New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-08
PROBE STEVENS'o DEATH.
District attorney and Coroner De-
clare 1t CIearly Suicide.

District Attorney Franklin A. Coles. or Mas
sau County. visited the home or FRANCIS D.
Stevens. jr, at westbury, Long Island, last even
ing and made thorough investigation or the
circumstances surrounding the shooting OF the
latter He closely questioned the servants, being
assisted by Counselor HorwitZ. a brother of the
widow He was impressed with the wide diver
gence between the stories told at different times
and could get adequate reason TOT the uii
ferences I'm the stories, but still the circuih-
stances of the shooting itself as shown by the
nocition Of the body and the mirrors before
which the shooting is supposed to have been
done left no room to doubt, District Attorney
Coles said that Stevens had taken his own NE
Two accounts told by servant Agnes iooeh'
taken into consideration with other facts, such
as the absence OF marks on the race other IMAM
those made by the bullet caused District At
torney Coles to make personal investigation
Before starting out District Attorney Coles
experimented with unloaded revolver WIN
his hand extended far as possible without
disarrangine the aim and still permitting MN
10 draw the trigger the distance between the
revolver and the temple was only four lnches
Another man. whose was much longer
than that of the ordinary person held the re-
volver at distance of nine inches Authorl-
ties agreed that ii would be practically lmpos-
sible for a pistol to he discharged within nine
inches of the skin without leaving marks. even
II the cartridges loaded with smokeless
powder.
The day following the tragedy Agnes Toben
said that in the evening, after dinner. she noticed
Mr.. and Mrs. Stevens in the library. guest was
with them Some time between $50 and 10 O'Clock
Mr.. Stevens left his wife and the guest and
went upstairs. He looked worried, she said.
IaI;a, Il no had
not been able to pay the help in the last two
months. At 10 O'Clock. she said, she went to
the room Mr. and Mrr. Stevens occupied car
rying a pitcher of ice water. and there found
her employers body.
Agnes told different story yesterday. a brief
one, for some one in the house prevented her
from talking length.
There was no one save Mr.. and Mrs Stevens
and myself in the house when the shooting took
place" said the maid yesterday. The guest
had gone home'--
The maid was hushed up at that point, and
another voice said that it insulting to make
inquiries from people in house of mourning.
That two stories regarding important circnn
stances should differ is not regarded by Coroner
Cornelius E. Remsen sufficient reason for
holding inquest. Mr.. Remsen gave out
signed statement last night. In it he said:
reference to the death of Francis B. Stevens, jr.,
l feel it incumbent to say. In justice to
myself that the circumstances surrounding the
death of Mr.. Stevens indicated so glaringly
of self destruction that to have held an
inquest would have been an ideal absurdity- A
few moments after the catastrophe L sum-
moned. Mr.. Stevens 1 found lying dead with his
right hand under the body and clutching in a
death grip the weapon which did the deed.
This circumstance, together with the peculiar
posture of the body, the condition of the wound
and the course of the bullet, indicated at
The averment that the pistol found several
feet away from the body is grossly false. So
also is the averment that cigarette was found
in one of his hands. That no powder marks are
to be found the temple Is not a all wonder
full for the bullet did not enter the temple. but
at an inch behind the temple. which is thickly
covered with hair In these circumstances the
suggestion Of foul play is desire to affirm pre-
posterouS.
E. A. Lewis cousin OF Stevens. said that
the entire Stevens family felt satisfied that the
suicide of the young man was the result Of
mental depression, brought on by financial diff
culties He says that Stevens really had
income except his salary, and it was well known
that he and his wife lived extensively.
The funeral will be held this morning Al IL 80.
It will be private. All Of the Stevens family
who can reach the place. and few friends.
will be present. After the ceremony at the
house the body will be transferred to Fresh
Pond. where II will be cremated.