The evening world., 1903-11-06
Yale Graduate Accused Of Burn
ING Books Of Employers and
Opening Safe May Be Men
tally Affected.
DUE TO FlANcEE's OEATH7
on Salary Of $1,000 He Kept a $1,000
Automobile and Had Kept Up
Pace In Best Flushing Society for
the East Year.

Helmer Duncan, the Yale graduate
and society man OF Flushing accused
Of arson and burglary. secured bail to
the amount Of $500 and was released
from the Flushing station. He declares
he will have no trouble In establishing
his Innocence.
The young man was employed by
Parsons Q Sons Company. nurserymen
Of Flushing. Early Wednesday the Of
nee OF the company was entered and
the recount books piled In the middle
or. tine zoos ana set on hre. No force
was used to open the Office and the
safe door was swung by some one who
knew the combination or by expert
cracksmen.
The police at once directed suspicion
toward Duncan. m he was arrested.
The arrest caused a sensation. and the
courtroom was filled with fashionable
people whom he was arraigned before
Magistrate Connorton. Women wept
ana insisted upon his release.
There Only n Year.
Young Duncan came to Flushing a
little more than a IA ago, and. al
though he received only $1,000 a year
80 EtLtGtufy VI tbt w ~
he was employed. he kept a big automo-
bile. 1t Ia aid the machine was given
him by n .wealthy brother.
Coming direct from Yale: where he
had made a brilliant record. he was
admitted at once to the best society
OF Fiushins. He was engaged to be
married to Miss Alice Eldridge. the
daughter or a wealthy paint manufac-
turer Of Brooklyn. out she died last
July, n few weeks before the date set
for the wedding.
He was completely upset by the blow,
md Mr.. Parsons says he believes his
mird was unbalanced by constant brood
Ing. He had taken little interest in
life since his s~wectheart's death. and
friends and relatives failed in every
effort to cheer him.
He Is q son of Capt. Charles s.
Duncan. the original of the Captain
IN Mark Twaln's 'Innocents Abroad"
The Duncan family is from Northheld,
Mas. ana In hat city the young man
Is held In high esteem. He won his
scholarship at Yale at the Mount Her
non School, in that town.
Had No had Habits.
Duncan was not a gambler, according
to his friends and employers. To tho
assertion that the young mar wanted
the books destroyed on account OF short.
ages. the reply Is given that he cid not
have charge OF the account books. but
simply acted as secretary and collector
for the concern.
Mrs. Duncan. the mother of The
young man. lives with her sister. Mira.
Mary j.. Leach. at No. 354 LivingstT
street. Brooklyn. She was Frustrated
to-day at the news OF her sons arrest.
Her brother-in-law. Mr.. Leach, speak
ing for the family. said that the news
was a great shock to them. he said four
months & the iancee Of Mr.. Duncan
died In the Seney ,Hospitsi. The young
since her death has acted in a reekiess
and a5sent-minded tanner.
Mr.. Leach said that Miss Duncan. Sis
ter OF Helmer, occupied the position he
recently held with Parsons G. Sons Co.
until her health broke down. Miss Dun
can ~ also q nervous wreck as the re-
suit of the news of her brothers arrest.
ut was as much n surprise Ito US as
70 <ne puoltc.' said Mr.. Leach. 'as we
hays seen very little of the young man
Young Duncan recently patented a
motor cycle which vas to have been
taken up by President Parsons OF the
nursery company. Although the young
was n prisoner over night In the
Flushing station he showed unconcern
IN court and expressed to his friends a
hepe OF being able to establish u clean