New-York tribune., 1917-11-09
Rich Widow S
Death Yelled
in Mystery
One Cartridge Discharged
Two Wounds Found on
Body of Suicide

If Mrs. Sarah Ann Stiassny, wealthy
widow, committed suicide in her home
215 West Ninety-eighth Street, Wednes-
day morning, as the Coroner has al
/ legged, why has the body two bullet
wounds upon it, when the revolver she
used had only one discharged cartridge
when found?
This is the question for which Dis
trict Attorney Swami is striving TO find
an answer. He has ordered strict in
vestigation of the whole affair, which
was brought TO his attention BY Mrs
Jessye D. Lubetkin, 73O Riverside Drive
a niece of the dead woman.
Note Pointed to Suicide
Mrs. Stiassny, to all outward appear
ances. committed suicide by shooting
herself in the right temple. A farewell
note which she left for her nephew,
Richard Epstein, who lived with her,
added evidence in support Of this the
ory.
Coroner Hellenstein. when called in,
examined the wound in the woman's head
and gave his verdict as suicide. Then
Mrs Lubetkin called upon District Attor-
ney Swami 10 request an investigation.
He assigned DR.. Otto II. Schultze 70
examine the body, cnd,beneath the left
breast just below the heart, DR..
Schultze discovered the second wound.
The revolver contained two cartridges
one still loaded.
The District Attorney learned yester-
day that Mrs. Stiassny in her will,
made July 4, 1917, had named Epstein
as the chief beneficiary Of her s25O,OOO
estate.
Il was Epstein who found the body
Of his aunt. According TO the story
he told the police, Mrs. Staissny had
been IN low spirits for some time. ms
condition was partly caused by imam
cial matters and partly by the fear that
her nephew would be drafted.
Asked for Revolver, He Says
Several times, he said. she had limited
ar suicide. On the night before her
death she asked him to go out Tor a
walk with her, and asked HIM, ap-
parently casually, If he still had the
revolver for which he had obtained a
permit. ,,.
d;d nat say where he kept it. On their
return home. he continued, Mrs. Stiass-
NJ came 10 him and asked him II ne
yyould mind changing rooms with her,
saving that the noise from Broadway
ke1t her awake. He agreed, and lett
bie bunch of keys on the dresser. One
~ these KEYS unlocked the drawer IN
which he kept his revolver. .,
81 went into her room ana ieli
ssleep." Epstein's statement goes on
~ was up and dressed before preaE,
fast and answered a telephone call
from the janitor about some tenants IN
,be house. ] then knocked az her door
and. receiving no response, opened u
sud saw her lying there, with my re-
yolvcr in her hand and blood stream
ing from her temple"
Neither the dead woman nephew nor
nora Watts. the negro maid. who pears
out the latter part OF his story, heaiG
tho report Of the revolver. Inc maid
esvs that she took cup Of coffee 10
Wys Stiassny at 1880 that morning
and that she seemed perfectly normal
Saws Nephew Collapsed
According 20 her story. Epstein col,
,.nsod when ne found his aunts desd
hnd,, she was obliged 20 telephone forr
nr p N. Feidman. Of 5l5 Cathedrai
DdrLwsy when he arrived Mr.. Ep-
80, ,yas living on the sofa, and DII'
T[i5rosn spcnt considerable time IN ad-
;.iS,e,irp rcstoratives 10 bring hlm
Patrolnan Storey then arrived. He
t,.';sts that when he found the reVolVcT
II vas living half claspcd IN the ma q
e 'etiagsnv. He broke" IT, he
ssys and found only ono cartridge eN-
Gssistant District Attorney fiupat,,
+ ,,ck questioned all those associated
ydtb Mrs. Stiassny and received rom
,be negro maid the following note
which ybc says she found beSide heI
employer bed:
"Ny Dear Richard; ! cannot stand
.tis any longer. No sleep, and 1ee'
ssif were going insane. Funeral prl-
vate God bless you for what you nave
done for me. Don't gricyc TOR me- ior
am glad 20 be al rest. LoWngiy',,
COUSIN SARAH
Ar Hershfcid. whose wife Is an.
e.aor niece Of Mrs. StiAssny and one oi
~ hone6ciarieB Of the will. protested
ainst the invests cation. and Insisted
~ the note Was IN the dead womans
sna%ndwritng. II, with several other
heinone Of Mrs. Stihssny's handwrit-
~ viii be submitted TO handwriting
e'R schultze will hold an autopsy to
day.
suoEY TELE0RAfo aIoAK
s's. IN rpEATION--NEET " MILD