The sun., 1909-05-30
TRAGEDY OF NEURASTHENIA
HENDERSON'S MAD ACT IN PARIS
DOESN'T SURPRISE son.
Man VINO Killed Daughter and Self With
Pistol Travelled 2S Years TO Combat
Nervous Disease-Of Well Known
Jersey city Famil, and Well 10 DO.

Nervous Disease--Of Well known
Jersey city Famil, and Well TO Do.
David Henderson, who shot and killed
his daughter Martha in the Pere Tran
guile restaurant in Paris on Friday night
and then killed himself. was head Of a well
known Jersey City family and wealthy.
For nearly quarter Of century he had
been travelling about the world seeking
relief from a nervous trouble, and the
tragedy is attributed to disordered mind
David Reno Henderson, a son. who lives
at 26o Summit avenue, Jersey City. re-
ceived cable despatch from his mother
yesterday notifying him OF the double
tragedy. The details which he got indi-
cate that his father had dined with Mrs.
Henderson and their three daughters,
Martha, Susan and Gladys. in a little room
on the second floor Of the restaurant.
After the dinner Mr.. Henderson COM
planned Of feeling i'll and walking to an
open window sat for some time with his
elbows on the sill looking out into the
street
His twenty-two-year-ol daughter.
Martha. fearing that he might fall, walked
over to his side. and the father. quickly
pulling revolver from his pocket fired
inches from the back of her neck. She
dropped TO the floor and Henderson,
stantling over her body, fired shot into
his own head and fell lifeless before his
Mortified wife and daughters.
My father" said David Rene Hender-
son Yesterday, was the kindest Of men
and the best of husbands and fathers.
but for years he has been subject to at
tacks of nervousness He has roamed
over the entire world seeking relief and
has spent very little time in this country
in the last twenty years. When IN e
SPELLS were upon him my father would
often develop an antipathy for myself
or one of my sisters.
He had at times threatened all our
lives. but we got accustomed to his fits
of nervousness and did our best to calm
him. He WAS deeply attached TO all
his children, except when irrespon-
eihle. He was particularly fond Of my
poor sister Martha, and | cant bring
myself TO believe that he killed her de-
liberia tely."
Mr.. Henderson went on to say that
his father had had one Of his spells in
this city shortly before he sailed for
Paris on May IS He was living with
his wife and three daughters at the Hotel
Majestic in Manhattan then.
AT that time said the son, his an
tiPathy was directed for no apparent
threa tened to kill her and became 50 bad
that nv mother had her leave the Hotel
Majestic and live out Of her fathers sight.
The fit passed of, however, in few days.
but when they sailed for Paris on the
Kronprinyessin Cecilie my mother was
still fearful! and kept Martha in a state
room out of my father's sight, lplcaded
with my mother before they sailed and on
previous occasions to consent to have my
father confined in a sanitarium, for have
for years lived in fear Of some awful
thing like this. but my mother wouldn't
listen to the suggestion"
The dead man son adde that physi-
clans who examined his father had also
advised that he be sent to a sanitarium.
His mother. however, couldn't bear to
think Of parting and feared that he would
get worse when out of her sight She
travelled about the world continually
with him ana Frequently took all four
daughters. Vera the fourth daughter
was in Venice when the tragedy occurred.
She is about TO be married TO an Italian.
The present generation in Jersey City
knows very little of David Henderson,
but the older residents remember him
we'll His grandfather. David Hender-
81. 900. 900 to So, 900 900 from the New Jersey
lottery. Those were the days when the
lottery drawings were sent over to Man
haitian tied about the necks OF carrier
pigeons. The grandfather invested his
money largely in Jersey City real estate.
building in New Jersey back in the sos
II was the remains OF that fortune which
supplied Henderson with the means for
his worldwide travels.
He was at one time the owner Of five
blocks of Jersey City realty, bounded
BY. Summit avenue. Montgomery street,
Baldwin avenue and Mercer street.
Much Of this has been sold and the pro-
ceeds invested in suburban lots but the
value OF Henderson's remaining jersey
City holdings at the time of his death is
estimated at 100000. Henderson street
in Jersey City is named after the family.
The dead mans mother was a Gregory,
another of Jersey City's old families,
When her husband died she married MIR.
Wiechers of the firm of Natthiessen
d Wiechers, which was absorbed by the
American Sugar Refining Company. |
The suicide had villa near Paris and
also one in Switzerland. His family
had planned to leave Paris this week for
Switzerland. while Henderson himself
was going to enter a French sanitarium
for treatment
Henderson, his wife and two daughters
Martha and Gladys-came 10 this
country about eight months ago. 1t was
tuc uISL NlSlt hlcS lld'l W tilS SIue
for several years. They came to attend
the christening of the sons s baby in Jer
sey City. Henderson took advantage of
the visit to look over his real estate hold
ings. When they sailed on the kron-
prinzessen Cecelie on May IS Mr.. and Mrs.
Hender son and the little daughter Gladys
occupied one stateroom. while Martha
was booked with the governess in an
other. This was Just after the father had
begun to threa ten his daughters life.
Jersey City folks who talked with Hen
derson before he sailed say that he was
opposed to his daughters proposed mar
riage to an Italian. They are probably
confused over the daughter Vera S en-
gagement. The son says that his sister
Martha was not engaged to be married.
Henderson was 81 years old. His wife
Is Russian. The son is about 81 years
old. Martha. the murdered daughter.
was the second oldest daughter. Vera,
who is in Venice. is 20. Susan 10 and Gladys
10 The bodies Of the father and
daughter will be taken TO Switzerland
for burial
The pistol used by Henderson was a
new one. He locked the door OF the room
in which the family were dining before
going TO the window.