Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-20
FOLLOWED father |M1o ETERNITY
George E. Sterry . Millionaire Drug
Exporter Of New York, Slain by His
Son Whose Mind Had Been Dcrang-
ed by Approaching Marriaoe-mur-
derer Leaves Letter Behind.
(By Associated Press.)


arrangement. which had driven one
member OF the family to insanity
eliminated in the murder to-day "l
George f. Sterry. n millionaire drug
exporter, by his son. George r
Sterry, Jr. and the suicid" OF the
latter
The elder Sterry was shot down
a, the Pine street office Of Weaver
4 Sterry. Ltd. where he had been
clOseted for a few moments with the
murderer. The son Immediately al
forwards shot himself and Both men
wer,. dead when Others of the firm
hurried into the room. The deter.
mination of the father to remarry
led to the tragedy. A letter left by
the son made plain that his aims
were deliberate and the product Of 4
deranged mind.
The senior Sterry was y years
old and in addition 10 his drug In
terests was president OF the Bloom
field Mills Company. and n director
In the Spring Coal Mining Company.
He was prominent socially and active
In religious affairs, George Sterry,
Jr.. was 10 years old and with Ms
wife lived at Manhattan Square
Hotel. The murdered man was pres.
ident OF the Arm OF Weaver & Sterry.
the murderer was its secretary. while
William Dewitt Sterry. a second son.
Is the treasurer.
Old Man Wanted to Marry Again.
Mr.. Sterry's wife died four years
ago and In last January he announced
his intention of marrying Miss Ra-
chel Blake. a public school teacher
OF East Orange, N. J.
The sons disapproved OF the ALI
ance. but were unable to persuade
their father against 1t. Today
George Sterry, Jr. went to his place
Of business as usual and entered his
fathers private room. Perhaps nve
minutes later the reports OF revo''
yer. twice discharged. attracted 9th
ers to the private Office. The body
OF the elder Sterry sat upright In
the chair before his desk and blood
trickling down the face led from e
bu!le, wound in the right temple.
Stretched out in . chair near his IA
theirs desk was the lifeIess form OF
the son. He had been killed by a
bullet over the right ear. His right
k,rl vnynlCar
The story OF the tragedy Is told
In two papers-One found in the coat
pocket Of the murdered man and the
Other In the pocket Of his son.
The first was an advance marriage
notice which had evidently been pre-
pared for insertion in the newspa
pcrS.
Pa.hos in Sons Letter.
The other paper took the form OF
an open letter and ran thus:
Manhattan Square Hotel,
May -. 1905.
To whom II concerns - the cor
oner first. presume:
loon SDieUlU vdtH 'bO IVY s''
that my father would never dis
gracH the memory OF my sainied
mother. There Is not bi; OF self
ishness IN ire. Had my father en-
caged himself to a lady Of mature
age 7 would most certainly bid him
good luck. and trust he would live
forever. I certainly always desired
a long and happy life for my odd
man term which ! frequently and
a!cc.iouaiely used to him. IL Is now
II O'Clock. May ~. Now no one n IN
nv confidence and my brotherS may
draw a conclusion or may form an
opinion Of the matter. There Is q
point which strikes me as particu-
Iar;y Interesting. While riding down
On the Ninth avenue elevated. ] cast
casu,I xiarees on those around me-
as they Doubtless did me. The
thought which desire TO convey Is
this: How myany thousands would
have s;sred ai nc had they known
the prominent captions my double
crime would xaTran: tomorrow.
Where oersoses Mind Reieoed.
There is cornicaI and laushabie
end IN this. would willingly give
$50 10 Rachel y. Blake to hear