New-York tribune., 1908-07-22
CROPSEY KILLS WIFE
SHOOTS HER IN OLD HOME
Scion of Prominent Long Island
FamiIy admits Crime.

In the old mansion that his family had occupied
for generations at No. I749 ssfh street BROOKLYN
Andrew Bergen Cropsey member OF one OF III.
oldest Long Island families. shot and killed his
wife yesterday morning Cropsey's children-Wil-
lam, aged four and Herbert. one year old-wers
In the house at the time OF the shooting. with Mrs
Cropsey's sister. Mrs. Laura Josephs- They hud-
died in a corner the parlOr in terror until Henry
More. a negro employed by the family for thirty
years. called Patrolmen ThraH and Harley. of the
Bath Beach station. Cropsey was standing at the
top Of the stairs pale and dazed when Thrau en-
tered with drawn revolver. He held out his hands
TO be handcured and said ''I shot her"
II is believed that letter which was found IN
Cropsey's pocket but which the police refused
make public, had much to do with the tragedy
Cropsey is thirty-nine years old. Of distinguished
appearance and superior education He became
veterinerary surgeon through his love for horses
but never practised sufficiently to bring him
income According to relatives. he had been drink
ing heavily and had qUarreIied several times with
his wife.
Last November Mr.. and Mrs. Cropsey and their
children travelled in the South and II said
that he was prospecting for business which would
repair his fortunes and enable him to begin anew.
Mrs Cropsey returned after three weeks. and ne
went later to Hornell. N Y where he remained
until last May when he made his home in Bayonne.
The letters between the couple are said 70 have
been few and Mrs Cropsey kept both children with
her In the old mansion in which Cropsey himself
had been born
He came to the Bath Beach home shortly befor.
noon yesterday. More, the servant. was with the
two children on the lawn. and he told the police
that Mr. Cropsey seemed perfectly sober and In
cheerful spirits. He kissed both the children and
went into the parIor TO see his wife Saying he
wanted to talk over business matters with her he
led the way to a spare bedroom on the second
floor Mrs. Josephs heard loud words after a rev
minutes and then there were three shots
The policemen called an ambulance from the re-
ceptfon Hospital and DIR. VOgt found that two OF
the shots had entered Mrs Cropsey's breast over
the heart Her death caused Instantly one
was wrenched OFF. The police think that Gropsey
NAV have demanded money certain papers from
his wife and thinking that they were In her shoe
or stocking struggled to get them
On the way the station house CropSey SAID
nothing and the only statement which captain
Devanney got from him during a long examination
II committed rash act, and / am sorry FOR H.
I suppose frs the electric chair now for me-.
He was taken to Police Headquarters and photo
graphed and will probably be arraigned before
Magistrate VOORHEES,. his lifelong friend IN the
Coney Island court to-day.
Cropsey inherited half of his fathers million
dollar estate several years ago He spent IL rap
fdIy and nortgaged the ancestral home several
times his mother paying his debts He was tne
direct descendant of Casper Cropsey. who owned
all the land occupied by Bath Beach. Bensonhurs'.
Crave>end ETC. and of the Long Isianu
,io,aars His sister is Mrs William B Lake. the wife
of the wealthy Coney Island builder. Other meni-
hers of the family are prominent in Brooklyn He
married Gertrude Henry. She was several years
his Junior. Nellie CrOpsey. cousin OF the HlN'
derer was killed at Elizabeth city. y. C., Re"
years ago by James WILCOX