The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-09-03
NEW YORK SOCIETY TRAGEDY
FORMER MAYOR,S SON KILLS
 WOMAN, THEN SUICIDES.

Henry Townsend Edson shot Mrs.
 Fannie PuIlen Because She Would
 Not EIops with Him-Puts Two Bui-
 let's Into Ais Own Head and Falls
 Dead nt the Feet of His Victim-Edson
 infatuated win the Woman.
 New York. Sept. 2-Henry Townsend Edson, son os former mayor of New York, Franklin Edson. in his apart ments at No. 292 West Ninety-second street, to-day shot and instantly killed Mrs. Fannie Pullen of No. 67S West End avenue and then shot and killed himself. The murder and suicide appear to have been premeditated and followed a dra- matic scene in which Edson called up- on Mrs Pullen, close and honored friend of his wife and family, to desert 1 her husband and children and fly with him to another state. Mrs. PulIen, a | very handsome woman, is said to have been the daughter of a United States naval officer
 The double tragedy brought to sur face the fact that Edison, who was comptroller" ill St. Michael's Protest- ant Episcopal church, had been sus- pected of misappropriating funds be- longing to the parish and that expert accountants were at work on his ac- counts. It was also declared by those | relation with the family that Edson was financially distressed because of Wall street speculations.
 Whatever may have been the precise cause of the tragedy. members of the Edson family insist that the man was insane. There are many indications that Edson was madly iii love with Mrs. Pullen. On the body of the man was found the following letter:
 Mrs. Pullen: Darling: Trust John implicitly. He will always be go-be-' tween and faithful, know him thor oughly. He will tell you where am waiting for you, to see your sweet face once more before go. I am going far, far away, but will die true to you no matter how long I live. shal lead a new life and an honest one and if can ever come back to you with my past cleaned up will, dearest. Oh, my God, let me see and speak to you once more before I go. I cannot go until you do. I hope and pray that you put in to-day's (September D personal. Anyway answered 1t in to-morrow's. hope you see It I cannot sleep, can me once more. Surely you will after all you have been to me for the past ten years. You do love me darling, I know you do. Come to me once more, darl- ing, if only to say good bye. I shall wait here until you come no matter how long John will tell you my hotel name. Ask clerk for me"
 The following personal was pub- lished in a morning newspaper yester- day:
 "B. Loyal Nothing in answer to message. Be good to me, worried about you; send word to-day; just as true to you as always; with love"
 The following, evidently reply to the foregoing, appeared this morning:
 "Fanny-I am loyal and true; cannot go till I see you; trust John he will tell you where I am. With love"
 These are believed to be the person als" referred to. Dr. Peters, of St. Mi chael's church, who knew the dead man we'll, is emphatic in the declaration that none but the most honorable relations existed between Fdson and Mrs. Pullen. She was, he said, Edson's friend, ad- viser." Mrs. Pullen lived with her hus- band, John F. .Pullen, an auditor at the Grand Central station, and her two children, Traitor, sixteen years old, and Mary, fourteen years old
 The Edsons were to break up their home to-day as a result of an agree nlent to sign articles of separation reached the night pdevious. The life of the couple had not been happy. Edson had been acting in a peculiar manner. For that reason furniture movers were in the house packing up furniture and bric-a- -brac.
 Mrs. Edson spent last night with her friend, Mrs. Pullen. She was about to go out this morning, when note came from Edson asking that Mrs. Pullen ac-. company his wife to where he was. Ed son, his wife, Mrs. Pullen and Dr. Da- vid o. Edson, brother of Edson, met in Edson's home. During the eonver- sation in the dining room Edson is said to have turned to Mrs. Pullen and sug- gested that she leave her home with him and go to some other state where they could be happy. Mrs. Edson was horrified5 Mrs. Pullen turned away in disgust Dr. Edison, after sharply re- buking his brother, left the room with Mrs. Edson, but both returned in a few minutes. when Edson again turned to Mrs Pullen and began to entreat her to elope with him.. Mrs. Pullen was hor- rif1ed at the suggestion, and, possessed with fear of the man, ran out of the room. Edson, however, seemed to re- cover his self-possession and all went into the dining room again. A very few moments after Mrs. Edson, who was weak and trembling from the ordeal, was assisted to another room by Dr. Edson. A moment later, according to Woods, a furniture man working near by in the hallway, Edson pulled re- volver from his pocket and pointing it at Mrs. Pullen, shouted:
 You must go with me. If you don't elope with me I'll see that you go with me, anyway"
 In terror Mrs. Pullen, with a shriek, started to run from the room. She had gone but few steps when four pistol shots rang out in quick succession The first bullet tore Mrs Pullen's left cheek and the, second entered the right side nf he,,. head. She had almost reaphed