New-York tribune., 1910-04-28
MYSTERY IN SMITH DEATH
Paper Maker from Lee. Mas,
Killed in Folding Bed.
WOMAN WITH HIM GOT AWAY.
Disappears and Police Fail /,
Search for Her-Dead Mans
Family Reticent.

Wellington Smith. a wealthy paper u-s,-
ufacturer. OF Lee. Mass. was killed 4, =,
folding bed at No. 4cs West I'd street earl,
yesterday morning. The death came o, N,
police and Coroner's offcs records unds-
an assumed name. which those officials a..
cepted
Soon after midnight yesterday sTrs B.,.
jamin Ralph. who runs the boarding hous,
in West 81 street. vas awakened by ruf.
fed groans from the room occupied D.
Wellington Smith and a woman who uas
supposed to have been his wife dizpaf-s
last night from Lee said that Mrs snits
was IN that place. Access to the room wa
barred hy a heavy lock. and It was only
after Miss Marie smsllwood. who wa
passing the Ralph house at the tirn-. rad
been called in to help. that the accident
was discovered.
Miss Smallwood uho lives az 40. "a vs-s
23d street. couraS Seously climbed over ths
railing IN front Of the window. SONS sr
feet from the ground. sud entered ths
room. She unlocked the door from the IN.
sid. and admitted Mrs. Ralph and sons q
the excited boarders. They found Snita.
with his neck broken. almost dead. ard ths
woman with him. although slightly stunnsL
not seriously injured
Dr. w n. Weston. OF 40. 40 west n
street. and Dr. Wilkerson. OF IRE N-w
York Hospital. were summoned. but found
thew could do nothing for the man. sni
Mrs Smith refused attention
Investigation disclosed that tis roupf,
had been crushed BY the top par- of n.
folding bed. which was combination csss-
net and bed, falling over on them Smitr.
who vas lying with his head close 70 ths
head of the bed. was caught IN the anzs
where the cabinet portion Joined the oed
and his spinal cord was snapped "1fr,
Smith escaped with slight abrasion %
the left shoulder where The heavy csbi-
net had struck her. The police OF the W.ss
sth street station looked into the case. but
satisfied themselves with the assurances
that the affair had been an accident They
left without securing the name of ths
woman who had been lodging with Well
ington Smith. Their blottsr entry showed
simply that william Smith had been
killed accidentally by a folding bed. and
Coroner Hailenstsin. accepting their vsr-
sion Of u. gave burial permit.
Leon T. stowe. an undertaken. OF No. NJ
West 51st street. got the BODY on an order.
he said, from relatives OF the dead man
Stowe declared that he had shipped ths
body to Waterbury. Conn. from the Grand
Central Station. some time before O'Clock
yesterday afternoon. but on inquiry az ths
station V was learned that no BODY rst
been sent out from there during the day -
Waterbury. Conn, nor 20 any point in thss
direction
Mrs. Ralph. the landlady Of the boardins
house. went out Of town within an hour
after the undertaken had taken away ths
body. and the woman who had been win
him disappeared rysteriously.
Wellington Smith. IL was learned isfs
Lee. Mass. hts home town. on Tuesday.
supposedly on a business trip 70 this citT,
He was the president OF the Smith Psps-
Company. Of Lee. Mass. a former presi-
dent OF the American Paper Makers As-
sociation. and was the first manufactures
to Use wood pulp In making paper
In the administration OF General Benjs-iir
T Butler as Governor OF Massachusetts
Smith was a member OF the Executfvs
Council. Smith was born IN Lee Mass. IN
1sh. a son OF John r. Smith. who had been
a business associate OF Cyrus ". Ftsld. oc
Atlantic cable fame.
When Smith started rom lee or Tues
day he was alone but when he arrived ac
the sd street boarding house he had with
him the woman who has since disappeared
Almon -. Barrell, an employs Of the But
terick Publishing Company. in New IorSs
and brother-in-Iaw OF the dead man. vas
the first 20 identity him as Wellington
Smith. and later in the DAY a son OF ths
dead man. Augustus r Smith Of PITTS
field. Mass. confirmed ths Identification.