The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-10-30

New York, October 27.-LOu1S G..
Hampton, assistant secretary of the
United States Trust company of this
city shot and killed Victoria l. Tacz-
kow, a beautiful young woman, in the
hotel Griffou in west Goth street late
last night and then committed suicide.
Hampton was infatuated with the wo-
man and they had been seen together
many times during the past month
They had been at the hotel where the
tragedy occurred since early yesterday.
Whether or not the tragedy was the
result of a pact between the man and
woman to die together has not been
determined but the circumstances
seems to show that the young woman
had agreed to die with her companion.
Hampton who was about 60 years old,
leaves a wife and two children. Miss
Taczkow was 20 years old and lived
with her father and invalid mother
She was employed in a Fifth avenue
department store.
The United States Trust company Of
which l.. c. Hampton was assistant
secretary, is one Of the largest and
strongest trust companies in New
York. Ex-Secretary Lyman J. Gage
was it's president until recently, and on
his retirement Edward W. Sheldon
was elected president and Mr.. Hamp-
ton for some time acted as secretary.
The events leading up to the tragedy
have been traced by the police, and ac-
cording to them the last chapter in
what looks like an illicit romance
opened on Thursday afternoon last,
when Hampton called at the Hotel
Griffou, and engaged a room. He said
he would return late that night or the
next morning.
Hampton then left the hotel and
nothing more was seen Of him until
Friday when about nine o'clock he en-
tered the hotel accompanied by a wo-
man and, going straight up to the no.
tel office, he registered as "Mr. and
Mrs. Sinclair, Burlington, Vt.
The woman who accompanied him
was an unusually handsome brunette
She was fashionably dressed and car
ried in her hand a small travelling bag
The couple took breakfast and the
woman left the hotel several times
during the day, but Hampton remain
ed in his room. Soon after she re-
turned from one of these trips a light
dinner was sent to their room. and q
request was sent to the clerk to call
them at II o'clock last night. owe
want to be called at II so that We may
catch a train" said Hampton.
At five minutes to eleven, maid
went to the room to call the couple
but when her repeated raps at the door
brought no response she reported 1t al
the office The room was opened and
the mystery explained
On the floor at the far end Of the
room between large, mirror anc
dresser, lay the man saetche1 out or
his back In his right hand was
clutched a revolver, while his hat was
held tightly in the left hand. A sho
fired into his mouth had entered his
brain. killing him instantly. Directly
in front was the bed and upon it wa.
the woman. also dead Her feet wer,
on the floor, while her head was rest
ing on the bed clothes, with her lef
arm shielding her face.
III
none of which appeared much more
than flesh wounds, but right under tn,
left arm pit was a fourth wound. Th'
bullet entered her body in down
ward direction and must have gon
through the heart. Word OF the trag
edy was sent to the coroner's ONCE
and as a result of that officials fnves
tfgation the identity of the victims va
established In addition to q valuabl
watch and other iewelry found II
Hampton's pockets there were paper
which directed inquiry t. the anart
ment house in west 23rd street, wher
he had lived WITH his wife.
At the United States Trust compa7
it was said todav that Ham'tor wa
at the Offices Of the company on Thurs
day attending to his duties On Fri
dav he telephoned that he was indis
posed but would be at the Office today