New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-15
Mrs. DeCordova
Killed While
Defending Self
Ambulance Surgeon Says
Woman Was Choked by
Chauffeur, Who Shot Her
and Committed Suicide
Slayer Insisted on Trip
Boosted of His Infatuation
for Victim; Her Husband
Believes He Was Insane
From q sta6 Correspondent

NEW LONDON, Conn. JULY ID
Evidence that Mrs. Florence Mabel De
Cordova, wife of Arthur De Cordova, a
broker of rs Broad Street, New York,
was attacked before she was shot and
killed by Bernard R. Geissler, her
chauffeur, on lonely road near Ston-
ington, fifteen miles from here. last
Monday night, was obtained to-day by
Benjamin H. Hewitt, County Prosecu-
tor.
DR.. F. l. Payne, an ambulance sur
geon, who examined Mrs. De Cordovas
body at the scene of the tragedy, where
after committing the crime, Geissler
shot and mortally wounded himself, re-
ported to Mr.. Hewitt that Mrs. De Cor
dova had been choked and had died
while defending herself. Witnesses
testified at the inquest that the chauf-
feur, several days prior to the shoot
ing, had displayed an insane infatua-
ton for Mrs. De Cordova, and that
only at his insistence did she consent
to take an automobile ride late Mon
day afternoon.
Seen Sitting on Running Board
Having induced her to ride fifteen
miles from the fashionable Griswold
Hotel, at Eastern Point, New London,
where MIR. and Mrs. De Cordova rented
suite for the summer, Geissler is be-
lieved to have engaged her in CONVEX
sation. They were observed by farm
er sitting on the running board of the
automobile.
Mr.. Hewitt believes that Geissler
became enraged when Mrs. De Cordova
repulsed his attentions and shot and
killed her. He had walked only six
feet from her before shooting himself
in the temple.
CDR. Payne reported to me that he
found finger marks showing that
Geissler had first choked Mrs. De Cor
dova," said Mr.. Hewitt. "Other evil
dences of struggle, showing that the
woman had attempted to fight off her
assailant, were found by DR.. Payne.
The evidene is clear that the crime was
committed by Geissler while he was
insanely infatuated with Mrs. De Cor
dova. An examination of the bottle
found in the De Cordova automobile
uioSAoSou e,aV dDout two-tNlIus OIL
quart of whisky had been consumed.
Geissler probably was infamed with
liquor"
All of his associates at the Griswold
Hotel agree that Geissler was eccentric
and given to grief over fancied wrongs
Edward F. Clair, hotel detective, said the
chauffeur looked in at the window where
Mrs. De Cordova sat SO persistently
that complaint was made. Geissler was
in the habit Of boasting about his
friendship for her and complaining that
for chauffeurs.
Harry Fenton, Geissler's roommate
said the chauffeur had Authorizations
one of them being that the Wright
Brothers were using an automobile in
| vented by him.
"Geissler made no effort to conceal
his infatuation for Mrs. De Ccrdova.' "
said Fenton. "He would often spend
his evenings gazing in at the window
was dancing. On such occasions he
would come away suffering with. q
brainstorm and declaring that some day
we would see his name in the news
papers,"
One Of the chauffeurs told MIR. Hewitt
that Monday afternoon Geissler tele-
phoned Mrs. De Cordova from the Girls
| WOlU auuoAs OHIO SuCWSu ITO ulbpOSl-
tion to take her customary afternoon
ride. Thereupon, according to the
chauffeur, Geissler said angrily: "Yor
| must 60. I have the car all ready
1t was learned that Geissler had hidden
| in the car revolver, with which he
had been practicing shooting at tar
get few days previously.
Coroner Franklin H. Brown Informed
Mr.. Hewitt to-day that besides cigar.
cite stubs, lemon. two glasses and
| two bottles were found in the De Cor
| dova car. One bottle contained whisky
| and the other mineral water. Mr.
| Hewitt said he learned that Mrs. Dc
Cordova and the chauffeur were in the
| habit Of stopping at the sequestered
| spot where the shooting occurred. II
| is remote from any farmhouse and
| hidden by trees and shrubbery.
Carried Her Photographs
! Two photographs Of Mrs. De Cordova
| and q lock of hair were carried by
| Geissler, according to Mrs. Anits
| Geissler, widow Of the chauffeur, who
<csstisssd ~ eass n