New-York tribune., 1896-11-19
MRS. MERRITT COMMITTED SUICIDE.

SUCH IS THE VERDICT OF THE CORoNER's JURY
AT THE INQUEST HELD IN LONDON.
London. Nov Is-The Coroners Jury which held
inquest this afternoon the body OF Mrs.
Alma Merritt. wife OF George w. Merritt, Of New
York. who died at the Hotel Cecil on Saturday
night under peculiar circumstances. returned
verdict that the woman committed suicide while
temporarily insane.
The inquest was conducted by Coroner Trout
beck. who opened the proceedings al o'clock p.
Mr. Melhush. a well-known London barrister. ap
peared in behalf OF Mr. Merritt. who greatly
distressed as he was called 10 the witness-stand.
Mr. Merritt testified that he had no occupation.
He resided in NewYork. and was at present stay
ing at the Hotel Cecil. He married on July y.
1896. He returned to the hotel Saturday even
ing. after taking walk. and found his wife greatly
excited and extremely hysterical one OF the cham
bermaids Of the hotel was in his wife's room. He
told Mrs Merritt TO get herself ready TO go TO the
theatre. and then went TO his own room. Shortly
afterward his wife into his room and took
something from bottle which he believed 10 be
medicine which had been given 10 her by physi-
clan She then began vomiting. and went into rapid
succession Of convulsons Doctors were quickly
summoned Mrs Merritt was lying a sofa. and
when the doctors arrived he began 10 talk inco-
herently IN German. She normally OF an ex-
citable disposition. hut not subject 10 convul-
sions. He had never known OF her threatening 10
take her life but she had dread OF her expected
voyage 10 New-York. which she could not get rid
Of Mrs Merritt had suffered for ten days with a
violent toothache
Miss Denton. chambermad. testified that Mrs
Merritt was bright and cheerful early Saturday
morning About $50 O'Clock tha; evening she gave
the witness a note. which she 1entonl dispatched
by a messenger. At $40 o'clock Mrs Merritt called
her When she went into the room in answer 10
the summons Mrs Merritt was holding In her hand
q glass half filled with yellow liquid. She said: u
drink this because am unhappy" She then drank
three-quarters of what was in the glass. when IN"
witness knocked the glass from her hand smashing
H. Witness then got Mrs Merritt on the sofa ana
brought a doctor. Mrs. Merritt had vomiicd be
fore the doctor arrived.
Or Iasett who attended Mrs. Merritt. was
called to the stand. and said: = found Mrs & M&er,
taken poison and wish to die. She said at nrst
that she had taken chlorodyne linmeni and then
drunk from a bottle containing cocaine. she re-
fused to take emetc. and clcnch"d her i"c'h 10
prevent swallowing any of II. a stomach pump
was used but she seized with fits. one I'm
mediatey succeeding another. until she died \
post -rnortcm examination revealed the fact thHt
her organs in healthy condition. otherwise
than that they all cOngestcd from the enecis o
the poison she had taken. All Of the symptoms
pointed beyond doubt TO cocaine poisoning. She
had probably taken fifty grains of cocaine. OF
which II is a matter OF record that twenty grams
would prove fatal. and even two would have
serious effect"
The jury we're only ten minutes considering the
verdict.