Evening journal., 1909-03-26
MRS. LORILLARD
KILLED BY GAS
husband Denies Suicide The
Ory Of the Washington
Coroner
MET DEATH SHORTLY
AFTER A DINNER PARTY
By unIted PIess Leased speclal wIrs.

BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, March 2s-Deop
mystery surrounds the death yester-
day OF Mrs. Caroline Hamilton Loril
lard wife of Pierre Lorillard, Jr., and
prominent society woman Of this
city, and New York The house has
been closed to reporters. and the police
alike. so that the investigators made
slow progress to-day.
Coroner hewitt has a note found in
the woman's room. and evidently writ
ten just before she ended her life. IL
Is supposed that upon the contents %
this note he bases his suicide theory.
although he stoutly maintains that
there is nothing in the note that would
indicate the motive for her act.
Mr. Lorillard declares that his wife
died from asphyxiation due TO a COLI
lapse from heart failure, after she had
turned on the gas in the bathroom. but
before she could strike a match.
The womans body was found by a
I butler and her husband at $40 o'clock
yesterday morning. The butler noticed
the odor OF gas. and with mis- en-
ployer, went to investigate the cause.
They found the body in the bathroom.
of Mrs. Lorillard's room, face down.
ward. and tho gas jet wide open. Mr..
Lorillard declares that he believed his
wife was still alive, and he removed
her body TO her bed. The family ply
sician was summoned and then the
coroner. A lengthy investigation was
held by that official. followed by an
autopsy. and late in the afternoon. he
informed the police department that
he had issued a certificate Of death by
suicide
What transpired during the hours
intervening between the time DR..
hewitt was called and the time he is
sued his certificate Of suicide. no one
will tell. The greatest secrecy is
maintained by all who were in the
house at the time
The coroner said to-day that he was
not sure at first how Mrs. Lcrillard
met her death. and that therefore he
had an autopsy performed. This show
ed that death had cnsucd from gas
asphyxietion. and that the woman had
been dead since four o'clock in the
morning.
Society in the National capitol l.
anxiously awaiting further develop
.aents because OF the peculiar circnm-
stances surrounding the event Mrs
Loriliard had been at a dinner giVer
in honor Of Lady Paget. OF England,
! az the palatial mansion Of Mrs. Rich
ard Townsend. on Massachusetts, ave-
nue.. at which Senator and Mrs. Root,
E Senator and Mrs. Lodge. Secretary of
: the Navy and Mrs. Won L. Meyer. and
l a number OF other prominent persons
were present.
The dead woman and her husband
- had been driven TO their home In a
carriage with Miss Maude Paunccfotc.
daughter OF the late Lord Pauncefotc.
shortly after midnight The guests at
the dinner declare that she seemed
in good spirits.
Mrs I.orilard left her husband. lock-
ed her room, and then evidently wrote
. the mysterious note and went into the
} bathroom. and turned on the gas The
bed had not been slept in, and tho
body wac partially dressed. She had
taken of her party gown, and Slip
ped on a wrapper but on her neck
was found the diamond circlet she had
worn at the party.
The note left by her was sealed IN
an unaddressed envelope.
The body Will probably be buried at
+. lrvington. n. Y.
Pierre Lorillard, husband of the dead
woman. "a millionaire. He is presi-
dent of the Automatic Weighing Ma
{ chine Company. and director In the
a Pierre Lorillard Company; American
I, Tobacco Company. and the Empire
! Trust Company lie is a member OF
the exclusive Metropolitan Club OF
u Continued on Second Page.