The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-11
DIR. LAWS CONTENTION.
Does Not Believe Miss BarrOwclff'
Was Outraged.

Miss May Barrowclif spent a large per-
tion of yesterday sitting propped up with
pillows gazing out Of one of the City Hos
pital windows which faces Montgomery
street She spoke occasionally to the two
nurses at her side, but only to draw their
attention to some object on the roadway be-
meath.
Dr.. Varick, when visiting her. asked her
some trivial question, to which she replied in
the negative, and added
"Dont you think there is something wrong
with my brain, doctor?'
She was told that in few days she wos ID
be all right and she appeared to be pleased
with the remark.
DR.. Varick left her and went down to
Police Headquarters, where he had long
interview with Superintendent Christie
Smith. The nature of that interview was
not made public by either of the two gentle
men, but it leaked out that the doctor had
made change of front in his diagnosis Of
this most mysterious case. DR.. Varick, it is
said, believes that the girl received her
terrible injuries while falling over the rocks,
and not at the hands of either a tramp OF
'1friend.''
DOCTORS DISAGREE.
In connection with this, another story
cropped out that the doctor andDoctors Law
and Bone have been at variance as to their
views of the injuries received From the
positive assurance that Miss BarrowcliH had
been criminally assaulted, the police built up
their theories alternately OF the tramp"
the 'sroughs' in the neighborhood and the
''friend" of Miss Barrowcliff as explaining
the authorship of the deed.
DR.. Law, however, has from the first held
that no outragd had taken place. How far
it is true, cannot now be ascertained, but a
NEWS reporter was told that in consequence
of Dr. Laws opinion which the police and
Dr. Varick secuted, he was removed from
attendance on Miss Barrowclif. Now it ap-
pears the police are beginning to find out
that perhaps DIR. Law is right after all.
A JERSEY CITY NEWS reporter interviewed
the doctor yesterday upon this subject, but
the physician politely said he could not say
anything now, but in time he would make
statement for the public. Two weeks ago
when the same reporter spoke to DR.. Law he
said then that he was by no means sure that
the crime alleged to have taken place had
been committed DR.. Bone was of the same
opinion.
In fact both physicians and police have
discarded the theory of an assault by per-
son or persons unknown upon the girls
honor, but halt between these two opinions:
There was either robbery and she was
pushed over the rocks, or Miss Barrowcliff,
while under the influence of an attack OF
hvsteria, wandered into the lot from Sip
avenue and fell over the works.
IF SHE HAD HYsTERIA.
port from Miss Barrowcliff's own statement
yesterday when DR.. Varick said to her.
"WeI, where did you go after you left the
housesn
81 went along to where the trains turned
got lost-Don't you think my head" and
other disconnected and vague remarks
Laboring under the effects OF hysterla she
might have really wandered along to Marion
and returned to the spot where she was
found. Medical works cite innumerable
strange acts of women suffering
from that disease, and one
French authority, DR.. Dieudonne, says
that anything she is capable of under such
conditions from taking the life of fly to
that of her own mother" Inasmuch as the
criminal assault has not taken place, or at
| least the doctors disbelieve so, then such
theory would account for the injuries on the
head
It has not been proved that she was
robbed, and it is equally doubtful whether
the ugly cash on the head was the work OF
direct blow, hence the supposition OF an
accidental fall finds favor in the minds OF
the police and physicians
There is one drawback to this view, and
that is the presence of finger marks and
bruises on the neck.
THOSE FINGER MARKS.
When Miss Barrowcliff was found the
physicians noticed distinct finger marks on
the left side of her throat. There was even
the imprint of the thumb. Under the ears
the marks clearly, so the doctors said, proved
that she had been throttled, and pointed to the
abrasions which they said had been caused
| by the nails of the assailants fingers Unless
the physician can satisfactorily explain these
marks away the hysteria theory cannot be
maintained
Now as to the theory that she was attack
| ed no doubt with a double purpose, the
proof points in strange manner to a friend
whom Miss BarrowcliH is trying to screen.
She said two days ago when Doctor Varick
1 asked her;