New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-07
SUICIDE IN THE IMPERIAL.
WOM4N IN OCTOROON.
Wido5o Of Chicago Broker-Act
-48crbed to LOUe affair.

BY the death Of Mrs. J. w. Gray, of New
Orleans. yesterday, by her own hand, at the
Hotel Imperial was revealed a secret she and
her intimate friends had kept for fifteen years
that she was an octoroon.
Mrs. Gray. who was the widow Of a wealthy
Chicago broker, is supposed 10 have committed
suicide because she had been deserted by a man
who had registered al the hotel as her hus-
band and had lived there with her.
One CT three letters left by the woman was
addressed TO Charles II. Stoneham No IA
Broadway. Another was addressed 10 Charlie.
Sweetheart" On the backs Of two photographs
found among other letters was written Charles
4. Stoneharn."
At No. II Broadway 1t was said that Charles
Il Stonehaln was in business with a man named
Bamberser, under tIc drIn name of O. F Jonas
son & Co. as mining brokers. It was said that
Stoneham and Bamoerger were formerly clerks
IN the employ Of Graham & Co. mining brokers.
who went OUT Of business a few weeks ago En-
ployes of the firm said they understood Stone
ham was a married man and lived in Jersey
City. one Of the clerks said that Stoneham had
been much affected by the drowning of his three
*ear-old son in the canal in Jersey City The
boy was buried a week ago yesterday.
J J. Bamberger StonehaIl's partner. denied
any knowledge that Stoneham had known Mrs.
Gray He said his partner was a married man
said he had once seen Mrs. Gray, but would not
say where or under what circumstances.
At No 81 West 66th-st Mrs. Grace Sanford
who said she knew Mrs. Cray very well, ex-
plained the tragedy. She said:
Mrs. Gray lived here last fall and some of the
winter Her husband died on May last year in
after his death Mrs. Gray came to Ne5v-York and
and st5yed t 91a %I5 he & & she cane mere in July
She met Charles Stoneham in the early fall He
drowned and after the son' ieatb b o. 5IiT 7 - ~
to give D Mrs Graz a15 ii,-a bt7 ~ re iif G I5 1a
ca5lea her al,}. gp and and tqid her So
That ana since taen. and begged hln to come back,
During The winter she called him up repeatedly
also and generally he refused TO come to see her.
then had to go to the telephone myself and beg
MN 70 can 70 save tragedy 1t finally became 50
had to ask Mrs Gray TO leave. she cid So and
finally put up at the Hotel Imperial. They were
then reconcled and as far as I know have been
happy since, but know that she frequently threat
ened suicide 10 keep MIN Mrs. cray was very
wealthy woman. The whole cause Of her death was
her exceeding infatuatiOn for StOneham. She was
seT-supIof tlng haa eJEee TO good society and mad
l am Informed that she has left a public letter in
" lcH d5e5 S i l % a5 % %S'15[g za+ Ti4 IN 2fyy %a
Orleans. As a matter OF fact; | know this girl is
eibly Octoroon.
He admitted that Mrs. Stoneham had called
at his Office He said that she had read
the story OF the shooting in the newspapers, and
hurried to New-York 10 try to keep her husband
from going TO the hospital, where Mrs. Gray
had been taken. She became hystericaI, and it
was with difficulty that she was quieted She
finally decided TO stick by her husband. She
left the offices at 1870 o'clock with a friend to
meet her husband. Where he was Mr. Bamber-
ger refused to say.
Stoneham returned TO his home No. 81 Clerk
St Jersey City, about $50 o'clock last night. He
denied that he knew Mrs. Gray or had ever
heard Of her. He said she might possibly have
been ore Of the New-Orleans customers of his
firm. but he did not remember her name. Stone
hams son was drowned April % and he did
not leave the house again until last Monday, it
IS said. Mrs. StoEeham thought some Of his
clerks had been making use Of her husband s
name.
Mrs stoneham tainted when informed that
Mrs Cray had shot herself and left letter ad-
dressed 10 a Nj Stoneham. She said she did
rot believe her husband had been improperly
intimate wich any woman. Since the drowning
of his boy who was his son by former wife, he
had been respondent
kzsln the letter addressed TO Charles. Sweet
f1esrt," the following appeared:
sI4ovy can you treat me in this way? What have l
went Out his morning walked about until my feet
Is vel as my heart were sore. at the cross way
you talked 70 me over The telephone Your promise
Is not kepf with me. How ] love you ! love you so
nuch and 20 think I have 70 90 and leave you
'TFis 'rrorrfrg ,yhea ] first got up. ! thought !
would XIII myself the first thing and then said
JyofIId frs again. And when yCu spoke so cross
over the felephone ] right out and bought the
revolver. ] do not know even now how VIII nave
The courage TO zlli myself. for ! was raised in a
convent with The good nuns, ana my religion does
not believe IN such things only indde Out one
Yuie-ake IL inGeed YOU call il "a mistake what
IIttIc ] have after nay bills are paid, wish 10 De
sent Olivia Parker, 10. - 81 Andre.. s-st, ST.
NeVy-Orleans. / wish Ethel French the maid on
this floor TO have anything she may desire oi
mine.
Mrs Cray and man registered at the I'm
periaI on april - as }. w. Cray and wife,
New-OrIeans" Just before a yesterday
Thomas F. Powell watchman in the hotel.
heard shot on the ninth floor. He made sure
that the sound came from the room occupied
by the Grays by looking over the transom
Continued second page.
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