The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-01-09
KILLED HIMSELF
CLAIMS CORONER
WTWIl4 -,
EpWARDS FIRED BULLET INV
HEAD AND THEN DRANK
LAUDANUM.
COMPLETES The CHAIN
ot Facts in Connection With New
Haven Mystery in Support OF
ciaim-some Sensational
Testimony.


eide by means of both bullet ana poiS-
an Is the explanation given by Cor
oner Mix of the death OF Charles a.
Edwards, at the Abigail Hliler nome
stead here on Tuesday night last
This finding is contained in pre-
liminary report to States Attorney
Williams and is based In part on the
discovery of morphine In Edwards
bodv by Medical Examiner Bartlett
and the surgeons who performed lhe
autopsy. The finding is supported py |
eome nort.ons of evidence taken at the |
inouest which extended through hVe |
days and which Is not yet completed |
The theory of suicide; appears moi
IN have been held by the coroner un-
iii Saturday when detectives unearIn'
ed in the shrubbery near the Hlliei
house a 22-calibre revolver ana nan
pint bottle containing a quantity oi
laudanum. Until that time, and III 'pe
absence of a report on the chemlcai
analysis of the viscera the weight VI
evidence taken by NIX was that El'
wards had been murdered.
The first action taken by Cororer
NIix today after reaching conclusion
In the case was order the release from
surveillance of A. Maxey Hliley' DroVh-
ar.in-law of Edwards, who on Ihu'suaS
evening last was placed in charge OF
the police.
The coroner's brief report does not
dispeI the mystery of Edwards death
and until a complete finding is ready
probably no public solution can De
found as TO why Edwards, as the cor
oner describes his action at TWO
O'Clock Wednesday morning last clao
in his undercBtnes, ivft his oaannei
and dercended TO basement hgntea
the gas unbolted and opened a rear
door twice discharged the revolver at
himself one bullet going INTO the
car then failing to kill himselt threw
The weapon away, drank laudanum anu
tossed the bottle after the pistol aho
with the blood flowing from the wouhu
IN his head. dragged himself pack y
his chamber. got into bed, drew Tue
hedclothes over his shoulders ahd
after placing handkerchief under h,S
head TO staunch the flow OF pioou
lapsed into Inconsistencies, deali
coming six hours later
I. The coronen's s, finding, came iate liti
iy,asafternoon, -attsr, be had had n eohlen
.rs ence win 1Stateb Attorney yWilliams
: Medical Examiner Bartlette and Ghaf
NJ les '.aiHsr theea6f3A. Maxey Hlliei
1. STbe, ,pt.toi ami, bgtife were discover
II a1 saturday 10y del tectives who 4weF
$ i,sing a rake on a deep liter of leave
nnder a lot Of shrubbery' The pistfe
which was Exhibited was bright IN II
picke,ed parts almost to newness a
tbonrh the barrel and chambers wef
slightly rusty from being out IN 'h
rain last week.
Coroner MIX In discussing his fin:
ing. said: '@ly
@The laudanum and revolver wei
fond two days ago thirty feet irol
mo rear of the dining room, just
good throw from the back door. IN,
were in the same direction from u
hohsei;e The laudanum was IN ma
mini hottie in which an inch OF u
a,ii,k remained Another revolver WI
fo,ind but its chambers were tll'
With dust and il had not been dischar
od recently. - The handkerchief foul
under Edwars' cheek was waddeu al
all indications show he had pressed
close to his ear Another handk
b chief was found near the rear &c
.s which had on It The initial ''E' Blo'
= stains from the outside rear dini
room ups the sthirs fromi '4raii a
-, stop at the landing In my oplnl
e. the man shot himself first and III
Z took the poison. After taxing.
poison he threw both the resolvef[s q
hottie away and pulled himself
stairs. Under, certain conditi'
either the. pistol wound or dose
- najson would have killed man,
il. this case II is my belief that
acted with the other in causing
death Of Edwards"
some evidence introduced at
inoest is understood to be start
almost beyond belief the coroner |
ser admitting this. For this reaso
is not expected States Attorney
Hams VIII allow the evidence 10
opened for publication
In d 'scussing some facts ootaihe'
which, the suicide theory was conf
led. Coroner Mix says one bullet
-, wild. being imbedded in the .
while the. other made the wound:
The hand rail on the stairs, and
= wall shows bloody hand marks
Edwards had first put his hand .
wmnd. smesring It with blood d
starting mp the sairs, that I'D"
had partially disrebed before {
down stairs is shown By care
(eoBcI0ded on Fourth Page