New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-10
THEY DRANK POISON, NOT WHISKEY.
A wrL1coNNEcrEp PATIENT AND A CARELESS

A wELLrcoNNEcTED PATIENT AND A CARELESS
NURSE.
Mrs Henrietta Wiley and Mrs Mary E. Corllss,
both living at No. AZ Clinton Place accidentally
drank carbolc acid Saturday night, and were taken
10 81 Vincents Hospital. The house where these
women live is small, unpretentious brick building,
the basement and first floor OF which are used as II
drug store by W. II. WoodcOcl About 10 O'Clock
Saturday night, Mrs Corliss ran into the drugstore
vrlncing her hands and calling on the druggist To
save her life she said she had swallowed by mis-
take some carbOic acid, and that Mrs Wiley had
also taken some and was in dying condition from
tbe effects Of it, DR.. WOOdcocI Immediately pre-
narod mixture consisting Of an antidOte TO the acid
and was also an emetc, and gave 1t to the woman,
who was in great agony. lie Immediately sent
Gonna of the same mixture upstairs 70 Mrs. Wiley by
his clerk He then sent call 10 ST. Nlncents
Hospital.
Mrs Wiley is an invalid, and Mrs Corss IS her
nurse. When the hospital surgeon arrived he pro
oouncod the women out of danger, but took them
IN the hosptal where they remained all night under
the care of the resident physician. They were dis
charged from the hospital at 10 O'Clock yesterday
morning.
Mary Corllss the nurse told the druggist that she
took a bottle from a cupboard in the room OF one
Of the inmates Of the house, and went over 10 ue
beershop nearby kept by John Cusck, and asked for
into the room to the cupboard, and. being little
near-sighted she did not the label on the ooue
which was marked "Carbolic Acid and also mao
the skull and croSsbOnes pictured on II. one sa'u
sbe handed the bottle TO Matthew Finn the barten-
der in Cuscls shop who poured the whskey INTO the
hottie and handed 1t back to her When she got bach
into the house she said she and Mrs. Wiley poured
some of the whskey into separate glasses and dram
some of it, When she felt the terrible pains In hei
stomach and throat and smelt the Odor OF carbonC
acid she realized the mistake she had made, ana
III she'd down stairs to the drug store below ana III
formed the druggist of what she had done.
When the women were taken to the hospital Mrs
Corss told little different story from the one she
told In the drug store This aroused the suspicion Of
The authorities at the hospital 1t looked to them
little like an attempt at suicide. Suspecting that
all was not right, they Informed the police Ihe
women were under arrest all saturday night, but were
loft in the care Of the hospital authorities until they
were discharged Yesterday morning They were then
taken TO the Jefferson Market Police Court. NJ
Finn. the bartender was also arrested and brought
10 court He said that there was no label on the Do
tie when the nurse handed 1t TO Him. Justice Kelly
pronounced It case of accidental poisoning and dis
charged the three prisoners.
Mrs Wiley Is woman about sixty years old and Is
n confirmed nebrate. She Is highly connected. Her
daughter married son OF eX-Mayor Gunther and she
herself is related to the Harbeek family. she mus
been inmate Of an ineorate asylum O't WaS t@ h
out Of the institution and placed In the care Of Mrs
George GrlmShaw, who rented the mouse III ClIlt1 1
Place about year ago andyrought Mrs Wiley ana ue
nnrse with her. Mrs. Grimshaw receives IemttinceS
from a LAWYER in Willan-st. who Is retained by MIS-
WIsy's family. The unfortunate woman Is watched
carefully and her IS regarded by her friends as
Iouor at long intervals II Is said that the nurse
wanted the whlskey 70 quiet her.