The morning call., 1893-04-23
THE BABY MURDER.
The "Specialist" Arraigned
in Court.
Are "Miss BeH," a Fortune Teller, and
Mrs. DR.. Belinda Lapfiame One
" and the Same Person?

have an improving effect upon Mrs.
Belinda Laphame, who is accused Of muir
dering a two-days-old baby at her lying-in
hospital on Geary street.
When she appeared in Judge Conlan's
court yesterday morning she looked pale
and haggard and seemed to have grown
many years older. She burst into tears and
covered her face with her handkerchief,
and when told to stand up she was CON-
PEELED to lean against the wall for support.
On being informed of the charge against
her and Of her rights to employ counsel and
obtain witnesses she pointed out ex-Judge
Ferral as her attorney.
Attorney Ferral then asked for a con-
tinuaDce ill next Wednesday, which was
granted.
Detective Rogers began his investigation
into the case yesterday. lie visited the
lying-in hospital, and was able TO get cor
robnTatve evidence of the fact that no oDe
supplied the baby with nOurishment or
attended TO 1t In any way except Mrs. Lap
hame.
He fonnd Mrs. Burmeister and Mrs.
Harry Maynard there and subpenaed them
both as witnesses. Another patient is also
named Mrs. Williams, and it was her baby
that Mrs. L1phame gave out for adoption.
She was also served with a subpoena.
The detective Is very anxious to ascertain
who Mrs. Williams, whose baby is muir
dered. really Is. Mrs Laphame states that
is not her tTne name, but she does not know
what it should be. She also declares that
the young woman is not married. but that
young man, who declared he Intended TO
marry her, had visited her at Geary street.
The mother of che young woman. who
gives the name of Mrs. Manning, Is Officiat-
ing in the capacity of nurse since the arrest
of the head of the establishment. There is
a great deal of mystery about the old lady,
She pfpn6S hp nypepdi O. v IA ~.
II suits her convenience, but from the way
her eyes glisten occasionally II Is sagely pre-
sumed that what she does not hear is not
worth the hearing
When Detective Rogers visited the young
woman and her mother yesterday he asked
the former few questions bearing upon
the testimony at the inquest and then asked
them if he could do anything for them.
lie was little staggered when she re-
piled: "A on needn't think we are poverty
struck people. we have enough money 10
supply our wants" And she finished up by
producing receipt for S45 which she had
paid 10 Mrs. Laphame.
This eOmplicates matters still further. as
at the inquest Mrs. Laphame testified that
owing 10 the plea of poverty made by Mrs.
Williams and her mother she had only
charged them $50, instead Of her regular fee
OF SIS.
There have been so many contradictory
statements that ii will take some little time
10 ind out just what is true and what false.
There is a strong belief that the child's
mother and grandmother are involved 10 a
certain extent. from Mrs Laphame's admis-
sion TO Detective Rogers that they wanted
her to get rid of the child. This would not
make her any the less guilty, but 1t would
Involve the others as accessories.
What was the real motive that instigated
the crime? A reasonable presumption is
that il was to save the honor Of the young
mother. According to her own statement
she is not poYerty-stricken, but she has so
far had sense enough not to diYuige any
thing that would give clew to her family
and friends.
Detective Rogers does not despair of be-
ing able TO find out all that he wants TO
know about her, and perhaps more.
1t has been stated that Mrs. Williams has
sister named Mrs. z. Nelson in Oakland,
and brother named Watson in San Joa-
Qnin County. but this lacks cor firmation.
In her evidence before the Coroner Mrs
Laphame testified that she came from Aus
tralla about eighteen months ago, where
her husband is a practcing physician.
About the same time Il lady resembling
Mrs. Laphame in every particuar-age
complexion, eyes, features, figure and even
the brogue-left her apartments at 33b
OFarrell street and removed 20 more pre-
tentious ones on Geary street. This lady
went under the simple name OF miss Bell"
and had amassed quite snug sum of money
by telling fortunes.
Another remarkable thing is that 10 the
few who spoke TO her In the same house she
said she also came from Australia and one
0f them. who Is still there, is satisfied that
Miss Bell" the fortune-teller, and Mrs.
DE- Bel nda Laphame are one and the same
person from the des cription given OF her in
yesterdays papers.
Assuming that this theory is correct.
where did Mrs. Dr. Belinda Laphame
get her medical experience2 She says she
first learned doctoring in Cork, but this may
be as true as her statement to the Coroner
that she lost her certificate or license to
practice in coming over from Australia
eighteen months ago.
Allyesterday Mrs. Laphame refused b.
solutPly to talk with reporters. complaining
that she was suffering from a severe head
ache. but when Detective Rogers went in 10
see her she talked loudly and glibly enough
Perhaps the sagacious detective may dis
cover some Interesting developments by
looking into the career of Miss Bell" the
fOrtuue-teiler