New-York tribune., 1907-11-11
P. G. THEBAUD, JR., SHOT.
BUTLER FIRES BULLET.
Commission Merchants Employe
Then Kills Himself.

Paul Gilbert Thebaud, jr, the seventeen-year-
| old of Paul q. Thebaud shot and Sc
! riously wounded yesterday morning at his
! fathers home, Frair. at White Plains by John
/ Bjorn. the OLD family butler. who then sent a
| bullet through his brain. dying almost in
| stantly by the bedside of his employers son.
Young Thebaud will probably live the doctors
| say. Mr. Thebaud of the firm of Thebaud
| Brothers. commission merchants. of No. 81
| Broad street. is at a loss to explain the action
! of the butler.
| There seems to be only one explanation Of the
| shooting. 1t is believed that jealousy prompted
! Bjorlin to attempt to take the young mans life
The butler was jealous of young Thebauds at
! tentions toward other servants Recently he
| had been drinking heavily.
| BjoTln was a Dane. linguist OF ability. and
| last year accompanied the Thebauds to Europe
| and exceedingly valuable, he was ia
| niliar with six languages. He entered the en-
| ploy of the Thebauds five years ago. Almost
! immediately he became deeply attached TO Paul
| and they were inseparabe companions. Out
| wardly there apparently no break in the
| friendship betw cen the two until yesterday.
! Just after midnight on Saturday Mr.. and Mrs.
! Thebaud returned from dinner at the Knoll
| wood Country Club. The house was quiet.
About o'clock yesterday morning the butler
| went to Thebaud's room. The young man was
! clad in his bathrobe. So far as can be learned
| Bjorlin didn't speak to Paul but simply pointed
at Thebaud's forehead and fired. He hesitated
| n moment and then stuck the muzze of the
gun behind his own ear and pulled the trigger
/ He died before any one arrived
| The shots were heard throu hout the big
| house and the servants rushed to the
| room from all directions. When the house
| keeper reached the room she the first per-
son to the result Of the tragedy. Biorlin
was lying face downward. revolver by his
side. Young Thebaud was stretched out un-
| conscious in bed. Blood flowed freely from his
wound.
hurry call vas sent for Dr. H Ernest
| Schmd. Of White Plains He made fast run
10 Hlair in his automobile. Or. Henry T.
| Kelly and Or. Page were also sent for, and
after consultation DR.. Schmid decided 10 send
| for DR.. Blake, Of Manhattan. who performed
| the operation. Previous to the removal Of the
| bullet young Thebaud's pulse was very weak
but after a clot of blood had been removed
! from the brain the action of the heart increased
| Dr. SChmid said the bullet had entered the fore
| head and penetrated the forward part or the
brain Il feel sure that Paul will recover" said
Dr. Schmid. "He had a narrow escape, never
| theless'
\ few hours after the tragedy the news Of the
! shooting had spread all over White Plains. The
! many New Workers living in Westchester who
| are friends of the Thebauds sent word Offering
| their assistance. Eugene s. Reynal and N C.
| ReynaI brothers OF Mrs. Thebaud. both Of whom
1.-Two in White Plains. hurried TO Hi'lair in their
! automobiles Mrs. Thebaud was almost pros
| trated for she feared her son would die, but
| with the reassuring statement Of Dr. Schmid'
she controlled her grief and Immediately took
her place as Paul's nurse Mr.. Thebaud well
| coined his friends and bore UP oraVeF ui'ue' ''e
| shock.
! c,,ro,o- r eouircs took charge of Biorln $
| bodv and started an investigation at once. He
probed various theories for the shooting. lie
was of the opinion that hard drinking had much
| TO do with the buffers act An inquest VIII De
held at White Plains tomorrow.
| Biorlin left no papers 10 throw any light on
| his motive for the crime. His object in trying
| to kill his young friend and master VIII never
| be known unless young Thebaud can advance
| some reason when he is able to tell his story
| That will not be for several days a' IedS'' anu
| perhaps il may be weeks.
| one of the Thebaud servants said that he had
| hoard the butlcr threaten to kin Paul early last
| week The same man said Biorlin also tried
! one dav last week to take the life of the second
butler. of whom he also insanely Jealous
John Hickey. the night watchman at Hilair'
| saws he awoke the butler at $50 o'clock yester-
day morning and heard him get up. Ten MN
| utes later the shots were fired. In that tlme
| the butler had left his room on the thlru Hoor
and gone down one flight of stairs to young
| Thebauds room
In speaking of the shooting. Mr. Thebaud
| said: II really cannot imagine why John shot
| my sor He was deeply attached to him; in fact.
| to all the members of my family. believe nat
| he suddenly became insane. That is the only
| reason that I can give for his act
| Mr. and Mrs Thebaud have one other SON..
| Rcvnal. who is twelve years old The Thebauds
| have lived at White Plains for nineteen years.
Mrs Thebaud is the only daughter of the late
| Mrs Jules Reynal. who built St Johns Church
at White Plains. 1t cost S25O,O0O. and was built
| as a memorial to one of her sons. Mr.. Thebaud
| IS a member of the Union League, the Racquet
| and Tennis the Automobile Club of America,
the Iarchmont Yacht. the Riding and Driving
! and many other clubs.
| Paul is exceedingly fond of outdoor sports. be-
| ing q fair athlete and lawn tennis player and an
enthusiastic motor cyclist. He also spent much
! time last summer on his fathers yacht.
In 1902 the Thebaud home was robbed OF jew
| elry valued at $685. 900.