Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-21
RICH WOMAN
ENDS HER LIFE
~
AFTER ARREST
Mrs. Blanche Carson, Ar
rested for Smuggling
Jewels, Hangs Self From
Window of Hotel.

New York, March 2O.-Mrs. Blanche
Carson of San Francisco, who was ar
rested here for smuggling several
thousand dollars worth Of jewelry on
her arrival from India, committed sui
eide early today by hanging herself
out of the window of her hotel.
The body Of Mrs. Carson was seen
by pedestrian, swinging from win.
dow on the eighth floor of the hotel
Broztol. The clerk was notified and
the door of Mrs. Carson's room was
forced. A rope. tied to radiator,
passed out Of the window and at the
end dangled the body Of the woman.
The body was still warm.
Two notes were found in the room.
one Of which was addressed to her
Attorney Harrison Osborn. Their
contents were not made public. Mrs.
Carson reached here day before yes
terday on the steamship George Wash
|ington. She was arrested on the
charge of gross under valuation and
smuggling, after having confessed that
she had smuggled jewelry which the
authorities valued at $4,000.
On her arrival Mrs. Carson had de.
clared q package of unstrung pearls
but had undervalued them. On her
appearance for examination yesterday
she broke down and told of the large
amount Of jewelry she had brought
into the country concealed In her hat
and in her baggage. =
Released on $4,000 bail for further
examination Friday, Mrs. Carson went
up town, presumably to her hotel.
sn$~ 80 on Mrs
Edwin Carson of Paris. 1t was under.
stood that her home was in San Fran
cisco, but the hotel manager said this
morning that he thought Mrs. Carson
resided In Los Angeles. She was
about SO years old and was making
trip around the world alone.
Mrs. Carson evidently had sat uI
all night and some time after 5 O'Clock
she united a rope from large pack
age In her room and fastening one end
to the radiator slipped the moose
around her neck and dropped out OF
the window The body was discover
ed atl6:30 o'clock.
The second note left by Mrs. Carson
was addressed to Paul R. Mayberry
919 West Twenty-eighth street, Los
Angeles, CAL
In her statement before the customs
officials yesterday Mrs. Carson said
81 will confess that these unstrune
pearls are not the only gems have
] have also pair of diamond ear rings
which concealed in the lining of my
hat. was told that the duties col
lected here we're excessive. ! thought
fought not to pay excessive duties.
uyi11inl
to tell all and give up everything
have purchased for full valuation.
am willing to pay my duties"
Daughter Of Wealthy Family.
San Jose, Cal, March 20.-Mrs
Blanche Carson was a daughter Of the
late Hiram Mabury for years one Of
the most prominent residents Of this
city. The family is one of grea,
wealth and after their mansion here
| was wrecked by the earthquake o.
1906, they removed to Los Angeles.
Was vassar College Graduate.
San Francisco, Cal. March 20.-Mrs
Blanche Carson was an alumnae O.
Vasasar college and active in the work
of the Vassar Students Aid society ii
this city. She was the author of sew
eral books. Her husband, Dr.. Edwin
Carson, died a few weeks after theil
marriage a number of years ago. Since
then Mrs. Carson has spent much O
| her time at Carmel-by- the Sea- a col
ony of writer's and artists, near this
city.
Relatives here and in Los Angeles
refused to believe Mrs. Carson hat
taken her own life. They declared
she had carried a large amount o
jewelry which might have been the
cause of her arrest for smuggling
| Members of the Century club, an ex
elusive San Francisco women's club tt
which Mrs. Carson belonged, said she
never had shown eccentrfcities of an,
kind and that she was quiet, cultivat
ed women, engrossed in study anC
travel and engaged in much charitable
and philanthropic work.
ADJUSTMENTS ARE
ran Dr0~rY00r01