The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-04
eRISWELL SUICIDE IN SUBWAY
CAR OUTS OFF TEE HEAD or PUB
L1SHER OF THE ANEW YORKER
And PrejecteP q "AmeF1ca's Feee@eet
Families'.-His Dinner Hest and Hin
WIFE Weee wondering where Ho Wa
Recently Arrested "a Libel Charge

containing tolegram9 and papers aodfeeeoo
to Robert w. Criswell at the Hotel Belle
claire. Broadway and Seventy-seventh
street, killed himself last night by jumping
In front Of q southbound subway express
at the Seventy-second street station. Robert
W. Criswell Is the editor OF the NeU Yorker,
and the man who was recently summoned
to court on libel charge made by Congress-
man Joe Rhinock of Kentucky, because his
paper had referred to the Congressman
slurringly In connection with Miss Alice
Roosevelt's visit to Cincinnati. Criswell
was also connected with the publication
called Americas Foremost Families,
which has been a subject Of investigation
by the District Attorneys Office.
Or iswell was to have dined last night,
with A. Harry Ray, friend, but he did
not show up to keep his dinner engagement.
Mrs. Ray went around to the Belleclaire
at 10 O'Clock to learn why Criswell had not
come. She found Mrs. Criswell there alone.
wondering what had become Of her hus-
band. Up to midnight Criswell had not
appeared at the Belleclaire. At that hour
the police were inclined to think the suicide
was Criswell.
The man who killed himself appeared on
the subway express platform at $50 o'clock.
There were about dozen persons on the
platform. lined up waiting for south
bound express. ~
Nobody paid much attention to the man
in the blue serge suit who walked UP and
down the platform nervousy. A train
shot into the station and the man In the
serge suit flung himself directly in front Of
the motor car.
u;a pocL Col, n ,~o,. kk< ~ fvoo L nd tho
wheels severed his head from his body as
II 1t were cut by a g,,illotine. The motor
man put on brakes as quickly as pos
sible, but the wheels Of the first car had
all gone over the man before the train
could be stopped. The body was horribly
crushed.
Several women had tainted. Men who
were waiting on the platform yelled In
horror. The people in the express train
that was brought to such sudden stop
cried to get out not knowing what had
occurred. The guards kept the doors Of
the cars closed until they learned what
had happened. Then they let the paesen-
gers alight, but insisted that they leave the
station.
All southbound express trains we're held
up. BICYCLE Policeman Kupfrain and
Policeman Casey were summoned by en-
ployees OF the railroad. The suicides
body had been lifted from the track and
was lying on the express platform when
the two policemen arrived.
Near the body was wallet containing
he papers and kilograms addressed to
Criswell. This wallet had fallen out Of
the mans pocket when he jumped in front
OF the train, or else he had dropped It pur-
posely.
William A. King OF 143 West Thirty
seventh street. the motorman, and William
Biehoff, conductor, were Immediately ar
rested
Casey and Kupfrain sorted out as many
of the persons on the platform who saw
the man jump as they could find, and they
took these names Of witnesses: Miss
Thomas Of 70 Jane street. Thomas L. Adams
a lawyer of PIT Broadway and James II.
Lancaster of 20 Cortlandt street.
One OF the kilograms found in the wallet
was addressed to Criswell at the Hotel Belle
claire and was received there on July IS
from Kentucky. 1t read:
Will send copy Of orders in morning. Con-
gressman Rhinoch, brother OF w. II. Rhinoch
and j. A. Rhinoch. ". W. HELM.
lie UONy Wd6 ICiuONCo " Oho, VOoV NohAty
eighth street police station In a patrol
wagon. Word was sent to the Belleclaire
that it was feared that Criswell was the
suicide.
Roblee was satisfied of the suicides
identity when he got the police description
of the man, and he told Mrs. Criswell that
her husband had met with an accident.
She tainted, and a physician was summoned.
Irving was In Bath Beach. The police tried
to find Ray to get him to identify the body.
Criswell was the editor and publisher
OF the New Yorker and; with Robert A.
Irving, got up the Social Editors So
oiety, which was getting out the book
entitled Americas Foremost Families
Girls we'll was arrested on July II on a
arrant issued by Magistrate McAvoy
charging him with criminal libel in oonnec-
ton with an article published In the Nev
Yorker regarding Alice Roosevelt's visit
to the home Of Congressman Longworth
at Cincinnati. Congressman Rhinoch came
on here for the purpose Of pressing the
charge.
Assistant District Attorney Krotel in
investigating "Fads and Fanoies' ran
across the Social Editors Society and
found that Criswell was behind 1t. 1t
was learned that under this title Criswell
and Irving since last February had been
getting money from wealthy people ostensi-
bly as subscriptions to Americas Fore
most Families"
The District Attorney got hold Of enough
of the books to show that In all S6.o5O had
been collected. There was no evidence to
show that anything had been done toward
getting out such book. Among those
who subscribed were Colgate Hoyt. Louis
v. Bell, Ira A. Kip. James w. Gerard, George
B. Post, z. H. Gary and W. Gould Brokaw.
They had paid in amounts ranging from
500 to $3.50.
Mr.. Krotel called up Criswell and Irving
recently to produce all their books, but
got a fat refusal from them through a
lawyer. Within the last few days repre-
sentative of the District Attorney has made
repeated calls at the Office Of the Social
Editors Society to get the books, but was
unable to find any one in charge with ALL
thority to deliver them. Criswell paid
back $500 to one man who demanded It.