The San Francisco call., 1903-09-03
KILLS WOMAN
IN PRESENCE
Of HIS WIFE
DR.. Cyrus Edson's Broth
er Commits Murder
and Suicide.
Shoots Mrs. Fannie Pullen
Because She Refused
to Elope.
Double Tragedy Is Followed by Sem
sational Developments and Mem
bers Of Family Declare the
Man Was Insane.

FRANKLIN Edison, at his apartments at 29
West Ninety-second street, to-day sho
and instantly killed Mrs. Fannie Pullen o
S7S West End avenue, and then shot AM
killed himself. The murder and suicid
appear to have been premeditated anC
followed dramatic scene, in which Ed
son called upon Mrs Pullen, close ant
honored friend Of his wife and family, t
desert her husband and children and fl!
with him to another State. Mrs Pullen, {
very handsome woman, is said to have
been the daughter of a United State:
naval officer.
The double tragedy brought to the sur.
face the fact that Edison, who was comp
troller of st. Michael's Protestant Epis
copal Church, had been suspected of mis-
appropriating funds belonging to the
parish, and that expert accountants were
at work on his accounts. 1t was also de-
clared by those related to the family
that Edison was financially distressed OF
account of Wall street speculations.
Whatever may have been the precist
cause of the tragedy members of the Ed
son family insist that the man was in
sane. There were many indications tina
Edison was madly in love with Mrs. Pull
len On the body of tive man was fount
the following letter:
Mrs: Pullen-Darling: Trust John implicit
~. he VIII always be gobetween and faith
ful. / know him thoroughly. He will tel
you where l am waiting for you to see you
sweet face once more before l go. 1 am &c
ing far, far away. but will die true to you
no matter how long live. I shall lead a ney
life, and an honest one and If I can eve
come back to you with my past cleaned VI
speak to you once more before I go. I car
not go until you do l hope and pray tina
you put in to-day's september y persona
Anyway. answered 1t in to-morrow's. I hop
you see II. cannot sleep. can only pra
and pray that you viii come to me once NOR,
Surely you Will after all you have been
darling; 1 know you do. Come to me ono
more. darling. If only to say good-by
shall wait here until you come no matter ho'
long. John will tell you my hotel name. AS
clerk for me-
ANSWERS personal"
The following PERSONAL" was pubnshe
in morning newspaper yesterday:
B-Loyal-Nothng in answer to message
be good TO me; worried about you; send wor
to-day; just as true to you as always; wit
love-
The following. evidently a reply to tn
foregoing, appeared this morning:
Fannie am loyal and true; cannot go Ii
/ see you; trust John; he will tell you wher
l am; with love.
These are believed to be the personals
referred to. DR. Peters of st. Mfcha eli
Church, who knew the dead man wei
is emphatic in his declarations that non
but the most honorable relations existe
between Edison and Mrs. Pullen. Sh
was. he said, Edson's friend and ac
wiser"
Mrs. Pullen lived with her husband
John F. Pulen, an auditor at the Gran
Central station, and her two children
Trafton, 16 years old, and Mary, IA year
old.
The Edsons were to break up thel
home this morning as a result of a
agreement to sign articles of separatio
reached the night previous The life {
the couple had not been happy Edso
had been acting in a peculiar name
For that reason furniture movers were /
the house packing UP furniture and brio
a-brac.
Mrs. Edison spent last night with he
friend, Mrs. Pullen. She was about I
go out this morning when a Eote cam
from Edison asking that Mrs. Pullen a,
company his wife to where he was. EC
son, his wife, Mrs. Pullen and Dr. Davi
o. Edison. a brother of Edison, met
Edson's home. During the conversatio
in the dining-room Edison is said to hay
turned to Mrs. Pullen and suggested ths
she leave her home with him and go
some other State. where they could /
happy. Mrs. Edison was Mortified. Mr.
Pullen turned away in disgust. DIR. EC
son, after sharply rebuking his brothe
left the room with Mrs. Edison. but bot
returned in a few minutes, when Edso
again turned to Mrs. Pullen and bega
to .entreat her to elope with him. Mr.
Pullen wac Mortified at the suggestio
and, possessed with fear of the MAJ
ran from the room. Edison, howeve
seemed to recover his self-possession an
all went into the dining-room again
very few moments afterward Mrs. EC
son, who was weak and trembling fro
| the ordeal. was assisted to another rool
by DR.. Edison. A moment later, accorC
| ing to Woods, a furniture man workir
near by in the hallway Edison pulle
revolver from his pocket and pointin
1t at Mrs. Pullen shouted: "You mu
go with me. If you don't 'elope wit
me I'll see that you go with me an!
way"
FLEES FOR HER LIFE.
In terror Mrs. Pullen started to III
from the room. She had gone but fe
steps when four pistol shots rang oil
in quick succession. The first bullet to,
Mrs. Pullens left cheek and the secon
entered the right side of her head.
According to Woods, Edison looked
the woman for a moment and then turne
the muzzle of the revolver to his ow
head, firing two shots almost simult;
neously. Both entered about the midd
of 4hn 10 hno