The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-04
MURDERED
 IN HIS BED (. A. Edwards of New York Killed.
NO CLUE YET DISCOVERED
Was at Home of Brother-in-lzw
 in New Haven.
Suicide at First Suspected, But Ab- sence of a Weapon Compels Au- thorities to Incline to Mur-
 der Theory.

 A. Edwards of New York. formerly president of the Passaic Chemical Conn pany of New Jersey, and more recently an officer of the General Chemical Company. with an office in New York e!ty. -ss iSysterio1siy given . ssssssis wound from pistol ball while lying in bed during the night. the guest of his brother -in-law. Charles A. Hitler. So mysterious was the case that Dep- uty Coroner Pond opened an inquest at police headquarters following q long and searching inquiry during the day at the Hitler homestead at IT College street, almost directly opposite East Divinity, a dormitory of Yale,
 Mir. Edwards was found dying in his chamber by Charles A. Hitler. He had retired about Il o'clock last night after attending a birthday party in honor of his sister. Mrs. Samuel Harris. who is cousin of former President Timothy Dwight of Yale. Early in the day he had come over from New York for this special purpose and of late he had been a frequent visitor here, usually as guest of either Charles A. or A. Maxry Killer. both brothers-in-law. I-e res tired apparently in the best O. spirits.
 Brother-in-iaw Investigates.
 His failure to appear at breakfast led Charles A. Hitler to go up stairs
 
 door was not locked and going in he saw Mir. Edwards apparently uncon- scious from what was at first thouEht to be stroke of apopiexy.
 A neighbor, Dr. Metcalfe. who is dentist. was called and he gave restor. atives under the impression that 1t was a stroke of apoplexy little Iates Dr. II. B. Cheney reached the house, but Mfr. Edwards was then breathing his last.
 In the course Of this treatmen. oI the dying man, Dr. Cheney found | bullet hole in the left side of the Ecad, directly behind the ear. The hen- orrhage from 1t had not been profuHa. but. as 1t later was determined, the bullet had gone directly Into the brain.
 The death of Mir Edwards was re. ported by Charles 4. Hil1er to Deputy Coroner Pond. who at once wont te the house. At first glance Deputy Coroner Pond thought that death was an act of suicide. but the absence ot weapon which, hours of searching failed to reveal. gave rise to sus- picion of murder.
 After that the police were aotified of the death and guard was gent to tha house, and detectives assigned to the case The pol 'ee reached the conclu- sion that there had been a murder and tho investigation proceeded on this line
 It was found that the house had nos been broken into forcibly but an un- bolted kitchen door which tho house servants claimed was securely fastep- ed during the night gave a possible clew that some one had passed out of the house by that means
 There was no sign of a weapon
 Deputy Coroner Pond informally gave his opinion that it would have been Impossible for Mir. Edwards to have shot himself and get rid of the weap- on and it was equally mystifying he said. as to the point from which the bullett was discharged. Determination of these facts. if 1t be possible. was left to the autopsy which will be held tomorrow
 After examination of the homestead. the servants In the house ans both Charles and Maxcy Hitler were rigid1y questioned. A message was sent to Mrs. Edwards in New York. and during the afternoon she reached this city.
 C. A. Hitler an Ex-Judge.
 Charles A. Hitler lived in the home. stead with two servants. He is un- married He came to this city from Salina Kas., where he was a jsdge. about four years ago de Is a thirty third degree Mason. A Maxcy Hflier street He is very prominent In New Haven affairs.
 To the Deputy Coroner. Charles A. HIller said that lIr. Edwards returned from the home of Mrs. Harris at about II o'clock and after -hatting for q few minutes retired. Mir. Hitler says he was not disturbed by any pistol shots or any disturbance during tho night
 A. Maxcy Hitler said in his inter- view. after referring to Mir. Edwards's visit here for the Harris party:
 "I was on the best of terms with my brother-in- law. and there has been no family trouble"