The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-04-01
A SOCIETY LEADER
TAKES own LIFE
Mrs. Pierre Lorillard, Wife of
Tobacco Magnate, Commits
Suicide.

Suicide.
Washington, March o9.-Weary OF the
gay whirl of society and face to face.
as she believed, with years Of physical
suffering. Mrs. Pierre Lorillard. jr.,
aged 40, wife of the tobacco magn1te,
her home near the fashionable Dupont
circle in this city yesterday. Her trag-
lie death has shocked the first social
circles of the capital as nothing else
in years. The members OF the Lorillard
family. famous because of Its wealth,
are gathering here to mourn over the
unexpected blow.
In spite OF the %coroner's certificate of
death by suicide. members of the fam
lly declare that Mrs. Lorillard died of
heart failure.
Details of Occurrence.
The death was made more dramatic by
occurring only a few hours after Mr.. and
Mrs. Lorillard had been the guests OF
Mrs. Townsend, ON Massachusetts avenue,
at a Inner given in honor of Lady Paget-
In fact. 1t is believed that as soon as
Mrs. Lorillard arrived at her home at
a130 Hillyer place, shortly after midnight,
she began to prepare for her death.
About $50 in the morning the butler in
the Lorillard residence detected III odor of
gas permeating the rooms. With little diff
fculty the origin OF the fumes was traced
to Mrs. Lorillard's apartments. Opening
the door of the bathroom Just off her
suite, the butler was Mortified to behold
the body of the mistress OF the house
stretched out lifeleSS on the floor. Her
face was turned TO the mat on the floor.
The alarm given by the butler brought
Mr.. Lorillard from his apartments across
the hall. Together they carried the limp
hn11- 10 MI. I A,;l1 1s~ Do,t
stricken. the servant was sent for a doc
tor, while Mir. I.orillard attempted to re-
viNe his wife by means of artificial res
piration.
Doctor Called.
DIR. NJ. E. Cuthbert, the family physi-
cian, was summoned and arrived about
The same time that DIR. H. b. Deale was
admitted to the residence. Both resorted
to every scientific method within thei,
power to restore life, but after an hours
efforts gave up in despair.
Shortly afterward DIR. j. Ramsey hewitt,
the coroner, was notified. He visited the.
Lorillard home and after an investigation
ordered Deputy Coroner Glazebrook to
perform the autopsy, on the completion of
which DR.. hewitt issued a certificata of
suicide by gas poisoning. He said later
that gas was escaping from one or more
jets In the bathroom when the body was
found, and the lungs indicated death by
gas poisoning.
When Coroner hewitt notified the police
OF Mrs. Lorillard's death an officer was
sent to the residence to investigate, but
he was denied admission, being referred
to the coroner for such information as the
police department might desire.
Husband Saw Aer Last.
The last person to see Mrs. Lorillard
alive was Mr.. I.orillard. He babe her,
goodnight as they separated to go to their
apartments after returning home about
midnight from the Townsend residence
Mrs. Lorillard was seemingly in the best
of spirits. She had joined freely in the so
cial festivities of the evening at the
Townsend home. where had gathered tho
Brazilian ambassador and Nine. Nabuco.
the Danish minister and Countess Moltke.
the secretary of the navy and Mrs. Mey-
er, senator Mrs. Lodge, Senator and Mrs.
Aldrlch. Senator Root, Mr.. and Mrs. Robt.
Bacon. MIR. and Mrs. w. c. End.cott. of
Boston; Lady Clifford. of England; Col.
and Mrs. Campbell, Col. and Mrs. Nc
Cawley, Mr.. and Mrs. Clarence Moore
Hon. Maude Pauncefote. Commodore Rod
gers, Rear Admiral Cowles and Captain
Archibald Butt, military aid Of the presi-
dent.
Mrs. Lorillard's bed had the appearance
of not having been occupied during the
night. Mrs. Lorillard had disrobed after
arriving home. and when found her body
was clothed in a dressing gown. The dor
collar of diamonds she wore at the dinner
had been removed before she went to the
bath room, but the costly circle of diu-
nonds that adorned her hair had not been
displaced. The note was found in Mrs
Lorillard's room.
In Fashionable Set.
The Lorillards nave lived at Hillye,.
place, which is only a stones throw from,
Dupont circle and in the heart of the
fashionable community between Dupont
and Sheridan circles, since January. I'm
mediately preceding that time Mrs. Tor
lizard was in Europe, and while in Franco
consulted an eminent physician in regare
10 her alllnent. III family has been
prominent each summer for several years
past at tuxedo park. and they have spent
their winters in Washington. About a
year ago they leased a fashionable resi-
dence in Connecticut avenue for the sea
son, and the winter before entertained in
a house in Massachusetts avenue.
Mrs. Lorillard before her marriage TO
Mr.. Lorillard in 1881 was Miss Caroline J.
Hamilton. She is survived by two sons.
one OF them is now travelling in the orien:
and the other is in college in New York
Since the Lorillards began spending the
winter social season in Washington they
have entertained largely. This season they
came here early in the present year.
Sunday evening last Mr.. and Mrs. Ior-
lizard entertained at one OF the usual Sun
day night dinners. They were prominent
In the social and diplomatic life OF the
capital. numbering among their particular
friends In the latter class of society the
Italian ambassador and Baroness Mavor
DIES Planches and the Belgian minister and
Baroness Moncheure, the latter being an
especially friend OF Mrs. Lori
lard.
SKIN GAME TOO MUCH