The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-04
CANNOT FATH0M
MURDER MYSTERY
Charles A. Edwards, Prominent in
New York Business Circles,
Fou1d Dead i'll Bed.
BULLET HOLE BEHIND HIS EAR
First Thought to Be Stroke of
Appoplexy, But Physicians
Found Obscure Wound.
tBy Associated Press,

| Wy ASBUclHteu PreSSD
| NEW HAVEN, CONN, January a.
Charles A. Edwards of New York, for
merly president of the Passaic Chemical
| Company, Of New Jersey, and more re-
| Gently an officer of tho General Chemical
| Company with an Office in New YORK.
city, was mysterously given Il death
wound from n pistol ball while lying In
bed during the night, the guest of his
brothcr-n-law, Charles a. Hitler SO
mysterious was the case from the outset
that Deputy Coroner Pond opened an IN
quest at police headquarters, following
long and searching investigation at the
KILLER home.
Mr.. Edwards was found dying In his
chamber by Charles a. Hitler. he mao
retired about II O'Clock last night AFTER
attending a birthday party IN hohof Oh
his sister, Mrs. Samuel Harris, VINO rs
n cousin of former President Tlmotny
Dwight, of Yale. Early in the day he had
come over from New York for this special
purpose and of late he had been ire
quent visitor here. usually as guest
of either Charles A. or A. Maxcy Hitler.
both brothcr-in-laws. He retired appar-
emily In tho best spirits.
His failure to appear at breakfast ied
Charles A. Hitler to go upstairs Ac-
cordIng to the latter the chamber door
was not locked, and going IN lie sa"
Mr.. Edwards apparently unconscious from
what was at first thought to be stroke
OF appoplexy. In the course of treatment
of the dying man the physicians found
q bullet hole in the left side OF the head
directly behind the ear. The henorrhage
from 1t had not been profuse but as 1t
later was determined, the bullet had
gone directly into the brain.
The death of Mr.. Edwards was report
ed by Charles A. Hitler to Deputy Coro-
ner Pond, At first glance Deputy Coro-
ner Pond thought that death was an act
of suicide, but the absence of the
weapon, which hours of searching failed
to reveal. gave rise to suspicion OF muir
der. The police reached the conclusion
that there had been n murder and the
Investigation proceeded on this line They
found that the house had not been broken
into forcihly. but an unbolted kitchen
door, which the house servants claimed
was securely fastened during the night.
gave possible clcw that some one had
passed out OF the house By that means.
There was no sign of a wNSpon.
Police Guard Homestead.
For almost five hours Deputy Coroner
Pond conducted the preliminary inquest.
Those who were errntiaed were a. Maxcy
Hitler and his brother, Charles. Coroner
Pond said after the inquest that he would
make no formal statement lie talked
with the newspaper men, however, and
said that, as far as he could learn, there
was no reason for Mr.. Edwards taking
his own life. "On tho other hand con-
tinued the coroner. there seems to rne
to be good reason to believe that Mr.
Edwards was Killed"
He was asked II suspicion pointed to
any one man. and he replied that he
would not discuss that phase of the case.
The coroner was asked whether or not
the shooting. in his mind. was the result
of a quarrel between members Of tho
Hitler family, but declined to speak def
nitely on that point.
1t was stated tonight by one close to
the situation regarding the alleged diff
feTcnces between the Killers and Mr.. Ed
wards that about three weeks ago Mrs.
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 n few weeks be-
fore. 1t Is alleged that Mrs. Edwards
called at police headquarters for n po-
liceman to accompany her to the railroad
station, In order to protect her from
the threatened violence of certain mem
bers of the family. The police tonight
state that the case probably will develop
into one of the most sensational in the
annals of crime in New Haven. A police
guard was kept over the Hitler homestead
Tonight.