The Washington herald., 1912-03-29
MRS. P. HICHBORN
SOUGHT IN EUROPE
Believe She Has Not Heard
of Tragedy-Friends Try
ing to Locate Her.
BODY SENT TO BOSTON

body of her brother. Philip S. Hichborn.
in the library Of her home. 1901 Eighteenth
street northwest after he had committed
suicide with revolver while supposedly
mentally unbalanced from the sorrow
and humiliation caused by the elopement
OF his wife with Haroce Wylie. was un-
able to witness the church rites over the
body yesterday afternoon, and is in bed
at her residence under the care Of phy-
sicians.
Fear is felt by relatives and friends
that Mrs. Pearsan will be unable to
stand the strain, and q report from New
York City that a sister OF her husband
died in the metropolis at almost the ex-
act minute that Philip Hichborn COM
mitted suicide is being kept from her by
order Of physicians, who, II Is believed.
are afraid that another shock may cause
Mrs. Pearsan to lose her reason.
Mother Grief Stricken.
Mrs. Philip Hichborn. widow OF Rear
Admiral Hichborn, ana mother OF
the young lawyer who so sensationaIIy
ended his earthly troubles. also was un-
able to be present at the funeral services
for her son. but she recovered suficienr
ly after the ceremony to board a train
for Boston. where the body will be in
TERED to-day. Friends OF the grief-bowed
woman used every influence 10 persuade
her from taking the trip because OF her
condition.
Paul S. Pearsall brother-in-law of
Philip Hicl orn, also accompanied the
body. and after attending the services for
the suicide, he will at once board a train
for New York City in order TO be pres
ent at tho funeral of his sister. While
the report that Pearsalrs sister is dead
seems We; founded. no relative or
friend in this city has been found who
\ T.
good authority that Pearsall received
long-distance telephone call. advising
him Of the demise Of his sister just after
he entered his home and was told Hich-
born had committed suicide
Another report current last night
ana apparently well founded but not
verified was that Mrs. Henry NJ. Hoyt,
widow of the late Solicitor General OF
the State Department and mother Of
Mrs Gilmore Hoyt Hichborn, left her
home, 1901 Rhode Island avenue north
west, two weeks ago for Nice, Italy.
where, report says. Mrs. HiChborn had
just borne a child. Henry NJ. Hoyt, the
young brother of Mrs. Hichborn. would
neither afirm nor deny the report that
his mother had departed for Nice.
When Hoyt was asked by reporters
whether he had anything TO say. he an
swered quietly and politely: No. What
can any one expect me to say? wish
only 10 ask that no questions be asked
me" His request was granted and the
reporters asked no questions. Friends say
the grief of young Hoyt is pitiful. 1t Is
said he fears the effect on hts sister
when she learns that her husband sent
bullet through his brain through despond-
ency over the disgrace her elopement with
WyIie had caused.
Whereabouts Is Unknown.
II Mrs. Hichborn has learned that her
husband has ended his life, and this fact
has been communicated to any one in
Washington, the person who received the
information has not divulged II. II the
whereabouts Of Mrs. Hichborn and Hor-
ace Wylie is definitely known by any
person in Washington, that person has |
not allowed the information to leak out |
At the Wylie home, 1915 Thomas Circle |
which has enormously been referred to |
as the Hoyt home, no one but an old |
colored butler has been seen by news |
paper men. 1t is said Mrs. Wyle is |
Frustrated over the death of Hichborn. |
Mrs. Horace WyIie and Philip Hichborn |
knew sorrow alike. and each bore the |
other the deepest sympathy.
II any representative OF the WyIie fam
lily attended the funeral services for |
Hichborn they were not seen. The clos
est relative Of Hichborn present was his |
brother-in-Iaw. Paul S. PearsaI Many |
close friends of Hichborn including some |
of the best known society and club men
in Washington. witnessed the obsequies
That Hichborn was not in his right
mind when he fired bullet into his
brain seems to be the consensus of opin-
ion among relatives and friends.
The family, It Is said. did not allow the
Episcopal church OF which Hichborn was
a member to decide whether the funeral |
services should be neid within the church.
The church is never the scene Of a |,
funeral Of a person who has committed
suicide except when that person is known
10 be demented. While representatives OF
the church arrived at the conclusion that
Hichborn was deransed when he ended
his life, these officials were not asked to
make decision that would have caused
pain and embarrassment.
Clergyman VIII Omciate. II
1t is stated on tke best authority that
the family requested that the funeral be
held in the chapel of Gawler's undertake
ing parlors. at 1870 Pennsylvania avenue ,
northwest. The rites were conducted in {
the chapel by Rev. Roland Cotton Smith. {
rector of st. Johns Episcopal Church, a {
long personal friend of Hichborn and an
intimate of the family. The regular !
Episcopal service was performed, the J
ceremony beginning a 80 o'clock in the {
afternoon. About three hours later the {
body of Hichborn left Washington for '
Boston. s
Committal rites will be performed In l
Mount Auburn Cemetery. Cambridge at
$50 o'clock this morning by an Episcopal
clergyman who has long been a friend
VI Hichborn and his relatives It is be- a
lieved that this rather carly burial was I
planned with view of allowing Hich- /
Oorn's relatives to retire from the public Y
view and notice as soon as possible and a
ending the newspaper accounts OF the :
tragic end to the sad life of the young 9.
1arrister. p
An element Of mystery is attached to a
he sudden disappearance of the farewell a
Message Hichborn is said to have writ a
en- and placed on a table in the library
n his sisters home, where he committed N
iuicide. If the police saw this note they =
we're ordered not speak about it. The
tote is not in the possession of Coroner .
Sevitt and never has been, according TO n
statement last night in denial 10 a :,
eport current in the afternoon. As a
istant District Attorney Reginald Hui
ekoper, to whom the note was said to
ave been intrusted as a. close friend of n
will not affirm or deny the 1,
tatement. y
The text OF the note in full as re- is
'orted to have been given out by Paul I,
: Pearsall, is as follows:
Il hope l am doing no wrong l have n
TODD II as long as I can, and / have N
'een respondent ever since / was de- NJ
erted. i hone nv SON will NOT fnhorit | a.