Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-22
.ERR|uC WIFE KILLED
Uxoricide Received Letter
Meant for Another Man.
SHE MISDIRECTED MISSlVE
Cropsey Takes Her Life When She
Refused to Go With Him.
OFFERED HER ANOTHER HOME
Waits for Police After He Commits
Deed and Observation-Disclosures
Of Old Family.
OFFERED HER ANOTHER HOME

NEW YORK July 22.-Andrew Bergen
Cropsey, veterinary surgeon and land
Spectator. shot dead his wife Gertrude
yesterday afternoon in the old Cropsey
| home, No. 1749 s4th street, Bath Beach.
where he was born and where his family
had lived for generations. He remained
| in the room with the body until he was
arrested.
Cropsey refused to answer any questions
until Z o'clock last night. when he told
the police of the Bath Beach police sta
ton, where he was locked up. that he had
reason to believe that his wife had been
| unfaithful.
A letter. torn into minute fragments.
was found in the bedroom where the muir
der was done. A vain effort was made to
piece it together. Cropsey subsequently
| said that the letter was responsible for
the killing; that his wife had written it to
another man and made the mistake OF
putting it in an envelope addressed to-
him.
The letter. he said, sought to make an
appointment with man at Oyster Bay
and so Infatuated him that he became half
cyazed.
He then related in detail the circum-
stances that led up to the murder and
professed to give the conversation between
himself and wife after he had asked her
to go with him to the spare bedroom on
the second floor to discuss a business mat
ter.
Statement by the Prisoner.
my wife and had frequent disputes"
said he, because of her wish to live the
greater part of the time with her sister,
Mrs. Laura Josephs. and her refusal to
| accompany me on my trips. 1 Travelled
through the south until Ave months ago,
he, 7
tablished veterinary practice. From
| there l went to Bayonne and opened a
correspondence with my Wife
On Sunday last she must have writ
ten several letters. Through some mis-
take she got the envelopes mixed and
sent me letter which was not intended
should receive. I got to the house at
midnight Monday. but did not call until
the next day at II o'clock. My wife was
sitting on the veranda. I asked her to
something to say.
would like you to go away with
me- I said. You can sell the property
and we can go to Connecticut to live
we are the gossip of the neighborhood.
and it would be better to leave To
this she replied that If any one was to
blame 1t was /. Go to Connecticut
she said. II you wish. will care for the
children. A long time ago you promised
me that If ever l wanted a divorce YOU
would see that got it.
This SO angered me that 1 was about
to strike her. but thought the better of
II End took from my pocket the letter /
had received. I accused her Of unfaith-
fulness. which she denied.
Il then took the revolver from my
pocket and said: Maybe you don't want
to come with me, and maybe you are
right, but I intend to see that you never
become another mans wife Then /
shot her"
Expressed No Regret.
Cropsey did not explain where he
passed his time from midnight Monday
until yesterday afternoon. nor would h..
offer any explanation as to why he had
destroyed the letter which he alleged in
cited him to murder. He was perfectly
calm. and expressed no regret for what
he had done Nor did he go into details
Of the shooting.
An examination by the surgeon of the
Coney Island Reception Hospital showed
that the woman had been shot twice
Either bullet would have caused death.
Both had entered the breast and pene-
trated the lungs.
Mrs Cropsey's sister was on the veran-
da chatting with her when Cropsey ap-
peared. His two children-William. four,
and Herbert, one-were playing on the
lawn with Henry Moore, an aged negro
servant. Bella Francis, the negro cook.
was in the kitchen. The sound Of th<,
shots so terrified all the women that they
were afraid to make any move until
neiehbor came to their aid and called
Policeman Thrall, who arrested the unre-
sisting murderer.
Cropsey is a member of one of the
oldest families in the old town Of New
Utrecht.