The New York herald., 1879-02-12
The Terrible Fate Of Two Young and
Beautiful Women.
ONE DEAD--THE OTHER DYING
A Den Of lnfamy Discovered in East
Twent-seventh Street


dismal little in East Twenty seventh street.
that the story was told. nlfurnished. ventilated.
with only tho blank. dismal walls to greet
the patients eye. the chamber was all
the drearier by contrast with the elegantly
fitted apartments below, where presided. as
q placard without announced. "Afme. Bertha
Burger, doctress and midwife" The dying girl in
the little room up stairs had Inspector Murray,
Coroner Flanagan and Deputy Miller auditory.
They had come there to commit to paper her state
mcnts. and what she said will be found below. di-
vested of the question and form in which the
story was obtained from herr
THE MEETING NonrHroRr, LONG ISLAND.
Cora Sammis-that the girls name-was the
daughter of a farmer of Northport. Long Island 1t
Is primitive little place. tucked out of
the way among fats and marshes and woods.
with houses and inhabitants many day
'.behind the age." Honest. God fearing. SIM
pie minded folks the girls parents, and
her training was calculated to make her grow up
woman after their heart She a very
esmable girl, too. 1t would seem. and three years
ago. when she had just finished her ''teens. she was
regarded as one Of the loveliest in the place. It
was then that Frank Cosgrove, q young
four years her senior, met her while he
ang in the little hamlet. He is the Of Barnett
Cosgrove with whom he was associated In the
c0Operdgo business IN burning slip. IounS Cos
grove resided in st. James place. Brooklyn,
and he had with him several of his friends
from that city to while away the summer at North
port. Somehow the young Northport belle monopol-
LIED most Ui MS ny anu n,o mu came away IN
spondence that has lasted ever since. There were
also occasional meetings when Cora came to town.
as she did at times to rclatves and in this
way communication was steadily maintained. The
result all this that Cora Sammis left her home
three weeks ago. and under the pretence Of stopping
q little while with her aunt, Mrs. Butts, went to
Brooklyn. She was three months advanced In preg-
nancy.
Sunday before last she consulted with Cosgrove
and he went with her to the house of Mime. Burger
and there made arrangements to have her attended
to. On the following Tuesday they went there
together again at five o'clock. Mme Burger
received them, and Cora was taken up stairs past
the elegantly furnished apartments. past the glitter
and glare Of the palace. to the dismal little
senen o'clock that nshs the uahappy ua
came to realize how bitter the wages
of sin. But the dreary walls shut in the groans Of
revolving operation but Cosgrove. who was a re-
gretful witness indeed. Cora samnis failed
rapidly day by day. and on Sunday night when
most at the point Of DEATH Alarmed at
this he hurried away and consulted with reputable
tending her. The practitioner called at the house,
prescribed some simple remedies. and then fearful
gether.
1t was shortly after this that Inspector Murray
heard some rumors about the house in Twenty sew
enth street which excited his suspicion. He in
stsud .tssn seSTst Inquiries s1a BY cautiously
place. place The Inspector was equal ss to % the the
moned DR.. Muller and called two of his men. Ser
gcant Meakim and Roundsman OToole. together.
Then Off the party went to East street.
and before Nine. Burger of tho nature Of
her visitors intentions they mp in the room
at Cora sammis' bedside. There the story of her
c1,o fbarr aofxv hich tho
were unfolded Nine. Burger stood fatty
charged with malpractice. and Frank Co.'S
The action of the Inspector decisive. The house
in East Twenty seventh street opened to the
Pa tov ANU cre s IN sto byo 20 n
herself, her daughter Rachel Davis married woman
of seventeen; Minnie Russell, aged eighteen. and
Tessie Williams. OF like years, both Of whom ad-
mtted they had received treatment ut the hands Of
the mistress Of the house, and just after
plcting lengthy convalescence.
YOUNG cosGRovE UNDER ARREST.
The occupants being removed. Inspector Murray
turned his attention to other evidences Of crime
There abundance of them-inere mechanical
conrivancest is true, but all terribly suggestive
Of the uses they were put to. The richly fitted
the tasteful little drawers opened and curious
eyes pried in odd and unobtrusivc mites OF
the e p 2,
Meantime the inspector had not forgotten the un-
happy crsaturs lying & on ~ the F.. edge OF the grave
most painful measure which justice demanded.
Young Cosgrove must be put in duress. but. his
suspicious would doubtless be awakened. IL required
speedy action. With this end Inspector Murray
penncd note acquninting him with the new pass
things had come to and breaking him the intelli-
gence that he must submit to and on a serious
charge. This alarming missive enclosed in an
inonensive envelope and Roundsman Mekim was
enchargcd with it, He presented himself Mt the store
in Burling slip. introduced TO Frank Cosgrove,
and the terrible flashed upon the young he
announced himself ms tho laws agent. To the
prisoner the blow dreadful one; but IL was
hardly bitterly felt as by his father To the latter
he used deceit. did he ut all attempt TO deny
palliato his offence. lie made clean breast Of
all, and this served to facilitate Inspector Murrays
work of bringing the case to an early completion.
CORA sAMsfis DEAD
Meantime word had been sent to Cora's relatives,
and. for tho first time, the honest old father aud
mother down at Sorthport learned that their daugh-
ter not the spotess creature they had always be-
lieved her. II was at an advanced hour last night
Once and %a the She mad.
hurried inquiries about the girls location and drove
OF rapidly to the house. All in nutter lof excite
ment she reached the house in East Twcnty-scventh
street, but death had been before her there The
story Of her shame had been poor Coras last recital
hfeless.
While Inspector Murray investigating Coras
case. he learned that at haf-past eight O'clock on
Monday night coach had been driven up TO the
door OF Mrs. Burgers residence and sick woman
placed into IL and driven awuy. There was another
woman with her and altogether the circumstances
attending the disappearance Of the vehicle
very suspicious in the light of what had already
preceded them. Inspector Murray set all his staff
to hunt up the hickman, and late last evening
Detective sullivan found man the stand ut
Central Park who said that he had taken sick
from the house in East Twenty seventh
street to house in East fifty-fourth
street. Inspector Murray notified. and
Sergeant Mcakim and he went up town
to md out what sort of domicc this was. They
learned that IL kept by Mrs Reser, who is Mrs.
burgers mother. without any further hesitation
the Inspector visited the place and had long con-
vcrsation with Mrs. Ricslcr. He asked ber what
had become of the sick lady she had
brought TO the place in coach. Mrs.
lsieslcr strenuously denied that any lady
had arrived in a coach and positive In her
statements that Inspector Murray resolved to scarcb
the place at lie did so, and found pooi
creature in dingy room wretched pallet, suffer
ing terribly and moaning bitterly lie let the ghtinto
the apartment and IL disclosed the emacated features
Of once lovely girl. who seemed TO be lowering
tho brink OF the grave. He spoke to her and found
that she was literally dying of neglect and that she
is another victim OF malpractice. She volunteered TO
tell her own sad story the gst of which only can be
given hcrc:-
GIRLS STORY.