Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-04
FATAL WOUND
CONTINUED from Page One.)

tify Deputy Coroner Pond. said tonight
that when he arrived at the home Mr..
Edwards was dead and that when
found in bed Mr.. Edwards was dressed
III his undtrClOthes.
The inquest began about I o'clock
and it was nearly II o'clock before it
vas over. Tonight. the Hitler home on
College street, where the shooting oc-
CURED, is guarded by the police. There
will be a continuation of the corOnCr's
inquest tomorrow on the return of
Coroner Mix.
Mr.. Edwards was found dying in his
chamber by Charles a. Hitler. He had
retired about II o'clock last night af-
ter attending a birthday party in hon
or of his sister. Mrs. Samuel Harris.
who is cousin of former President
Timothy D. Wight of Yale. Earlier in
the DAY he had come over from New
York for this special purpose and Of
late he had been frequent visitor
here, usually as a guest of either
Charles A. or A. Maxcy Hitler, both
brotners-in-law.
He retired apparently in the best of
spirits. His failure to appear at break
stairs. According to the latter, the
chamber door was not locked and go
ing in he saw Mr.. Edwards apparent
" unconscious from what was at first
taken to be a stroke of apopleXy. n
neighbor, DR.. Metcalf, who is dentist
vas called and he gave restoratives I'M
der the impression that it was a stroke
of apopleXy.
A little later DR.. Benjamin H. Cheney
reached the house, but Mr.. Edwards
vas then breathing his last. In the
course of his treatment of the dying
man. DIR. Cheney found a bullet hole
in the left side of the head, directly be-
hind the ear The death of MIR. Ed
wards was reported by Charles "A. Hill
Ter to Deputy Coroner Pond. who at
once went to the house, while mes
senger summoned A. MaXcy Hitler from
the superior court where he was trying
a case.
At first glance Deputy Coroner Pond
thought that death was an act of sui
eide hut the absence of the weapon,
which hours of searching failed to re-
veal, at once gave rise to a suspicion
Of murder, although he declined to to
tNfItSS IflIScll hIIcI lfltcI NltNCu Jul
ing the afternoon. Later the police
| reached the conclusion that there had
been a murder and the investigation
proceeded on this line. They found that
the house had not been broken into
forcibiy, but an unbolted kitchen door
which the house servants claimed was
securely fastened during the night, gave
a possible clue that someone had pass
ed out of the house by that means.
There was no sign of a weapon.
A message was sent to Mrs. Edwards
in New York and during the afternoon
she reached this city. Charles 4. Hill
Ter lived in the homestead with two
servonts. He is unmarried. A. Maxcy
Hitler lives al 433 Temple street. He is
a lawyer by profession, a very we'll
known citizen. has served the city as
an alderman and is I club man.
To the deputy coroner, Charles a.
Hitler said that Mr.. E.dwords returned
from the home of Mrs. Harris at about
II o'clock and after chatting for a faw
minutes retired. Mr.. Hitler says he
was not awakened by any pistol shot
or any disturbance during the night
and the first ntimation of the condition
Of his brothcr-in-law was when he
found him on the bed.
a. Maxcy Hitler said in his inter-
view after referring to Mr.. Edwards
visit here for the Harris party:
Il was on the best Of terms with my
hrotherin-law and there has been no
family trouble. l knew of no motive for
suicide"
one of the servants when questioned,
col hot eli. to
last night. having extingushed all the
lights Iii the basement. This morning
she says, She found several lights burn
ing there and Il rear door unbolted.
Mr.. Edwards was about 60 years old
and Il descendant of Jonathan Ed
Wards. one of the early presidents of
Yale University and was related to
many families of distinguished ances-
try. He was graduated from Yale in the
acadamic class of 1856 and was an eX-
trcmcly popular member Of the class.
While somewhat short of stature, he
was of fine physical development and
of ample powers to cope with almost
any strong man. Personally. he was of
most cheerful and jOvial t"mpera
ment He married Miss Sarah Gather
inc Hitler. only daughter of Mrs Abb
gail Hitler. and sister to Charles AMI
Maxcy. Mra. Hitler died a few weeks
ago. Her estate has not yet hocn set
tied and it is stated that the attempted
division of tn" property caused Il bit
ter disagreement between the Killers
and Mr.. Edwards.
1t was stated tonight by one close
to the situation regarding the alleged
differences between the Killers and
Mr.. Edwards that about three weeks
ago Mr.. Edwards came to New Haven
and at that time there was trouble
over the settlement of the estate of
the elder Mrs. Hitler who died a few
weeks before. Ii is alleged that Mrs.
Edwards called at police headquarters
for a policeman to accompany her to
the railroad station in order to pro-
tcct her from the threatened violence
of certain members of the family. The
l.olice tonight state that tilc Cls,. prob
ably will develop into one of tho most
sensational in tho annals Of crime in
New Haven. y Maxcy Hitler is quot
ed tonight as saying that he believes
that Mr.. Edwards died as the result of
a stroke of apoplexy and that toe au-