The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-11-06
HOW DID He DIE?
New York Police Have Failed to
Solve Mysterious DEATH.
HELD UP AND ROBBED

and Later FoSsd Dead in His Roor
At the Waldorf, One. of the Swell
Hotels Of New York. Letter 81
Wrote Indicates He Expected Deatl
But His Injuries Plainly Eyidenc
a Murder.
New York has another mysterious
murder or suicide case that the polict
SDd difficult to solve. Herman Brad
ley Potter, an insurance agent OF
Doy!estown, Pa, man OF excellent
social standing and comfortable
means was found dead in his rooms
on the fourteenth floor Of the Wal
oorf-Astoria Wednesday night, with
his skull fractured in two places, his
nose broken and bleeding, and bruis-
es about his legs and feet, showing
that he had been horribly beaten.
Whether the man was murdered in
the hotel or whether he was beaten
in the street, and went to his room to
die, IS not yet determined. A ques-
tion Of possible poison also figures
in the extraordinary mystery. There
is suspicion that jar Of white
powder found in the room contained
cyanide of mercury. An autopsy Will
be held to reveal whether Or not there
are traces Of the drug in the mans s
stomach. At the same time there
was a mysterious letter written by
Mr.. Potter to his wife in Doylestown,
which puts the whole affair in a diff
fecent phase.
It has been proved that Potter was
attacked by thugs on Saturday night.
and that he received cut in the nose
from a blow. He did not receive,
however, the wounds that appeared
on his body when he was found dead.
There are sufficient in themselves to
have produced death and the physl-
clans declare they were received
only short time before death.
When the mans body was exam
ined by the coroner he said:
s.This man has been beaten to
death. Can't say that he was killed
in the hotel, but murder has been
committed
On a table in his room was letter
addressed to Mrs. H. Bradley Potter,
Jr., of Doylestown, Pa. The letter
was on letter head Of the Michigan
Commercial Insurance company, OF
DovIestown. The letter in no way
threw light on the mystery. 1T read:
'My Dear Wife:-In the left hand
drawer Of the bureau YOU will ind an
envelope of every insurance CON-
pany I represent. Write TO every one
of them and ask them to appoint you
agent.
Everything I own is in the box
on my desk.
Goodbye to YOU and the children.
I forgot to say last Saturday night
was put out of business on my way
home to the hotel.
sI was attacked by three toughs
and l had quite an experience. ac-
tually put two of them to sleep. no'
the third ducked and hit me Nitn
sandbag on the left side Of the head,
and put me to sleep;
He took my watch. locka1, cigar
cite case, ring and pocket BOOK
81 was picked up by an officer lying
in the gutter. Fortunately | had my
room key with me, and the "asoorl
means a great deal in New York
Farewell to you all. Good-oye.
"fc;enedl Herman
While the letter would seem TO IN
oicate Potter knew death was ap-
nroachipg, it was agreed the WounoS
on his body could not possibly nave
neen self-inaicted. 1t was shown 1ne
letter was written in strong mana
and hy a man, who, if IN physlcai
suffering or under nervous straln>
c,ovo6 no sign of it in his writing.
4 comparison Of the writing 10 Uhe
sienatrre on the hotel register, prov
ed beyond doubt that Potter mao
penned the note.
further examination of the room
d;ec,osed the lar of white powder. Id
+he trousers of the dead man was
found ss.31 in cash together with pa
ners and other effects that proved MS
identity.