Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1909-12-20
Mystery in Death Of Ole
Of Aged SpinS..ers
Leads to Probe.
HATPIN IN HEART AND
BODY IN STRANGE POSITION
Neighbor's Story, 1t Is Believed,
Disposes of Suicide
Pact Theory.

AS the result Of investigation by the
authorities into the circumstances sur
rounding the tragic deaths of Miss
Frances and Miss Isabel Ritchie, the
two middle-aged splnsters whose bodies
were found yesterday in the kitchen OF
their home at As Marshall street, It is
now believed possible that Frances, the
older and weaker of the sisters. was
murdered and that she did not take ner
own life. as was believed at first The
sisters. it is believed, had at first made
a suicide pact.
County Physician Mckenzie declared
that Frances died from stab wounds
administered with a hat pin. One
thrust OF the pin penetrated theapex or
the woman's heart. The hat pin. which
was found in this wound. must have
caused death instantly. The woman
dress was buttoned over the pin and
her body was found thrust in a corner
of narrow hallway in position which
it would have been almost impossible
for her to assume. The rope around her
neck left marks SO faint that apparently
II had nos contributed to her death.
Dead Over n Week.
According TO the county physician
the women had been dead over a week
From note found in the room, it is
believed that Frances, who was an In
valid, met her death early in the after
noon This note was written on the
cover of pasteboard box. and read:
frances hung herself, 21z Saturday.
Ae, eoo.p
Mrs. Samuel Elder OF As Marshall
street, who had known the sisters for
long time. declares that she saY
Isabel sitting at the window late III
the Afternoon week ago Saturday
She says Miss Ritehie was sitting with
her head in her hands. looking at the
floor. She seemed much disturbed.
Mrs Elder was the more interested III
that she was accustomed to see the
sisters daily when they left the house
on their walks. and had missed them
for several days. # the note fixes the
time of the elder sisters death at 2.3f
O'Clock Saturday afternoon. il is evil
dent that Frances was dead when Mrs.
Elder saw Isabel looking from the win
dow.
Edward F. Gordon. of AZ Marshall
street, member of the present grand
jury. landlord to the Ritchie women.
and who fer six years has owned the
house next door. says that on more
than one occasion. Frances, the elder
sister. had told him TO beware of Isabel
when he came 10 the house
"She often suffers from nervousness
and must be watched, said Frances
many times.
Gordon says that Frances told hini
when he came to the house to sit with
his back to the wall and always oolS
her sister full in the eye. In sight or
these warnings Gordon says he never
saw anything in the Younger woman's
manner which was out of The ordinary
Poverty a. Motive
whatever may have been tbe
motive Is II mystery. Whether i
svas the pressure OF poverty
grief over the illness of near and
dear friend, the possibility that
Miss Isabel Ritchie, while tempo
rariIy deranged. killed her sister
her own life is now beErg con-
sidered by the authorities. County
Physician Mckenzie notified the
prosecutors office of the finding OF
the bodies and Detective Teed Is
Investigating the case. The bodies
of the two women are in Holes
Morgue.
the gruesonae discovery was the re-
suit OF Gordon's uneasiness over tne
Iaet tnat he mad not seen the women
for over week During the six years
he has owned the house at 40 Marshall
street the sisters had never failed to
pay him their rent on the first Of the
month until the present month. He
had not seen them since December /.
Yesterday ne determined to wait until
after the sisters returned from church.
as he knew they were regular in their
attendance at Trinity Church, before he
investigated. He rang the bell and
raped on the door, but there was no
response.
Gordon notified the police of the
First Precinct Of his suspicious that all
was not right Patrolmen Rossnageg
and Campbell were sent to the house.
anu with 9OEtoA cHleitd ttAS tStlstl.
The door at the top of tEe stairway
leading to the first floor was holted.
and the policemen broke in one of the
panels. Gordon struck match. and,
peering through the opening, saw the
body of woman cramped in a small
hallway leading from the kitchen. The
coor was broken down and the three
men entered the place. The body
proved to be that OF Frances. A rope
was about her neck, but her face
showed no sign that she had been
strangled.
The trio entered the kitchen and
found Isabel hanging ny a clothesline
from a heavy spike which had bssn
driven in the top Of the door three feet
above her head. Her feet were free
OF the floor as they had been drawn
mn and cramped into position The