The Washington herald., 1909-03-27

The Theoretically sealed casket which
contains the body OF Mrs. Caroline Ham
ilton LoriIlard. who committed suicide IN
Washington Thursday by inhaling ulu-
minating gas in her bathroom. contains
also the secret which led her to make
away with herself What it is only the
dead woman's husband. Pierre Lorillard
tr., and Coroner hewitt know, and per-
haps another.
Many rumors are afoat, some suggest
ing scandal
Two Notes Left.
The secret is in two notes-one in the
handwriting OF the suicide and another
bearing only the initials Of another per-
sen. On the envelope of Mrs. Lorillard's
note was the request that certain trinkets
and the notes be buried with her All
were contained in a large envelope. This
is as much as Coroner hewitt will tell.
and It is said he has pledged his word
TO Mr.. Lorillard that he viii reveal no
more
Coroner Nevitt's action in signing a
certificate of death from suicide closes
all further official investigation Of the
matter. Mr.. Lorillard tried hard, il is
known, TO convince the coroner that Mrs
Lorillard's death was due TO heart dis
ease. but the contents of the notes cor
roborated the open gas jet too strongly
for DR.. hewitt 10 adopt this view OF the
case. He did promise, however, not TO
reveal the contents OF the notes. and
yesterday in compliance with the dead
-woman's request, the envelope contain
ing the trinkets and the two notes were
sealed in the large envelope and placed
in the bosom OF Mrs LOriIlard's grave
clothes.
Secret Sealed I'm Grave.
The coffin was sealed. and the real
reason for Mrs. Lorillard's tragic death
will remain a secret from her friends
and relatives forever. unless some Of her
close friends, who were intimate with
her and her affairs. have OWNED the
reasons which led an apparently happy
woman. occupying an enviable position
in society and with wealth at her COM
mand. to destroy herself
Funeral services over the remains os
the dead woman were conducted at her
late residence. 900 HiIlyer place. yes
terday at 1850 O'Clock by Rev. Roland
Cotton Smith. rector Of ST. Johns Epis-
copal Church. Only members Of the
family and close personal friends attend
ed. Mr.. Lorillard. who is grief stricken
over his wife's act has denied himself
to callers since the tragedy. Servants
at the residence declined to answer auss-
tions yesterday, and even denied that the
funeral services were held.
Dinner Guests at Funeral.
The guests Of the Townsend dinner
which Mrs. Lorillard with her husband
attended a few hours before her death
formed large percentage Of those who
attended the funeral services at the resi-
dence. including Mrs Meyer. wife of the
Secretary OF the Navy: Hon. Maude
Pauncefote. in whose carriage Mrs
Lorillsrd returned to her own home from
the dinner: the Belgian Minister and
Baroness Moncheur; Mrs Chauncev NJ
Depew. wife OF Senator Depew. and
Others
Immediately after the services the cot
I'm ives taken to Union Station. where IL
was put on board a Pennsylvania Rail
road train and taken to New York The
remains will be inferred this morning AZ
lrvington-on-HudsOn. where there is a
private burying ground.
a permit to remove the body from the
District Of Columbia was issued yester-
day. The permit gives Tarrytown, v
J., as the place Of interment
in Fear of Death.
That Mrs Lorillard took her life as
n result OF melancholia brought on by
her physical condition has been prac-
ucaily established by the officials and her
friends. although the members of her
family are silent on the subject
\ year or more ago Mrs. Lorluard
while In Paris. went to see A celebrated
specialist on heart disease. and the physi-
clan told her she would NOT live more
than year. So firm was her belief that
what the physician said was true that
she mad been more or less grave and
melancholy ever since. As the DAYS and
months passed she was unable II. regain
her former cheerful frame of mind. and
her suicide some time between midnight
and breakfast time on Thursday morning
was the result.
Doubt Suicide.
Unwilling even to entertain the thought
that Mrs LoriIlard committed suicide
the friends OF the woman, and also the
members Of her family. Immediately
gave 1t out that she had succumbed 10
heart disease. with which she had been
suffering for nearly TWO years. That she
died from inhaling the Illuminating gas
thev would not concede for 4 rnnment