Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-10
County Physician Be-
lieves Man Took Cy-
anide Of Potash.
is FOUND DEAD IN
HOTEL BROAD ROOM
DR.. Percy Shedd Registered I'm
der Name of John Lynn,
of Baltimore.

With abundant evidence OF mind
undermined by overindulgence In
opiates, DIR. Percy C. Shedd, New
York physician, was found dead in his
room at the Hotel Broad today No
autopsy has yet been made, but County
Physician William II. Mckenzie says
Shedd probably committed suicide by
taking cyqanide of potash. Among the
notes. number of which were found
in the room, was one in which Shedd
said he had robbed and murdered"
his son Kenneth. This proved but the
product of a poison affected brain, as
the child was found safe at his lessons
in the East Orange High School.
Shedd and his wife, who is daugh
Ter of General N. w. Day, have been
separated several years. With her two
children, Constance and Kenneth, Mrs.
Shedd lives at 80 State street, Brick
Church, East Orange. 1t was supposed
that Shedd was in Ill health and with
his sister In Connecticut, and his pres
ence In Newark Is a mystery explained
only by the theory that he came here
intent on taking his life. When the
notes left by the dead man were found
the police believed they barred a mur-
der, but now it Is supposed the notes
were inspired by drugs. They are
scribbled on odd bits of paper, in dis
jointed language, and running through
them there runs a vein of morbid
brooding that shows the physician to
have been in an abnormal state OK
mind. Some of the notes are as fol-
lows:
FOLLOWING heart attacks four years
ago have had no sleep. 1t Is absolutely
impossible, except by opiates. When at
hotels always, on that account, felt
danger
Call DR.. G. H. Taylor. of Maplewood.
who was school companion OF mine"
Confes.es Murder.
For the coroner: Suicide. robbed
and murdered my son, Kenneth" Then
follow apparently prevalent words that
appear to be Taken" stolen" "agt,"
TX. Cy."
To-day, yes; you and we are great
sports"
There are also notes requesting the
authorities to notify the son, Kenneth;
n sister Mrs. T. Johnson, 42o West
lUotn street, NEW IOIh, sdlu th @uh~
Mrs. C. B. Shedd, of Lansdown, Pa.
There are also instructions to send
the physicians personal effects to Mrs
johnson.
DR.. Shedd went to the Hotel Broad
shortly after noon yesterday and reg
istered under the name John Lynn,
Baltimore" He went to sis room i'm
mediately, saying he felt tired. and
was not seen again until maid, upon
entering the room today, found his
lifeless body stretched at length on the
floor
The Police Theory.
The police were notified and County
Physician William H. Mckenzie and
Plainclothesmen Thomas King and
Thomas Smith, of the First Precinct,
began an investigation. They found IN
the room a satche in which there was
a revolver, fully loaded, none of the
chambers having been discharged.
There was also in the grip numerous
bottles containing tablets, apparently
opiates The body of the physician
was covered with tiny puncturee, in
dicating that he frequently used
opiates to induce slumber. There was
an ugly bruise on the head, where DR..
Shedd had fallen to the floor The po-
lice incline to the belief that the
physician took an overdose OF poison
with suicidal intent and then went after
his revolver, which was lying in the
satchel some distance from the bed