The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-15
MRS. LA RUE AND NURSE.
ANOTHER sTRANGB STORY OF LIFE
IN a BOARDING HOUSE.
A Charge Of Then to which, in the Opinien |
Of n Police Justice. n Charge OF Murder |


A CHARGE Of Then to which, in the Opinion
Of n Police Justice, n Charge OF Murder
NJ ny be Added-The Talk In Clinton Place.
Mrs Amelia La Rue Of Buffalo came to
this city month or more ago to obtain a divorce
from her husband, who had abandoned her.
She made the acquaintance OF Mrs. Sophia j.
briggs, and tho two soon became very friendly.
brs. La Rue took board at IL Clinton place. Mrs.
briggs had furnished rooms at e7 In the same
street. Two weeks ago Mrs. La Rue was taken
sick, and Mrs. briggs became her nurse. DIR.
Joseph w. Richards, an old and highly respect
able physician, was called, but as Mrs. La Rue
did not improve, DR. Edward N. Deey OF Sixth
avenue and Thirty-nrst street was called In, and
as she did not make satisfactory progress, DR..
Richards teleRraphed to her brother, Mr..
George +. Wackerman OF Buffalo, and lie came
Previous to being taken sick Mrs. La Rue bad
several pieces OF valuable jewelry, a gold watch
and chain, bracelets, diamond rings and other
trinkets, IN all worth, the brother Gays, over
Eve hundred dollars. These could not be
found. MIR. Wackerman asked Mrs, briggs
ABOUT them, but she denied all knowledge OF
them, and as he dlsbelieved her he went to the
Mercer street police station and told bis story
there.
Sergeant Murray and Detective Slevin were
detailed to make an investigation. They found
Mrs. l., Rue at IL Clinton place, very low, scarce
ly strong enough to talk and apparently dying.
Mrs. DrgRs was attending her. Mrs. La Rue
then. In addition TO reiteratinR the charge that
Mrs. briggs had robbed her, said that she be-
iieved she had been poisoned for the sake OF
her jewelry. She also exacted from Detective
Slovin solemn promise that III she died post
mortem examination should be made.
Mrs. Drugs was at once taken to tho Mercer
street police station. and there she said that she
believed Mrs. La Rue was going to die. that she
had taken her 1ewelry, that she had not been
paid tor her services. and she thought she had
as good right to II as anyoody else. She had
dec osited II, she said, In her own name In the
vaults OF the Stuyvesant Safe Deposit Com paDy.
After Mrs. Driggs's arrest a district telegraph
follows:
waited until 10 P. N. Has anything occurred, what
time can see you tomorrow. and whersf bend mss-
The writer Of the note proved to be Alfred O.
briggs, q stepson OF Mrs. briggs, aud 10 the
police station, after his arrest. he ACKNOWLEDGED
that the pawn ticket that was found In one OF
his pockets represented a diamond ring that be-
loneed to Mrs. La Rue.
The Rev. Dr. Deems. Of the Church Of the
Strangers, had been called In at Mrs. La Rus's
request. She said she believed herself to be
dying. and ssksd him to take charge OF her sf-
fects. This he declined to do As ne was there
only as her spiritual adviser.
- After the charge Of poisoning bad been made,
Police Poi Surgeons SD Dorm ma and Pe,tnsr were sabsii-
tuted. All the medicines and bottles found In
Mrs. La kue's room were taken TO the police sta
think tho cbarse of no,soning r,dicniou.' sng
say that at no time have any symptoms justified
any suspicion OF poisoning.
After Tue departure OF the Hev. Dr. Deems
Mrs. La Rue sent for Roman Catho olio priest,
and late on sunday night he administered the
sacrament Of extreme JUNCTION.
Yes eruay AFTERNOON Mrs. briggs and her step
son Alfred were arraigned before Justice Duty.
DIR. Dorm sent certificate that Mrs. La Rue was
too low TO make an AFFIDAVIT, and the prisoners
were remAnded 10 the City Prison without bail,
to await change Ia the condition Of Mrs. Ls
nue, the magistrate saving thht II hirs, La Rue
should die Charge of murder might be added
that OF theft.
Drsgs says that after Mrs. La Rue, who was
pennlless. had been sick for some time, tho
landlady suggested that Mrs. La Rue should ell
tber borrow money on her jewelry and pay her,
or else give the Jswslry to her, and let her raise
money on It herself, and ct length the iandlsd '
became possessed by the notion that in soms
way Mrs. La Hue's trunk was to be spirited
away, and III that sh. should los: her money. 10
room aud stored elsewhere, and that then
Mrs. La Rue became alarm cd about her jswelry,
briggs to take care Of It. Mrs. briggs adds ID at
the jewelry was kept under Mrs. La Hue's pill
low, that strangers were continually entering
the room, and that fearing that II might DO losI,
and that Mrs. Callahan might seize II for d . OF,
she took II away and deposited II with friend.
She did not consult with Mrs. La Rue who b ad
asked her to take care of IL, because
she was too sick to be talked to.
She afterward took the roperty from ber friend
and deposited It with the Safe Deposlt Com
pany, acting, as she claims, TO the best Of her
TO lend 10 the sick woman. She consulted with
neI stepson, anu ne ADVISED her To pawn one OF
the diamond rings, use the money for Mrs. La
Rue, and put the pawn ticket with her othsr
property. Acting on this advice, she gave him
"a ring. Ii WAS on saturday and the pawn shops
were closed until evening, and she says that he
was on his way TO meet her with the pawn
ticket and the money when he WIS arrested.
III she mad been my own sister l could not
have done more for her." Mrs. briggs said. "I
sacrificed my time for her, l ne esleote ed my busi-
ness for her, aud now for what did for her
with the best heart 10 the world, freely and un-
grudgingly, am thus disgraced out am limo
cent OF either intsnt or act oil evil"
Mrs. La Rue was too low last evening to be
seen, and wben DR.. Dorm last saw her he thought
that she might not last until morning.