 the property and the receipt to the
life insurance policy dues. 1 am now
satisfied that he killed himself. but 7
can hardly believe that he could do such
a thing. I can give no reason for the
act. and do not think that he did it
because he ran into that woman in a
buggy Why. look here, He wrote that
letter long before that woman died, SO it
is impossible that he did it because he
was respondent over her death"
Mr.. William Sutton. the brother Of the
dead man. said yesterday:
4 feel sure that George killed himself,
now that a letter has turned up. but
am still in The dark as TO why he did
such a thing What seems a mystery to
me is his pockets being turned wrong
side out. That is the only thing we can
not account for. There VIII be no con-
test over the disposition Of his property,
SIS he apparently wished that his life in
surance TO so to Mrs. Stevens. and also
the house and lot on East Murdoch His
wishes viii be respected.
The property which was decided to Mrs.
Stevens is a nice little cottage at S3t
East Murdock. 1t is Q house Of four
rooms and in the best of repair. and the
deed stated that it was given in con
sideration of seven hundred dollars. The
deed was dated February 8. 1870. and was
before A. s Thompson. +
Mrs. Stevens had the deed recorded yes /
yesterday morning. The insurance poll /
Y is for &.ooo, in the order OF Knights /
II the Protected Ark. 1t is an endow- 4
nent policy.
All who are acquainted with George I
Suttons writing say that ii was written
" him. and q COMPARISON with some of .
lis other letters and notes clearly show
hat they were written by one man.
The funeral services VIII take place i
his afternoon at > o'clock, from the Muir