Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-26
DR. BICGS IS "TOMMIE'
He Wrote the Letter Which
 Lillian Guarded So Fondly.
PRISONERS HELD FOB AN INQUEST

Mystery and Romance Surround the 1ra9s<
 dy as the Story of the Beautiful Girl sui-
 cide's Death Is UnrolIed-some Points
 That Remain to Be CIeafed Up.
 NEW YORK, July 26.-It looks now as the tragic dehouenent of a most curi- ous drama in metropolitan life. Every hour brings to the surface facts that shed light upon the existence and movements of a group of characters, all Of whom have, in a way that is still somewhat tt114 certain, so affected the life of this girl as to impel her finally to self destruction.
 The coroner's office was the scene of some new and decidedly important devel- opments. It was preliminary hearing at which Coroner O'Meagher presided.
 A direct outcome of the inquiry was an admission by Lawyer Brooke which res vealed the identity of the man who is sup posed to have played the leading part in the affections of Lillian Low and for love of whom the act of suicide was preeipitat- ed. The man is Dr. Thomas J. Riggs, an assistant surgeon in the Demilt dispen- sary at Twenty-third street and Second avenue.
 He according to the lawyer, is the au- thor of the note found in the bosom of the dead girls dress.
 The epistle was penned iii neat pro fessional hand, was addressed "My Baby Cuckoo" and signed "Tommie" It bore the date of May g. which was about two months after Lillian left her fathers home to live with strangers.
 When arrested Wednesday night, Dr. Riggs denied that he had written this let ter. The other persons arrested with him were Miss A. K. Hanson, the boarding house keeper with whom Lillian was liv- ing, and Henry T. Champney, one of her iodgers. Miss Hanson is the woman who kept the boarding house at 34 West Thirty second street, where Lillian sought refuge after leaving her father, and where she remained against his will for some months. It was in this house that MT. Low says he was assaulted by Dr. Riggs when he, the father went there to make inquiry concerning his daughter.
 Said She Loved Dr. Riggs.
 Lillian told her father that she was in love with Dr. Riggs, but that he did not return her affection. To what extent the girl was permitted to entertain notions to the contrary is not yet made known. At any rate, she so cherished the scrap of pa. per which he addressed to her that she kept it by her since May last, and died with it nestling next to her heart.
 The father asserts that his daughter was lured away from home, kept away and set against him by the persons by whom she was surrounded. It was on the strength of this representation that the arrest of the persons named was made. Now the question to which the police are devoting their energies is, Was she lured away and detained, and, if so, by whom, for what Inn,o sosxl ,e the experience which she was compelled or induced to undergo?
 It was for the purpose of shedding light on this subject that the persons named were yesterday summoned before the coro- her as the first step in the inquiry that is to be instituted.
 Dr. Riggs, Miss Hanson and Mir. Champney had spent the night in the Tenderloin lookup. They had all been ar rested in the flat of Miss Hanson at 1O3 West Fifty-eighth street. In the morning they were driven to the coroner's office in q closed carriage: Lawyer Charles ". Brooke, who had been retained, was on hand to receive them. The father of Lil- lian was also there. He is a quiet appear ing, white haired old man, with kindly though unrnistakably weak face, and does not look the cruel tyrant which his daugh- ter's letter has pictured him and which he is said to have been represented by the people with whom she lived.
 The Four Characters.
 During the brief period it took to dis pose of the case Mir. Low sat near Coroner O'Meagher and Coroncrs Physician O'Hanlon.
 Mir. Champney, who is vice president and general manager of the Rouvine company. is an elderly man, with a mien of responsibility. He smiled cheerfully as he entered the room and greeted Mir. Brooke. He displayed an air of noncha- lance and acted altogether as if he regard cd his compulsory appearance there as bOrc.
 Miss Hanson who appears to be on the shady side Of 40, is q tall, angular blonde. Despite her years, she was dressed jaunti- ly in a pink shirt waist and dark blue serge suit of the prevailing mode. Her cos tune was not unlike that in which the dead girl was found It was of much rich CT material, however. Her expression was not at all cheerful. She made no disguise of the fact that she regarded her predica- ment as a serious one.
 Dr. Riggs, the "Tommie of the dra- ma, stood about and chewed gum absent mindedly. He is person of giant stature, and, but for a beefy tendency, 8 rather fine specimen of physical manhood. His dark hair, that is thick at the crown and back, is sparse over the front and sug- gests premature badness. The report CTS were anxious to hear from him, but when they addressed him he found refuge in his gum and between chews told them that his lawyer had advised him not to talk.
 There was little to be done. Lawyer Brooke had arranged everything. He had conferred with the coroner and Assistant District Attorney Hennessy, and theagree- ment was made that each of the prisoners should be admitted to bail in the sum of $2, 900. It was further understood that his clients would waive examination and not go into the merits of the case until the i'm quest was held.
 The prisoners did not have long experi- ence of Tombs life. A bondsman soon ap- peared in the person of Frank Wanier, druggist, of 246 Lenox avenue. He be- came surety for the bail of the three pris- oners, and they were set It liberty.
 Sugar Senators Going to Gray Gables. WASHINGTON, July 26.-Senators Calf fiery and Blanchard of Louisiana, who are now here, will leave on Monday for Gray Gables. It is understood that they go to consult with the president in regard to the sugar bounty case which is now pend ing before Comptroller Bowler of the treasury department.