The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-02
KILLED WIFE and HIMSELF.
THE CRIME OF REAL ESTATE
BROKER JOHN s. GWEN.
suppos ed TO Have Administered Cyanide
OF Potassium 10 His Wife In Medicine
and to Have Taken n Very Large Dose.
Clear, Himself-N No Motive Apparent.


John s. Giveen, 40 years old, a real estate
broker at 203 Broadway, and his wife, Ellie
X, Giveen, as years old, were found dead
yesterday morning in their bedroom at 3e5
Greene avenue, Brooklyn, where they had
for some time been living with Mrs. Keeler.
the dead woman's mother, n her son,
Isaac Keller. Cyanide Of potassium was
the cause Of death in each case and the in
vestigation by the police and Coroner Ken
nedy left no doubt that murder and suicide
had been committed, the husband admins
tering a small dose OF the deadly drug to his
wife and then swallowing enough himself,
In the opinion of the physicians who made
the autopsy. TO kill q hundred persons.
There was no apparent motive, 40 far
as could be learned from members OF the
family, for the double tragedy. The couple
had been married for seventeen years but
had no children. They seemed devoted to
each other. II ia surmised that some bust
ness troubles may have driven the man to
the act. 1t would also seem that the crime had
not been long premeditated. for Mr.. Giveen
had planned to 90 to Crawford, N. j., in a
couple Of weeks for the summer, and he had
arranged 10 take his wife there yesterday
10 iOOh oNti q g houbc ho Doo Pui Siactu
recently and which is undergoing repairs,
They were to take the 8 A. M. train for
Crawford and on Monday night Mr.. Giveen
arranged with his brother-in-law to wake
him early 80 as to be In time for the train.
Mr.. Keller accordingly went TO the room &C.
cupied by his brother-in-law and sister
about b45 o'clock yesterday morning,
There was nc response to his repeated
knocking and he opened the door. His
first surprise was to find the gas still burning
and this was quickly followed by the dis
covery OF his sister lying dead In bed and
his brother-in-law dead on the floor near
the wi pdow
DR.. George Evanson thinks death in each
case occurred not less than five hours be-
fore the discovery Of the bodies. An
empty tumbler, to which still chung crystals
OF the poison, lay beside the body OF the
husband. Mrs. Giveen was q sufferer from
severe headaches and stomach trouble,
and was In the habit OF taking medicine at
right. It is believed that Mr.. Given mixed
the cyanide Of potassium with the medicine
and gave it TO his wife and then took the
pure p olson himself.
Before embardng' in the real estate
brokerage business Giveen was the head
Of the firm OF j.. s. Giveen q Co., anu
facturers OF cotton prints, with an Office In
Franklin street. He was an expert m
faoturer OF dyed cloths and he used cyanide
Of potassium In coloring.
He was married to Miss Keeler In 1889 In
Philadelphia, where his father. the late
Isaac Giveen, was a manufacturer. After
their marriage the couple settled in Gin
cinnati and subsequently returned to Phila-
delphia. Three years ago they moved to
| Brooklyn. To-day Mr., Keeler said he had
| never observed anything In his brother-in-
| laws n to indicate that he had con-
templated such a crime.
"0n Monday" he said, John seemed to
be In the best Of spirits and appeared to be
LOOKING forward with pleasure to his sojourn
+, In Crawford for the summer"
1t IL suspected that Giveen had recently
been specializing in stocks n that perhaps
most Of his money had been wiped out In the
slump in the market.
II fwas said at the office OF Carpenter
Baggot a Co. that Given formerly carried
a small account there, 30 that he could buy
and sell stocks in 100 share lots, hus that
he had h d no dea ings with :. Q firm for a
month or two. A member OF the firm
also said that Giveen had been despordsnt
sinoe the death OF q brother In Maine a
few months ago.
Giveen had only desk room at 20s Broad
way. He had not been there since Friday,
when he called for his mail.