New-York tribune., 1909-02-16
KILLED DODGlNG KISSES
OFFICE BOY OBJECTED ON
HIS BIRTHDAY.
Pursued by Metropolitan Life Stem
0graphers, He Fell, Stabbing Him
self on Sharp Instrument

Because he would not permit half dozen
young women stenogra pliers to kiss him on
his birthday, George Spencer Milett. a fifteen
year-old office boy. employed by the Metropoli-
tan Life Insurance Company received a stab
wound which caused his death late yesterday
afternoon in the companys offices on the third
floor Of it's building No Madison avenue
According to G J. Jeroleman. superintendent of
the department where Millett was employed. the
lad fell to the floor while dodging kisses, and
accidentally stabbed himself
Miss Gertrude Robbins twenty three years
Old. of No. les West S1st street, was arrested at
her home last evening and taken to the West
goth street police station where she was
charged with homicide in connection with Mil
let's death. Later the charge against her was
changed to suspicious person"
The case was not brought 10 the attention of
the police until Patrolman George Blass saw
an ambulance of the New York Hospital backed
up TO the curb on the cath street side Of the
metropolitan Life Building Seeing neither sur
geon nor driver In the ambulance Biass ran
into the building and asked the elevator boy II
he knew what had happened. The boy said that
some one had been hurt on the third floor.
When Blass entered the room where MiIlett
lay DR.. Mcclure. of the New York Hospital; Mr..
Jeroeman and four other men were bending
over the boy. Blass told that the boy fell
and was accidentally stabbed. when the girls in
the office tried to kiss him. Young MiIlett was
carried to the ambulance. but died before it
reached the hospital
Blass, meanwhile, rushed to the west 10Th
street station and told Captain Hays of the case
The captain detailed Detectives Projan. Hays.
O'Connell and Walsh to investigate. They at
first adopted the theory that Millett had been
stabbed with hatpin by of the stenogra-
piers. Later they learned that Miss Robbins
was the nearest girl to Milett when he fell.
According to the police. Miss Robbins told
them that she and a number of other young
women stenographers were preparing to leave
the office at 4;30 o'clock. when one OF their num-
ber happened to remember that II was MiIletts
birthday anniversary. She said she heard one
of the girls make remark to the effect that It
was Georges fifteenth birthday" at the same
time suggesting that each Of the young women
give him fifteen kisses in celebration of the
event
Miss Robbins said that she approa ched the
lad. who tried to avoid the embraces oH the
young woman. She noticed. she said that
she drew near him he held something IN his
hand that looked like a stick about six inches
in length. In the struggle that ensued. she told
the police, the lad fell the floor and the point
or the instrument entered his side.
She tried to help him. but tainted at the sight
VI tiiS pioOG liiet suSIleu IIpIn Wou0o III
his side. She said that after she had been
revived she told TO go home
Miss Robbins was accompanied 10 the police
station by her mother and william R Phelan.
q lawyer OF No. 302 Broadway When told
that her daughter would have TO go to a cell
Mrs. Robbins created scene and the natron
was forced to part mother and daughter
The police are not certain what the instrI-
ment that caused Millett's death At first
they thought Ii was a penknife. and later de-
cided IL might have been a ruler
DR.. Thomas H. willard of No 5e2 West End
avenue, member of the medical staff Of the
Metropolitan Insurance Company. who attended
Millett, called at the West goth street police
station late last night in company with John r
Hegeman, jr.. assistant secretary of the com
pany, and offered to furnish bail for Miss Rob
BINS Captain Hayes told them 1t would he
necessary to have a coroner present before bail
could be accepted. and Coroner DooIey was
sent for. The police told him there was no rea-
son why the girl should not be admitted TO bail
and he released her in custody of her attorney
Mr.. Hegeman said that young MilIett lived at
at No. 427 Pleasant avenue. and that he had
obtained the place with the company for him
about eight weeks ago. He said that his death
purely accidental. All the clerks he said
supplied with pencils and erasers. and he
said IT was bis belief that knife ink eraser
was responsible for the boys death.
HARTMAN To LIVE I'M TuNr rtTnu