Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-01-13
EDWARDS A SUICIDE
Remarkable Finding In New
Haven Tragedy.
COROyER'S UNIQUE THEORYOF DEATH
Fatal weapon and Poison Bottle
Found Close 10 Rear Door of Hill
Ter Mansian-Biood stained
Trail Upstairs.

NEW HAVEN, Conn, Jan. 9.-Sui
eide by means OF both bullet and poison
is the explanation given by Coroner Eli
Mix of the mysterious death of Charles
A. Edwards of New York city at the
Abigail Hitler homestead here ON Tues
day night last This finding is contain
ed in a preliminary report to State At
torney Williams and is based IN part on
the discovery of morphine in the body
of Mr.. Edwards by Medical Examiner
Bartlett and the surgeons who per
formed the autopsy. The finding is sup
ported by some portions of the evidence
taken at the inquest, which extended
through five days and which is not yet
completed.
The preliminary report is made at
this time to relieve public suspense, and
Coroner Mix adds that Mr.. Edwards
death probably was one of the most re-
markable on record. The theory of sui
eide, however, appears not to have been
held by the coroner until Saturday,
when two headquarters detectives I'M
earthed in the shrubbery near the Hill
Ter house an old fashioned % caliber re-
voiver and a half pint bottle containing
a quantity of laudanum. Until that
time and in absence of a report Of the
qualitative analysis of the viscera of
Mr. Edwards the weight of evidence
taken by Mr. Mix from long and ex-
haustive examination of witnesses was
that Mr. Edwards had been murdered.
The first action taken by Coroner Mix
after reIehing conclusion in the case
was to order the release from surveil-
lance of A. MaXcy Hitler, brother-in-
law of Mr.. Edwards, who ON Thursday
evening last was placed in charge of
police officer under recently enacted
law which gives the coroner the right
to hold an important witness in case
as he sees fit
The coroner's brief report does not
dispel the mystery in the death of Mr.
Edwards, ana until the complete find
ing is ready probably no public solution
cam be found as to why Mr. Edwards
at o'clock on Wednesday morning
last, clad in mis- underclothes, left his
chamber and descended to the base
ment, lighted the gas, unbolted and
opened the rear door. then twice dis
charged a revolver at himself, the bull
let going into the ear; then, falling to
kill himself, shrew the weapon away,
drank laudanam and tossed the bottle
after the pistol and with blood flowing
from a wound in the ear and head
dragged himself back to his chamber,
got into bed. drew the bedciothes over
his shoulders and after placing hand
kershief under his head to stanch the
flow of blood lapsed into unconscious
ness, death coming six hours later.
Coroner Mix so described the actions
of Mr. Edwards ON the night in CUES
tion.
Maxcy Hitler took his release from
surveillance calmly, but denied himself
to all callers BY advice of his counsel
he has refused to make any statement
whatever.
The finding of the coroner has arous-
ed even greater interest in the reports
of the autopsy and inquest, neither of
which, however, may be made public
in detail. Some of the inquest evidence
is understood to be startling. almost
beyond belief, the coroner himself adj
hitting this. For this reason it is not
expected that State Attorney Williams
will allow the evidence to be opened
for publication.
Coroner Mix said that one bullet
went wild, being imbedded in the door
while the other made the wound. In
an ordinary man this bullet would
have brought on Inconsistencies, but
probably with Mr.. Edwards it simply
had a deadening effect.
| The hand rail on the stairs and the
wall show bloody hand marks, as il
Edwards had first put his hand to the
wound, smearing 1t with blood before
starting upstairs. That Edwards hac
partially disrobed before going down
stairs is shown by the care taken In