Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-09-02
HENRY 7. EDISON
MURDERS A WOMAN
Because Mrs. Fannie Pullen Would
Not Elope with Him He Shot
Her in Cold Blood
He THEN COMMITTED SUICIDE.
He Was lnsanely Jealous Of Her -
Was Son of ex.Mayor Frank.
lin Edison Of New York.

New York, Sept. 2,-Henry Towns
end Edison. 80 years old, Of 200 West
Ninety-second street. shot and killed
Mrs. Fannie Pullen, 80 years old, of 673
West End avenue today and then shot
and Killed himself The double trag-
edy occurred at Edsons residence.
The murderer and suicide was son
of former Mayor Franklin Edison and
brother OF DR.. Cyrus Edison, and was
80 years of age. Edison is said to have
been insanely jealous of the woman and
wanted her TO go away with him. The
shooting occurred In the presence Of
DR.. David O. Edison, the suicides
brother, his Wife, Mrs. Henry T. Edison,
and baggage mover Thomas Woods.
The families Of Henry Townsend Ed
son and Dr. Edison have lived In the
Ninety second street house for num-
Der Of months. Today Henry T. Edison
was to- vacate and leave the city for
"A short time.
According 10 the police and Woods,
the furniture man. Edison had begged
Mrs. Pullen to elope with him. DR..
Fdson told his brother that ne should
be ashamed to make such a proposal
In the presence of his wife. Townsend
Edison became wildly excited and could
not be Gained. He kept cntreating
Mrs. Pullen to leave the house with
him and go TO another state, but she
refused.
When Woods entered the house, he
says, he saw Townsend point his revoI-
yer towards Mrs. Pullen and heard-hitl
say to her: =
you must go with me- II you don't
elope with me, I'll see that you go
with me anyway"
Then Townsend fired two shots in
quick succession. The first bullet struck
Mrs. Pullen In the right side OF the
forehead and the second bullet ploughed
through the left cheek, tearing the
flesh. Mrs. Pullen ran few steps when
she fell. Edison then turned the re-
volver on himself. firing two shots. The
hrst shot went through his head the
second entered the left breast near the
heart. He dropped to the floor, his head
falling across the womans feet. Both
died almost instantly.
Recently Henry Townsend Edison had
quarreed with his wife and finally de-
cided that he would leave her. He had
rent for. Mrs. Pu'lsn who was a friend
OF the family ans she came to the
HNdoNf IloA hllOMlHk WHAT WIS MAnteu,
Mira. Pullen and DR.. Edison were seat
ed about the dningroom table. Edison
is said TO have told his wife he could
not live with her any longer and said
that II would be better II they separ.
ated. This request was refused BY
MRS. Edison and the approaching trou-
bic was quieted for the time. Sudden
~. II Is said Edison turned TO Mrs. Pull
len IN the presence of his wife and
brother and asked her to go away
with him to some other state, where
they could be happy.
Mrs Pullen Indignantly refused the
proposal and turned away from Ed son,
DR.. Edison severely reprimanded his
brother for making such remarks and
then left the room with Mrs. Edison
Almost Immediately afterwards the
shooting occurred.
Mrs. Pullen was the wife of John F.
Pullen, an auditor ut the Grand Cen
trail station, She had two children.
Mrs. Pullen and Mrs. Edison have been
intimate friends for il years.
Coroner Jackson after an lnvestiga-
ton said:
THE evidence from my investigation
shows that the murder ans. .aIcide were
premedltated, have found letters and
other papers in Edson's possession in
the house that show that he had q love
affair"
When asked II the love affair" was
with Mrs. Pullen the coroner said ne
could not answer, but spoke as IL II
was not.
John +. Pullen, the husband of the
murdered woman, In statement. saws
that Edison, as clerk Of st. Michael's
Presbyteriaa Episcopal church had
forged and defaulted lie declared that
the. furniture belonging 20 Edison was
being packed up toby to be sent 10
the Rev Dr., John C. Peters, rector OF
the church. partly" to reimburse the
church. The shooting he said, was NOT
premeditated, lie declared that Edison
attempted TO shoot Mrs. Edison FIRST
saying that he would end II all BY KILL
ing his wife and himself, but acciden-
tally shot Mrs, pullen