The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-15
How Pretty Josie Woods
Came to Her Sad Death.
Even the Grave Could Not Con-
ceal Her Shame.
The Victim the Daughter or q
Wealthy Muncie Man.
Sensational Developments at Spring
field, Ohio.

SPRINGFIELD o., April Especial. i
A startling story which has been with
held by the authorities in order to secure
evidence against certain parties impli-
Gated, was unearthed by the local press
this afternoon.
On Tuesday, March 81, the "Out of
Sight" farce comedy company went from
Columbus, o., to Troy, fifteen miles north,
to play an engagement there. The COM
pany arrived at noon and stopped at the
Morris house. Before evening came the
leading lady, Miss Josie Wood, alias
Casselle, became 60 i'll that it was impos-
possible for her 10 go on the stage that
night She gradually grew worse on
Wednesday, April l, until, at 8 o'clock
D. m, DR.. j. W. Means was called to her
assistance.
He found her in a critical condition and
suffering from acute pains internally.
Later she confessed to the doctor and also
to the nurse that before she came here
she had an operation for abortion per-
formed on her by physician, whose
name and residence are withheld for the
present.
1t is claimed that Charles Peruchi,
young Italian from Florida, and was men,
Der of the company, was her lover, but he
disclaims any criminal intimacy with her.
He claims that he has oI1iv known her since
Dec. 20, but that he loved her and
wanted her to became his wife. He i'm
plored her not to have the operation per-
formed and forbade the physician doing SO
if there was even the slightest danger for
her. But the doctor called them "a couple
of children" and after assuring them
there was no danger. he performed the
operation.
afternoon of Thursday, March %, and she
died on the afternoon Of Saturday, April
4, about o'clock.
Coroner Calvin ordered a post-mortem
examination by Drs W. c. Thompson,
J. w. Means, J. q. Senour and Elmer
Thompson, which was made that night.
They finished the examination about 3
o'clock D. IN. and the result OF the post
mortem showed the girl, who was not
yet eighteen years OF age at the time OF her
death, had been pregnant about four or
five months and that instruments. or some
other powerful agency, had been used in
a most brutal manner. Her death result
ed from acute Inflammation brought on by
the operation.
Miss Wood was a beautiful blonde,
about five feet, five inches tall and OF
prepossessing figure. Her father is the
president of the Muncie, Ind, natural gas
company and is quite wealthy. Her
mother, who has separated from her hus-
band, is telegraph operator at the IRE
mont house, Boston, Mass, Miss Woods
home.
The remains were prepared for ship
ment and were sent to her mother in Bos-
ton last Sunday night, where they were
inferred. Miss Wood frequently said that
she would kill herself if an operation was
not performed. She was the principal
singer of her company.
The coroner, doctors and nurse are close
mouthed about the affair and have but
little or nothing to say until after the cor
oner returns his verdict, and they will not
mention the physicians name or address
who is concerned in the affair.
MuNcIE, April l0.-[Speciol. THE news
of the death of Josie Woods, the actress IN
the "Out of Sight" company, who died
from the effects of an abortion at Troy,
o., April 4, as detailed in a Springfield,
o., dispatch to THE SENTINEL. has reused
public feeling TO its highest pitch. Your
correspondent had much difficulty in To-
eating the girls father, from the fact that
he is a comparative stranger here, and
Miss Josie herself never was in Muncie.
James NJ. Woods, the parent of the I'M
fortunate girl, is not president OF the
Muncie natural gas company, as the dis
patch stated, but is interested in the
"Blackman Anchor Boiler Compound"
company OF this city. He came to this city
two years ago and never denied the report
that he was unmarried. As q consequence
he became social swell at once, and paid
particular attention TO a yoGng lady OF
one of the first families. About this time
it leaked out that he was married, but 1t
was the general supposition that he was
divorced from Mrs. Woods. Nothing was
said about his children.
Some two or three weeks ago brother
of Woods came here and gave a very
black account of Woods treatment of his
family. He had picture of Miss Josie
which showed her as strikingly beautiful,
and her sweet face makes sympathy
stronger. Her father denied his relation
ship to her to your correspondent, and re-
fused to be interviewed. His friends are
equally reticent, but Woods parentage OF
g. e