Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-29
NOT SUICIDE, SHE SAYS
Wendell A. Sampson Of Fall River
Found Dead This Morning.
HERE WITH EXCURSIONISTS
Member Of Party of Railway Con-
ductors on Their Way to Attend
Convention at Jacksonville.

Wendell A. Sampson, sixty-ive years
old, conductor on the New York, New
Haven and Hartford railroad, who resided
at 101 Winter street. Fall River. Mass.
shot himself fatally in a room at the
Metropolitan Hotel this morning about D
o'clock. His wife, Mrs. Sarah B. Samp-
son. occupied a bed in the same room,
but II was not until two hours after the
fatal shot was fired that she knew what
had happened.
Mrs. Sampson heard the muffled report
of the shot and 1t aroused her. She
thought the sound had come from the
street, however, and paid no further at
tention to it. When she called her hus-
band about o'clock and received no re-
sponse she reached across the space be-
tween the two beds and shook him. Then
she arose and noticed the pistol in his
right hand.
hole in his right temple and trail
of blood from the wound to the beddings
made it plain to Mrs. Sampson that her
husband had shot himself Detective Cox
Of police headquarters and Detective ARM
strong of the sixth precinct made a pre-
liminary investigation.
Rejects idea Of Suicide.
Mrs. Sampson refused to believe that
her husband had shot himself intention
ally. The shooting. she thought. had been
the result Of an accident. Her husband,
she said, had not been in the habit of
carrying a. revolver. but he had brought
II with him on the trip because he was
going to be away from home some little
time. Friends of the deceased suggested
that Sampson probably shot himself while
dreaming
Mrs. Sampson assured the coroner that
there was absolutely no reason why her
husband should have killed himself. They
lived comfortably in Fall River, and have
three grown daughters.
Railway Conductors Excursion.
Mr. Sampson reached here yesterday
morning with a party of seventy-four
members of the Railway Conductors As
sociation. all connected with the New
York, New Haven and Hartford railroad.
Mr.. and Mrs. Sampson were among those
who called at the White House at
o'clock yesterday afternoon and shook
hands with President Taft.
/ One OF the members of the party ex-
planned to the coroner that Mr.. Sampson
seemed depressed yesterday morning
while at the breakfast table, although he
made no statement to indicate that any
thing troubled him. but others said he
was in his usual good spirits last night.
Before leaving Fall River. the coroner
was told, Mr.. Sampson had arranged his
transportation SO he would not have to
remain with the party. He had expressed
a desire to return home by the shortest
route after attending the annual conven-
ton of the Railroad Conductors Associa-
ton in Jacksonville. Fla. May 8.
Members. Of the party are to leave this
city at 6 o'clock this afternoon. They will
go to Havana and return to Florida in
time to attend the convention. Very few
members of the party knew of the shoot
ing before they boarded the steamer
Charles Macalester today to go to Mount
Vernon.
After Coroner hewitt had finished his
investigation and given a certificate of
death from a self-inflicted wound Under
taker j. William Lee prepared the body
for shipment to Fall River. Mrs. Samp-
son and a delegation from the party of
conductors will accompany the remains
to Fall River, having arranged to leave
here tonight.