New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-16
Mrs. Stiassny Died
Fearing Financial
Ruin, Says Epstein
Chief Heir of Widow De-
cIares He Loved Her
Like a Mother

"Sbe was better than a mother 70
mo I loved her. and no one can mag
inc how I miss her." said Richaro l.
Epstein, the young cousin OF Mrs'
Sarah NJ. Stiassny. who on the morning
after Election was found dead IN pea
with a bullet in her breast and an
other in her brain.
Epstein managed the estate Of MS
widowed benefactor, and was the prin-
cipal beneficiary under her last Will
His revolver was found in her hand.
The Young man expressed this affec-
tion for Mrs. Stiassny last night In the
first interview he mas given since the
District Attorneys office began inves-
tigating her mysterious death.
Max D. Steuer, Epstein's COUNSEL
denied the charge of Assistant District
Attorney Doolng that the latter was
being "hampered" in his investigation
of Mrs. Stiassnys death. He said Mr..
Doolng was in possession of informa-
ton which would establish the best OF
suicide motives namely, that her af-
fairs were in bad shape and that on the
evening preceding her suicide Mrs.
Stiassny learned for the first time that
a man whom she trusted had conveyed
away some Of her property by means
of forged document.
Cousin Nervous, He Says
Epstein said his cousin had been in q
highly nervous state for two weeks
previous to the shooting, and that she
frequently asked him if he thought she
would pull out" of her financial diff
culties. In addition, he said, she feared
that he would soon be drafted. Her
taxes were due, he declared, and she
was 800 behind in her bank accounts.
Epstein said she had borrowed money
from every available friend, and be-
lieved that bankruptcy was actually
staring her in the face. Among other
things, he said, she was obliged to meet
So 600 in unpaid notes which had been
indorsed by her father, who died six
years ago.
Epstein denied that he had quarrelled
with Mrs Stiassny the night before the
shooting, as Mr.. Dooling had intimated.
He repeated his version of the ex-
change of sleeping rooms at her re-
quest, so she might be furthest from
the noise of Broadway.
A Heavy Sleeper, He Says
"The only way can explain the fact
that | did not hear the two revolver
shots" he said, twas either that the
muzzle was pressed so close 20 her
body as 70 mufIle the report, or it was
because the two doors between US
were shut and the noise of Broadway
came into my room through the two
omen windows. Then, too, the fact that
was tired and slept soundly may have
prevented my hearing them"
Epstein said he discovered another
note written By Mrs. Stassny at least
five days before the shooting. 1t was {.
mem orandum of the fact that some OF
the furniture in the Stiassny apar ment
at 2t5 West Ninety eighth Street be-
longed to a Mrs. Nathan.
"She told me-" said Nathan, that she
wrote it in event anything should hap
pen to her there would be no question
about the ownership of the furniture.
The day after the shooting, while
searching for a book of telephone ad-
dresses, | found that note among her
effects"
Mr.. Dooling last night asserted the
story told to The Tribune by Epstein
was at variance with what the young
man had said at the District Attorneys
Office.