The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-10-31
WALDORF GUEST TOOK POISON
SUPPOSED MURDER a SUICIDE
FIRST SPREE IN 3 YEARS.
Autopsy shows wounds on u. q. Potter's
Body IBID Not kin Him -~t'Oroner Har-
burger StHn ScepticsI and Columbia
chemist VIII Make an Analysis.

chemist VIII Make an Analysis.
Herman Bradley Potter, the insurance
broker from Doylestowr. Pa, who was
found dead in a room in the Waldorf
Astoria Hotel on Tuesday night. committed
suicide by taking cyanide Of potassium.
Coroner's Physician O'Hanlon, who made
an autopsy on the body at the Morgue
yesterday, said that dealt. was due to
a~sphyxiation caused by the action of the
drug On that portion Of the brain which
governs the respiratory organs.
There were a score Of Commissions on
Potteris body. but most of them we're
old injuries. and the fresh wounds on his
mead which at first led Coroner Hamburger
and the police TO believe that there was a
fracture Of the skull were slight and could
not have caused death. Neither the police
nor the Coroner doubt, however. that
Potter Was beaten by thugs last Saturday
night, a. he declared in the letter ad-
dressed 10 his wife.
After acting Capt. Bernard h-tIeler II
the West Thirtieth street station and his
detectives had made IA thorou gh investi-
CATION and clearly established the fact
Of suicide. and after DIR. O'Hanlon rerorted
hat poison wac found in the stomach.
Coroner Hamburger still held that murder
was committed. He declared hat he
believed Potter was given a dose of knock
ouL drops and died az "A result, hut the
substance found i'm the stomach was cve-
hide Of potassium, DIR. O'Hanlon says.
and not choral. To make sure, however,
the stomach and the poison were sent To
Prof. John II barkin uf Columbia Cniver-
sity for analysis.
Potter, who was 10 years old and of sth-
letic build. had been drinking heavily since
he came TO New York "a week ago. Dr.
+. u. Swartzlander of S2 State street, Doylee-
town, Pa. who knew him for many years.
was present AZ the autopsy. He said he
knew of no reason why Potter should kill
himself unless II was from remorse after u
spree. Five year, X Potter got into
eriou trouble because of his drinking
habits, Or S~wartyAsnder said. and didn't
take n drink until he came to New York.
On Saturday night Potter was found
sitting IN "a stoop az ~ East Seventy-fourth
street by Policeman Fnneeon. of the East
Sixty-seventh street station. who arraigned
him in the night court on u charge OF intoxi-
cation. He bore no bruises at that time
and as he was bile 10 TAX care OF himself
the Magistrate discharged him. He re-
turned to the Waldorf and ordered so many
drinks during the night that the hotel clerk
finally ordered that no more liquor be sent
TO his room.
When Potter was found lead. Detective
Rooney Of the West Thirtieth street station
examined the room and found In a closet a
small jar containing 1--WE crystals OF cyanide
OF potassium. In addition to the letters
to his wife two letters were found which,
the police believe. may tend to show that
he had contemplated suicide. They were
from a New York department. store and
explained that the shells Potter had ordered
had been shipped to him ut Byram. v. j.
The police believe he had "A revolver and
az first thought Of shooting himself.
When Potter left home over a week ago
he told his wife he was going TO Atlantic
City. Mrs. Potter got no word of him
until yesterday. when she was informed
Of his death.
DR.. Swartzlander and Oscar o. Boon.
a lawyer Of Doylestown, took charge OF
the body yesterday AND had It removed 10
Do~ylestown.