New-York tribune., 1909-12-20
SISTERS DEAD
In SUICIDE PACT
SO DOCTORS DECIDE
AFTER AUTOPSY.
One Stabbed Through Heart
srith Hatpiu. Other Found
Hanging to Door.

Two sisters. Frances and lsaDef
Ritchie, each more than fifty years old
and members OF one OF the oldest New
ark families. We're found dead in their
home in that city yesterday, the victims
in case with only few parallels as 10
mysterious circumstances.
Frances. who was the elder. was found
lying on the floor Of the kitchen her
head resting on a sofa pillow and her
arms partly folded Piercing her body
close 10 the heart was found a long hat
pin. with which she had been stabbed
before the body had been clothed in the
conventional black dress the woman al
ways wore around the house There
We're also marks about her throat, indi-
eating that she had been strangIed-
Isabel was found suspended by a rope
fastened TO the knob OF door between
the kitchen and the dining room. one
of her eyes was badly swollen and dis
cOlored. and there were half dozen stab
wounds on her breast. also inflicted, ap-
parently. with hatpin.
On a sidebOard in the dining room was
found the lid OF small pastebOard box.
on which was scribbled in lead pencil:
Frances hanged herself at 2:3O sat,
me too"
The note gave rise to the theory OF a
suicide pact. but when the bodies were
taken TO Holes mOrgue and the clothing
was removed from the elder sister sus-
piciOn arose that murder might have
been committed.
SUICIDE PACT. SAY DOCTORS
County Physician Mckenzie and Dr..
William H MARYLAND OF the Newark
City Hospital. performed an autopsy on
the bodies OF the women. and their off,
cial report will be that the deaths were
the result of a suicide pact The hatpin
penetrated the apex OF the heart OF the
cider woman and came out at the back
of the body
The doctors believe that il made such
a small wound that she was then able
TO hang herself. as the marks OF strangu-
latiOn showed. There were several
marks on the body OF the younger
woman which indicated To the physi-
clans that she had tried the pin on her
self
Both women are believed 70 have been
dead for more than a week. The condi-
tion of their bodies when found proved
I
clan McKenzie. that death had ensued
al least forty-eight hours before This.
with the fact that the note gave Satur-
day as the day the tragedy took place.
enabled the county physician TO approxi-
mate the time OF death.
Then. too. neither of the spinsters had
been seen by their neighbOrs al last
week. while on Sunday. December :. the
couple were at communion IN Trinity
Episcopal Church. where they had been
regular cOmmunicants for almost twenty
years.
SUICIDE PACT DOUBTED.
The fact that the hatpin in the elder
wOman's body was under the clothing
gave strength 10 the suicide pact theory.
but when the marks on the younger
wOman's body We're noticed the aUthOri-
ties admitted they were puzzled. II IS
known that the younger sister has at
times been melancholy. and this led to
the suggestion that she might have killed
her sister and then taken her own life
Edward F G. Gordon. owner OF the
house az No ~ Marshall street. in
which the aged couple had lived alone
the bodies He called AT the house yes
terday. as he had twice before during
the week. TO collect rent
II was unusual for the sisters 70 Je
absent on rent day without sending word
10 Mr. Gordon. and his third trip made
him suspicious The doors OF the house
were all barred. and the landlord in
formed the police. Officers forced a
window in the basement and made their
way 10 the upper floor. where the bodies
lay.
Just above where the body on tn
floor rested was found a heavy rail. from
which was hanging a narrow strap
There was no evidence that the strap
had been used in the enactment of the
tragedy The only piece Of rope in the
house. however. was that from which
the younger sister was suspended.
The county physician examined the
wOman's throat. and the marks he found
we're similar 10 those ca ed by the rope
on which the other sister was suspended.
The belief. then. was that the elder sis
ter had Committed suicide and had been
cut down BY the other. who presumably
arranged the body on the floor.
HINTED AT SUICIDE.
From NJ Gordon the authorities got
what little information there was obtain
able about the two women He said
/ that the younger sister had been eccen-
/ tric, that she seldom left the house and
that on more than one occasion she had
I expressed desire 20 die.
/ The case suggested in some ways the
( mysterious death OF Mrs. OCey w NJ.
Snead. the East Orange bathtub victim.
when II was learned that frequently the
younger sister was found reading about
I suicides in the newspapers.
/ According TO Gordon. the elder sister
I devoted much OF her time in late years
/ In an effort % dispel from the mind %
/ her sister the idea Of putting an end 70
! her life. From GOrdOn's information
I about the case the police hrst got what
/ they considered evidence contrary To
l that uf suicide pact. The contents Of
the note. which was apparently written
/ by the younger sister. aroused COrtlon's
/ suspicion as TO how the women met their
fate.
/ The fact that Frances was the FIRST 20
l die Gordon explained. led him In s4ls