The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-21
TOWEL TIGHT ABOUT HER NECK
SOLDIERS WIFE FOUND DEAD;
STRANGLED PERHAPS.

SILK MufIier Tied About Wrist Looks a. II
Her Hands We're Tfed-Man Companion
MissIng--HusbAnd Last Heard OF in
San FranciscD-Ran Away From Dublin.
The dead body Of middle aged woman,
| who engaged room at POS East Fifteenth
street on May II, under the name Of Myra
Newell. was found there late yesterday
afternoon. The circumstances led Coroner
Goldenkranz, after superficial examina-
ton, to conclude that the woman had been
strangled.
The body was discov ered by Mrs. Winnie
Wilkinson, janitre of the he use, when
she forced open the door to demand the
weeks rent. She called in Policeman
Sullivan Of the East Invent second street
station.
The woman was fully dressed, even to
white cuffs and a three inch linen collar.
A towel drawn tightly around the collar
made Sullivan suspicious, 80 he notified
Capt Hussey that the case ought to be
investigated. Capt. Hussey called in
Detective Sergeant Cary of Headquarters
and went to the woman's room.
The janitress told them that the woman
had taken the room with long whiskered,
middle aged man who professed to be her
husband He said that he was connected
with a musical CO conservatory, and an extra
key to the house was given to him. The
janitress said she saw the man around the
house the last time on Wednesday night
When the police ha learned this much Mrs.
Joseph Cassidy of 100 Third avenue called
TO gee the dead woman She told Capt.
Hussey that Mrs. Newell had boarded with
her for four years and that her married
name was Hartaett. The woman's hus-
band, she said. was a soldier and was re-
Gently sent home to the army hospital at
the Preside. San Francisco, from Cavite,
Philippine Islands Mrs. Cassidy said that
Mrs. Hartnett drank heavily.
When Coroner Goldenkranz arrived two
hours later and made n close examination
Of the body he found that white silk
muffler was tied in two knots around the
right wrist. The arm was turned under
meath the he dy. the wrist being but couple
Of inches from the left arm, which lay BY
her side. A stout piece Of ribbon tied to
the muf1er around her right wrist had been
cut with knife, red mark extending
around the left wrist caused the Coroner
to infer that the woman's hands had been
bound tightly together and that her left
arm had been freed. After removing the
woman's collar the Coroner found that 1t
had cut deeply into her neck.
He sent for Capt. Hussey at once. and
told him that the circumstances were ex-
ceedingly suspicious. He said that the
woman had been dead about ten hours.
A superficial examination leads me to
believe the woman was strangled, but an
autopsy will be necessary to decide def
nitey," he said.
The Coroner looked through pile Of the
woman's letters. many Of which were from
the Philippines, and addressed to Mrs.
Laurence NJ Hartnett. They were full OF
affection and were signed Your loving
husband" The last letter from her husband
was dated Feb. %, at San Francisco. In it
he soolded her for making repeated requests
for money and advised her "to get out and
do something
Letters in another pile were addressed
to Miss Myra Newell and we're all post
marked Dublin, Ireland. They had oon-
tanned remittances from Townley Filgate.
10 Belvidere place. Dublin. The last was
dated seven months ago.
Mrs. Cassidy said last night that Town
ley Filgate was the woman's uncle and
port officer in Dublin.
Mrs Hartnett ran away from her homo
in Dublin when she was 81, said Mrs. Cas-
sidy, and came to America to be a COVER
ness. She was at one time employed by
Joseph NJ. Pemberton. When her mother
died, she left her an income which was to
cease when her daughter married She
married Lawrence Hartnett ten years ago.
and has kept her relatives in ignorance of
it. She had been receiving about 81, 600 a
year until even months ago. when the re-
mittances stopped
Mrs. Cassidy said the woman went to
live with her when her husband was sent
to the Philippines. While she lived with
her she ha no visitors of either sex. Mrs.
Cassidy said she had never seen man with
the woman, who was in her room
constantly night and day.
when she left owing me $l65 for board
she said she had secured employment in
a hotel at Bath Beach, said Mrs. Cassidy.
Capt. Hussey concluded to await the re-
suit of the autopsy to-day before taking
any steps to locate the woman 8 companion.
DEFIED ANTI-CTG4RETTE Law.