The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-05
THE DEATH OF MARY FELTHAM,

Inquest I'm the Bleeckor Street Case oi
Malepractice-verdic Against DIR. Van
Rensselaer, and William II. Poynton-
POyntOn Committed to the Tombs.
Coroner Woltman held an inquest yesterday in
the case OF Mary Feltham, VINO died nom the
eflects OF malepractlce at the Grove House, IN
Bleecker street, on the 18th OF March.
The evidence OF DIR. Kent, proprietor OF the
Grove House, given before the Coroner fe W days
ago, was nrst read. He testified IL am practis-
ing physician; deceased, Mary Feltham, came to
my house TO board on the 18th OF March, about hve
p. NJ. next morning friday she sent for the
bo0kkeeper and said she was sick; she said she
thought she would return to her friends In the
country as quickly as possible; l went to her
room she said she had fall and was afraid OF
disastrous consequences; told her did not see
any immediate danger; saturday night left her
III charge OF servant, as no nurse could be OBJ
tanned; on sunday MIR. Poynton called and
the deceased introduced me to him as her brother.
in-law; during the night l gave her some stlmu-
lants, and Mr.. Poynton went for Dr. stephen Clark,
who, however, was not in; next day met DR..
Clark, and he remarked that 1t was an ugly case,
and that, the event Of her death. there would be
trouble; next day Mr.. P0ynt0n engaged Mrs.
Hines to attend deceased;
SHE WAS SINKING RAPIDLY,
and DR.. Clark considered her il q dangerous con-
ditton; on Wednesday an aged man, evidently
seventy years OF age. came TO the room Of deceased
who recognized him; she told me his name was
Dr. Van Rensselaer,; understood he was her fam
lily physician Poynton came in and appeared to
have known him before; on the same evening she
died before she died made her aware or her con-
ditl0n, and advised her to send Tor her friends She
sent TO No. so Jane street. and her mother and Sis
ter came; questioned her as TO the cause OF her
death and Sue said she went to doctor on the LIST
OF January.
Mrs. Lizzie johnson, OF No. 275 Hudson street.
testified was engaged by P0ynton to attend the
deceased at the Grove House; POyntOn took me to
her room and kissed deceased on leaving her; on
Monday POyntOn came to give the deceased some
money, and they cOnversed in whispers: two ladies'
came 10 see her; deceased said they were daugh-
Jers OF her old family physician, and introduced
them as the Misses Brown: they brought her some
cakes and oranges; on Wednesday l asked her
why she did NOT send for her folks; she said
"Poynton knows all - asked her II she had taken
or done anything wrong, and she said she would
rather die than confess, and, If she TO die to
let her die in peace; when she was dying
SHE SENT POR HER MOTHER
and asked her II she would forgive her; her mother
replied ..Yes, from the bottom q my neart;"
gave her money.
DR.. stephen j. Clark testifed-I understood that
co 60 out ana see deceased; In my opinion, sne
died from the consequences Of malepractice.
William II. Poynton OF 426 Hudson street. said
am dealer In sewing machines; have known
deceased for five months; she was customer OF
mine; on March Is she called at nv place; she
handed inc $40 note TO take 81 Out on the fol-
lowing Friday got rcte from her at the Grove
House; / went there and she told me that she was
ILL The witness, q large, robust man. with coarse
features and heavy. lignt mustache, denied all
allegations OF his criminal conduct In regard to the
deceased and said that he did not recollect he
mad kissed her. He maintained. despite q search
ing examination by Coroner WOltman, that de.
ceased was merely customer OF his, and other
wise quite stranger to him.
Kate Van Rensselaer,, daughter OF the physician
who attended deceased, said IL saw my father
two weeks ago. but have not seen him since: nv
father had an ONCE In Eighteenth street and has
gone under the aliases OF Freeman, Fancher and
Duval; he had an ONCE at No. AZ PINE street. The
witness admitted
THAT HER FATHER HAD FLED
when learning OF the death OF Mary Feltham and
OF the tact that warrant Tor his arrest had been
issued. She and her sister (wh0 was also presently
wept bitterly and had to be taken into another
room.
Coroner Wotman, in his charge, laid stress upon
the tact that all efforts to arrest Van Rensselaer,
had thus far been fruitess, and the Jury, after
short Absence rendered verdict that deceased
came to her death from q criminal malepractice at
the hands OF DIR. Van Rensselaer, alias Fancher ana
that William II. PoyntOn was an accessory to the
1act
The Coroner then announced that he would hold
Poynton in s., 900 bail, IN default which he was
committed to the Tombs to await the action OF the
Grand Jury.