New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-05
FAILURE To SWAP WIVES
LED TO EDEY TRAGEDY
Mrs. Murdoch Reveals SOrdid
Story at Inquest in
Village Hall.
DEAD MAN PLANNED DEAL
Her Husband and Mrs. Edey
Were to Get Divorces in Texas
Scheme Failed, Then He
Sued for 100000.
tBy Telegraph TO The Tribune.

Patchogue, Long Island, Jan. An the
village hall at Bellport this afternoon
Coroner f. 8. Moore held an inquest into
the death OF Mr.. and Mrs. Henry C..
Edey at their home in Bellport last
Thursday morning. The events leading
up TO the double tragedy, In which Edey
killed his wife and then shot himself,
were barred in all their sombre details by
Mrs Gardner Murdoch, wife of the VII
lage liveryman.
Three witnesses were examined by the
Coroner. The first. James Mccarthy, n
hackman. testified that Edey gave him
orders to have horse and carriage at
his home on Thursday morning-the day
OF the tragedy. The second witness was
DR.. L. c. Baldwin. who told OF being
called to the Edey home and OF finding
Mr. and Mrs. Edey dead
When Mrs. Nellie Murdoch, wife OF
Gardner Murdoch, took the witness stand
there was craning OF necks on the part OF
the villagers who thronged the little
courtroom. Mrs Murdoch did not appear
TO mind the stares and half audible COM
ments OF her village neighbors. She read
She told Of how Edey had arranged that
Gardner Murdoch and he should ex-
change wives. and how, because Edey
did mot fulfil his promises" The care
fully Matched scheme failed.
Scheme to Trade Wives Failed.
She seemed to consider II n perfectly
natural thing, under the circumstances.
that her husband should institute a suit
for alienation of affections against Edey.
The amount 10 be sued for (s1oo,oO was
10 be divided into three equal parts, she
testifed-one-third to her.. one-third TO
her husband and the other third to the
lawyers The papers had been served on
Edey only n few days before the murder
and suicide. Mrs. Murdoch started out
glibly with her side Of the sordid story.
Il went away from Bellport In Octo-
ber." she said. 81 have seen my husband
only twice since. once ! went TO Visit
him in New Haven. and the other time 10
Staten Island, where he VAS employed.
Our relations on that occasion were mere
~ those of friends. ! don't love my hus-
band any more-not as / used TO. We
were just friends
Mrs. Murdoch said she and her husband
were together on Staten Island at the
time the papers in the suit were served
on Edey. HE and | were on good
terms" she said. and thought my hus-
band deserved TO be paid for the loss OF
my affections. Edey broke up our home.
He made plans he did not fulfil. He got
me to leave my home last July"
says Edey Broke Up Home.
At the suggestion of Assistant District
Attorney Young. Mrs Edey's twelvc-year-
old son, who was sitting near the wit
ness. was taken from the room at tins
point. Mrs. Murdoch. her face slightly
flushed then went on:
"Edey got me to leave my home and he
got his own wife 10 30 10 Texas with
my husband. I was TO marry Mr.. Edey
as soon a. my husband and Mrs. Edey
got their divorces In Texas. and my hus-
band was 10 marry Mrs. Edey. Mr.. Edcy
planned it
She said she gave her consent to these
plans knowing her husband was 10 marry
another woman. Al first she said she
tween her husband and Mrs. Edey. but
the next moment she hesitated and said
she had her doubts about II.
Mrs. Murdoch said her husband had sug-
! eested bringing suit against Edey. and
She agreed with him. They thought the
case would be settled out OF court, she
| said.
After Mrs Murdoch had finished her
| Testimony, Coroner Moore adjourned the
| inuuest without appointing a date for the
next hearing. saving he had not yet de-
cided whether 10 summon Gardner Muir
dock as witness, and wanted To look
over the testimony before setting a posi-
tive date