The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-26
SHE LEFT A NOTE
Mrs. LOrillard, Who Committed
Suicide in Washington,
Asked That a Sealed Envelope
Be Buried With Her.
TIRED OF SOCIETY
And Afraid of Lingering Ill
ness Her Motive.
Had just Returned From a
Dinner at the ToWnsend's.

Washington. March 26-Nothing SO
sensational as the suicide here yester-
day by asphyxiation of Mrs. Pierre
Lorillard, Jr the wife of the tobacco
magnate, has occurred in the national
capital for years. The prominence of
the family and the mystery surround
ing the tragic affair lend peculiar in
terest to the case.
Coroner hewitt said today that he had
the sealed envelope which Mrs. Loril-
lard left pinned to her clothing and
which read:
ITO be buried with me unopened" as
we'll as another envelope which was
left in the room, containing note, but
he says he viii not make public the
contents of either because he has been
asked not to do
Funeral arrangements have not been
completed 1t is expected interment
will be at Irvington, N. Y.
All through the day flowers poured
in at the Lorillard residence. Baron
Moncheur, the Belgian minister and
others of the diplomatic corps and
members OF Washington society, sent
magnificent wreaths. The Moncheurs
were intimate friends of the Lor1l-
lards. Many called to leave their
cards. Mr. Lorillard, grief stricken
over the tragic death Of his wife, re-
fused himself to callers and was so
exhausted I1dL ne was IOTCeQ 10 rest
throughout most of the morning.
Pierre Lorillard, the third, who is
just out of college. hurled here from
New York and pending his arrival this
afternoon final arrangements for the
funeral were deferred.
With the diamond tiara she had worn
at a dinner given by Mrs. Richard
Townsend still in her hair, Mrs. Pierre
Lorillard, Jr., wife of the tobacco mag
nate widely known in the most exclu-
civ iaI Of
New York was found dying in the bath
room of the Lorillard residence in fash
ionable Dupont Circle. From a jet in
the bathroom gas was escaping. The
locked. The bathroom was opened by
the butler, who had detected the odor
OF the gas. Mrs. Lorillard was breath
ing. but she died a few minutes after
she had been carried to her room.
Weary of Society.
Mrs. LorilIard was weary of the gay
Whirl of society and face to face, as she
believed, with years of physical suffer-
ing In spite Of the coroner's certlt1cate
OF death by suicide, members OF the
family assert that Mrs. Lorlllard dled
of heart disease.
Mrs. Lorillard was accompanied to
the Townsend home Wednesday night
by her husband. She appeared to be IN
dinner was in honor of Lady Paget.
The other guests were: The Brazilian
Ambassador and Nine. Nabuco; the Sec
retary of the Navy and Mrs. George
Won L. Meyer, the Minister from Den
marx and Countess Won Moltke, Senator
and Mrs. Lodge, Senator and Mrs. AID
rich Senator Root, Mrs. Robert Bacon,
Mr.. and Mrs. William Endicott OF Bos-
ton, Lady Clifford of Churleigh, Eng
land who is a guest for a few days at
the Shoreham; Colonel and Mrs. Colin
Campbell of England, Lieutenant Col
onel and Mrs. Charles L. McCawley. the
Hon Maud Pauncefote. daughter or the
late British ambassador to this country;
Miss Mathilde Townsend. Rear Admiral
Cowles, Captain Archibald Butt and
Commander Rodgers
Husband Saw Her Last.
The last person to see Mrs. Loril-
lard alive was Mr.. Lorillard. He bade
her good night as they separated to
go to their apartments after returning
home about midnight from the Town
send residence Mrs. Lorillard was
seemingly in the best OF spirlts: Sne
had Joined freely in the social festivi-
ties of the evening at the townsend
home.
Mrs. Lorillard's bed apparently was
not occupied. Mrs. Lorillard had dis
robed after arriving home and when
found her body was clothed IN a
dressing gown. The dog collar of dia-
monds she wore at the dinner had been
room, but the costly circle of dia-
monds that decorated her hair had
not been removed.
The Lorillards have lived at Hillyer
place, which is only a stones throw
from Dupont Circle and in the heart
of the fashionable community between
Dupont Circle and Sheridan Circle,
since January. Immediately preced-
ing that time Mrs. Lorillard was in
F,urope and while in France consult
ed an eminent physician in regard to
her ailment. The family has spent
several summers at Tuxedo Park and
the winters in Washington.
Came From Old Family.
Mrs Pierre Lorillard, jr-, was Caro-.
line J. Hamilton. the daughter of
mother was the daughter of the late
Rev. Dr. William Writ Phillips, a
Presbyterian clergyman, who became
pastor of the old Pearl Street Presby-
terian church. New York; a trustee
of both Princeton and New York uni
versities, and at the time of his death
in 1865 president of the board af trus-
tees of the Princeton theological semi |
nary.
Miss Hamilton met Pierre Lorillard, |
jr.. in Paris and they were married in
1881. when she was 21 years old Two
sons, Griswold and Pierre, jr.. were
born. They spent much of their time
abroad but for several years lived |
when in this country at their Tuxedo |
home. The house there has been
closed most of the time the last two |
years, for Mrs. Lorillard was fond of |
entertaining and they maintained an
elaborate home in Washington.
Among Mrs. Lorillard's intimate
friends in Washington are Mrs. Mich |
oIas Longworth, the Baroness Mon
cheur and Mrs. Richard Townsend |
She was favorite in diplomatic
society.
Wealth Came From Tobacco.
The Lorillard line in America began |
with Pierre, jr.'s great-grandfather,