The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-09
SHOT HIMSELF
AND TOOK POISON
Conclusion Reached That Charles a.
Edwards Was Determined to
End His Life.
REPORT OF THE CORONER
EXPLANATION OF NEW HAVEN
MYSTERY.

New Haven, Conn, Jan. Ss-Suicide
by means of both bullet and poison is
the explanation given by Coroner Mix
for the death Of Charles Edwards Of
New York City. at the Abigail KILLER
homestead here on Tuesday night last.
This finding is contained in a prelim-
mary report to States Attorney Will
Hams, and is based in part on the dis
covery Of morphine in the body of Mr..
Edwards by Medical Examiner Bart
lett and the surgeons who performed
the autopsy. The finding is supported
by some portions Of the evidence taken
at the inquest which extended through
five days and which is not yet COM
pleted.
The preliminary report Is made at
this time to relieve public suspense,
and Coroner Mix adds that Mr.. Ed
wards death probably was one of the
most remarkable on record The the
DRY Of suicide appears not to have been
held by the coroner until Saturday
when detectives unearthed in the
shrubbery near the Hitler house a .22-
caHber revolver and a half pint bottle
containing a quantity of laudanum. I'm
til that time and IN the absence of a, re-
port on the chemical analysis of the
visCera the weight Of evidence taken
murdered.
Mystery Not Explained.
The first action taken by Coroner
Mix today after reaching a conclusion
in the case was to order the release of
the surveillance of A Maxcy Hitler
brOther-in-law Of Mr.. Edwards who on
Thursday evening last was placed in
charge Of a police officer. The cOrO-
ner's brief report does not diSpel the
mystery in the death of Mr.. Edwards,
and until the complete findings are read
probably no public solution can be
found as to why Mr.. Edwards, as Coro-
ner Mix describes his action, ''at 2
O'Clock on Wednesday morning last
committed suicide in his underclothes;
left his chamber and descended to the
basement, lighted the gas, unbOlted and
opened the rear door, twice discharged
a revolver at himself threw the wea-
pom away, drank Iaudanum and tossed
the bottle after the pistol and, with
blood flowing from a wound IN the
head, dragged himself back to his
chamber, got into bed, drew the bed
clothes over his shoulders and, after
placing a handkerchief under his head
to stunch the flow of blood, lapsed into
Inconsistencies, death coming six
hours later
Theory of the Coroner.
Coroner Mix, in. discussing his find
ing, said:
THE laudanum and revolver were
found two days ago thirty feet from the
rear Of the dining room, just a good
throw from the back door. They were
In the same direction from the house.
The laudanum was in a half-pint bot
tie in which an inch Of fluid remained.
Another revolver was found, but its
chambers were filed with dust and it
had not been discharged recently. The
handkerchief found under Edwards
cheek was wadded, and all indications
show that he had pressed it close to his
ear Another handkerchief was found
near the rear door which had on it the
initial r. The bloodstains from out
side the rear dining room up the stairs
form a trail and stop at the landing. In
my opinion the man shot himself first
and then took the poison. After taking
the poison he threw both revolver and
bottle away and pulled himself up
stairs.
I'VE feel now" continued the coro-
ner, that everything has been covered
and there remains no doubt that Mr.
Edwards took his own life