New-York tribune., 1920-06-19
Lawyer Found
Shot to Death i'm
Home of Aunt
Pistol Was Beside Body of
Henry H. Parsons When
Discovered in Room of
Residence ait Purchase
Bruised and Cut Also
Police Trying to Learn Where
He Passed the Previous
Night in New York CITY

Henry Humphrey Parsons, thirty
years old. said to be connected with
Elihu Roots law firm of Root, Clark,
Buckner e. Rowland, Of Manhattan,
was found dead Thursday In the home
OF his aunt, Mrs. Jefferson Hogan, at
Purchase, N Y, with bullet through
his head News of his death did not
become public until yesterday.
The body was discovered lying naked
on the bathroom floor Beside it was q
32-callbre revolver of Russian make.
The bullet from this weapon had passed
through the head and was found in the
bathtub
There were bruises on the body and
cut an inch long under the right eve.
Although it was evident that the shot
that killed him was fred in the hath
room blood stained handkerchief was
found on the floor &C his room, ad
poining.
Carried Large Sum of Money
Parsons Is known to have carried q
large amount of money when he set
out from New York to Purchase by
automobile on Wednesday night or
early Thursday morning. DR.. Arthur
s. Corwin, of Rye, and Coroner John
Stella, Of New Rochelle. examined the
body and said they did not believe
that the bruises or the cut were self
inflicted. At first it was thought that
the man had had an automobile acci-
dent, but his car is without scratch or
dent.
For the last two months Mr.. Par
sons has been spending much of his
time with his aunt and her son, Arthur
Hogan. but frequently remained in
town over night when delayed by law
business. On leaving for town An his
roadster on Wednesday morning he
said that he would stay in town over
night
When the evening clothes that Mr.
Parsons had worn we're searched it
was found that he had only SO cents
on his person. There was no other
money in his room.
In pocket was a letter signed James
Vanderbilt requesting politely that
Parsons pay some money that was
owing. The dead mans aunt said that
she did not believe this man to be any
relative of the millionares.
A sister of the dead man, Coroner
Stella said. is understood to have com.
mltted suicide over an unfortunate love
affair some time ago
At 5 80 o'clock Thursday morning, ser
wants say, Mr.. Parsons drove up to the
servants entrance and rang the bell
The cook, who opened the door, said she
found him bleeding from wound under
the left eye and trying to staunch the
flow with handkerchief He asked he1
for a towel, which she gave him anc
then asked her to open the front door
While she was complying, he drove his
car into the garage
The cook said that when he finally
entered by the front door she noticed
that Ahis clothes were wrinkled and
dusty and that the pleated bosom OF
ms evening shirt was splashed with
blood. She says she asked him if She
should not wake his cousin. Arthu,
Hogan, but he warned her emphatically
against doing so and went to bed
AT noon tho maid knocked at his door
to tell him lunch was ready. She re
celved no response, and, finding the
door locked, went into the bathroom
and discovered the body on the floor.
Police at Work
\, Local police are working with the
New York authorities to determine
where Parsons spent Wednesday night
He told Mr.. Hogan before he left Pur
chase on Wednesday that he had taker
room at the Yale Club for the night
Last night it was said at the club that
he was not known there
Mr.. Parsons was unmarried, gradu-
ate Of the Yale Law School in 1918
Hnd he also spent a year at Oxford
He served four years in the French
ambulance corps and later in the SAM
tary Corps of the A. l.. F., holding the
rank of lieutenant in both services. HI
had been awarded the Croix dc
| Guerre. He was the son of the late
Charles Parsons, OF New York None
Of his friends had ever heard that he
had had financial trouble of any kind