The Washington times., 1909-03-26

the happiest Of the brilliant gathering
at the Townsend mansion
Cause a Mystery.
''The real cause for Mrs. Lorillard's
suicide is as much a mystery to Wash
ington society and her former init
mates as to the press and the public
generally" is the way one OF those
who saw her few hours before she
took her life expressed himself to-
day.
Although a woman of wealth. the
trinkets which Mrs. LOriIIard asked
TO have buried with her were small
in intrinsic worth, amounting to per
haps SO in ali. 1t is believed that
they were priced for their assocfa-
tions and that perhaps II the contents
Of the notes were snown the mystery
surrounding her tragic death would
be cleared in part.
The husband today threw a little Hglt
on the tragedy that has shocked social
Washington. when he told Of the hts
of dependency from which Mrs. Loril-
lard has suffered Of late She was
woman who craved continual excite
ment. he explained, and when this was
lacking she gave way to her brooding-
On the day before her suicide she had
taken her meals IN her room alone. ap-
parently wishing TO be undiSturbed
This was regarded as rather strange at
the time. but IL was not believed 10
presage the &ct that came later in the
night,
Had Nervous Temperament.
Mrs Lorillard was Of nervous tenn
perament.' said the husband this after
noon. -'She required excitement. Sh.
was subject TO moroseness al times.
when the day was uneventful. She ats
her meals alone the day before thu
Townsend dinner. having them sent to
her suite
This was about the only strange
thing noted in her actions After she
returned home, shortly after midnight
Wednesday night, she took vernoi
powder in order to induce sleep This
was the last seen Of her until she was
discovered on the floor Of the bathroom
adjoining her apartments
It was learned today that the reports
OF Mrs LoriIIard's weak heart have
been exaggerated She had been treat
ed. il is said. by a Paris physician for
an affection Of the heart and his dag
nosis worried her, but OF late she had
shown improvement and the ailment
was not regarded as being 50 serious
as the foreign physician had indicated
Feared Becoming Invalid?
One theory among the friends Of the
former social leader today was that
her dependency was caused by the fear
that eventually she would become an
invalid, or that her illness would result
some day in sudden death, and that
she decided TO end the suspense Of It
all
Others could advance no theory al ali.
and it is probable that beyond the few
who read her farewell message no in
timation OF what prompted the deed
will be obtained The notes themselves
are said not TO make any mention OF
her intention to commit suicide, AID are
regarded as Indirect rather than direct
in their bearing.
Verdict OF Suicide
The verdict Of suicide, issued after
searching investigation by the Coroner
and his assistant. Dr. GlazebrOOk. was
originally unaccepted by the family Of
Mrs. LorilIard and her friends. The for
mer were at first disinclined to permit
an autopsy. but it wa ordered because
OF the fact that the ftmily physicians,
Drs. Cuthbert and De; le. had made no
such examination.
7 am satisfied that IL was suicide and
have rendered a death certificate ac-
cOrdingly," is the way DR.. hewitt pro
uounced his official belief this morn
ing. thus setting at rest in the public
mind the theory that Mrs LoriIlard had
met death through accident
No arrangements for the funeral have
/ yet been made. It was said at the
( LoriIIard home this morning that the
time and place Of the funeral would