The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-03-26
SOCIETY LEADER
IN WASHINGTON
SUICIDES
Mrs. Pierre LOrillard Seeks
Death by AsphyxiatiOn
WIFE OF TOBACCO MAGNATE
Family Insist that Woman Died From
Natural Causes But Coroner Gives
Verdict of Self Destruction

Washington, March 26.-Weary of
the gay whirl of society and face TO
face as she believed, with years of
physical suffering, Mrs. Pierre Lori
lard, Jr, aged 40. wife of the tobacco
magnate, committed suicide by asphy-
Xlation at her home near the fashion
able Dupont Circle in this city yester-
day. Her tragic death has shocked
the first social circles of the capital
as nothing else in years. In spite
'of the coroner's certificate of death
by suicide, members of the family de-
clare that Mrs Lorillard died OF heart
failure.
The death was made more dramatic
by occurring only few hours after
Mr.. and Mrs. Lorillard had been the
guests of Mrs. Townsend on Massa-
chusetts avenue, at a dinner given in
honor Of Lady Paget In fact it is
believed that as soon as Mrs. Loril-
lard arrived at her home at 2030 Hin.
yer place, shortly after midnight she
began to prepare for her death.
The butler in the Lorillard resi-
dence early in the forenoon detected
an odor OF gas permeating the rooms.
with little difficulty the origin of the
Iumes was traced TO Mrs. Lorillard's
apartments Opening the door of the
bathroom just off of her suite. the but
Ter was Mortified to behold the body
OF the mistress of the house stretched
liteless on the floor. Her face was
turned to the mat on the floor.
The alarm given by the butler
brought Mr. Lorillard from his apart,
ments across the hall. Together they
carried the limp body to Mrs. Loril.
lards room. Panic-stricken, the ser.
want was dispatched for a doctor
While Mr. Lorillard attempted to re
wives his wife by means OF artificial
respiration. DR.. NJ f. Cuthbert. the
family physician was summoned and
arrived about the same time that DR.
II, Il. Deale was admitted to the res
idence. Both resorted TO every sci
entitc method within their power tC
restore life, but after an hours effort
gave up in despair.
Mrs. Lorillard left note which the
coroner has seen, but which Mr.. Lor
Hard has declined to give his permits
sion for II to be made public Will,
addressed to no one, ii is said, il 1.
personal in its nature. II is under
stood that it contains no declaration
CT an intention on the part of Mrs
Lorillard to take her life
Mrs. Lorillard before her marriag,
to Mr.. Lorillard in 1881 was Miss Car
oline J. Hamilton She is survived b,
two sons, one of whom is now trav
cling in the Orient, and the other il
in college in New York.
Or. Cuthbert, the family physician
held aloof from any discussion tina
shed light upon the tragic affair A
TO events that preceded Mrs. Lori
lards death, Dr. Cuthbert said he wa
entirely uniformed. Il had not bee
called to see Mrs. Lorillard within tn
last two months, and | was startle
when the message came to my ofiic
this morning" he said Il do know
that Mrs. Lorillard was much alarme
over the condition of her heart Sh
had suffered considerably. When sh
visited Paris last summer she sough
an eminent specialist whom she cor
suited as to her condition, but whe
she returned to America, she had bee
i'll frequently | must decline to dis
cuss any other phases of the case"