Putnam patriot., 1921-04-15
Father Says Boyish Prank
 Was Cause or Sons Death
Did Lad Injustice In Accepting Suicide Theory As First
 Solution
Thomas Hepburn Was Performing
 Old Hanging Stunt

pr. Thomas N. Hepburn of Hart ford, whose son was found dead at the home of an aunt in New York, Sunday morning, April Srd, as told in last weeks Patriot, has become con- vinced that he did the boy an injus- tice in accepting the suicide theory as the cause of the lads death. He is now convinced that the youth was the victim of an accident as the result of a foolish stunt.
 pr. Hepburn says:
 With the first shock of the bald fact that my 15-years-old son Thomas was found hanging by his neck dead. I could think only of two possibilities, murder or suicide There was no sign of struggle and no peceivable motive for murder and I seemed forced to suicide to explain the fact. And so I frankly told the news re- porters that it must be case of acute mental Arrangement.
 After more mature thought am convinced that l have done the hoy an injustice and that suicide was the farthest from his thoughts. In the first place, the boys whole life and temperament does not coincide with the suicide theory. He was the op- posite from gloomy or interpretive. While subject as small boy to few nervous facial habits, he had entirely outgrown them, and was in the best mental, nervous and physical condi- tion that 1 have seen him. He had never been so gay as during the pre- ceding ten days. He planned his life very directly and simply without even the ordinary amount of indecision. He stood about the middle of his class at school, being neither strenuous stu dent, nor poor enough for me to urge him to more effort. He always had the complete confidence of his par ents, being allowed great freedom of action. never knew of his abusing this confidence. He enjoyed youthful pleasures, sports, dancing and his banjo, in a simple. boyish way. That he had no intention of ceasing to live is brought out by the fact that he hsd purchased tickets and parlor car seats for himself and sister, expecting to return to Hartford on the II o'clock train that morning. Again, with great care and detail, he fixed his trcussrs under some suit cases so that they would be we'll pressed for him to wear in the morning. He evidently slept well, for his bedclothes were un- rufied except for the one spot where he lay. Yet this disaster did not como until the bright light of morning, aa evidenced by the fact that no artificial light was burning in the room and the process would have been too compii- cated to do in the dark.
 "To theorize that normal healthy boy committed suicide after a good nights sleep is unbelievable. He left no note or sign of mental distress, although he had pencil with him tho evening before and had taken down the address of girl he wanted to write to.
 Movie Recalled Old Stunt
 'I am now convinced that the boy is the victim of an accident as a TO- suit of a foolish stunt. had entirely forgotten that he considered himself an expert in hanging by the Eeck in such a way that he looked as if he were dying and so amusing his little brothers and sisters. He fixed the knot in the rope he used for exhibi- ton purposes so that he could pull tho
 (Continusd on Pags Tsn)