The times., 1897-07-29
MRS. CROSS SUDDEN DEATH /.
Young Wife Swallows a Powder
and Dies in spasms.
MYSTERY ABOUT THE CASE
Lived Apart From Her Husband,
Who Is Assaulted by Her Brother
When He Calls to See the Sick
Woman Statements of the Attend
ing Physicians.

Something of a sensation was created
In Southeast Washington yesterday morn
ing when it was known that Mrs Emmie
Cross, residing at No. 1918 G street. had
died suddenly the night before.
1t was known that the young woman
had not lived happily with her husband,
and the rumor became current til at she
had taken her own life.
This belief was strengthened when IL
was known that young William Cross,
her husband, a navy yard maohinist, had
called at the house and had been assaulted
by the brother of his wife.
1t was late Tuesday night when young
Cross received a message TO come ut
once TO the home of his wife's mother
that his wife Was very i'll and not ex-
pected to live.
Without any fear of personal violence
the husband hurried to his wife's Ecme,
and as he entered the door received 81 blow
from his bfotherin-law and an instant
afterwards was struck on the lett arm
with large conch shell. inficting an
ugly and painful wound.
Seeing that there would be trouble young
Cross decided that discretion was the bet
ter part of valor and he fled without
stopping fer a momentto handy words with
his enTaged brutherinlaw.
Before the trouble took place on the
front steps Of the O'Neill home the. young
Wife had breathed her last and was then
lying on a lounge In her mothers room,
u Shs h.aA L.aG IN h4
lie down early in the evening. During
the evening Mrs. Cross had complained
of feeling worse than usual and sent for
DR.. j. w. Herbert, the family phi ySician,
who left prescription consisting of some
kind of powders. About IL O'Clock Mrs.
Gross TOOK powder and shortly afterward
was seized with spasn.
Some member of the family went for DR..
Charles Emmons, 1919 G street, and it was
near O'Clock before that physician ar
rived, and when he did he found her beyond
the help OF physician.
Yesterday morning there were rumors or
all kinds as To the cause OF the death OF
Mrs Cross-one of them being that the
young woman had taken poison with the
intention OF ending her life While it was
known that Mrs Cross had been indisposed
for some time, no one thought she was
seriously i'll.
OF the case Dr. Charles EmInons said:
II was called to the o'Nelll home about
1 O'Clock, 1 suppose, Tuesday night. 1 was
told that a lady was very i'll, and, or
course, I got there as soon IS possible.
When l reached the house ! found the
lady dead, and as told that she had had
a spasm OF some kind after taking j
POW der, which had been left for her
ny another physician. Not knowing any
thing OF the character OF the case, I, OF
course, did not issue certificate or death.
l would not dc IL, because l knew nothing
OF the cause OF death. 1 was not present
when the difficulty between Mr.. O'NeiIl
and Mr.. Cross took place. I absolutely
know nothing except that when / got
there the young woman was dead, and that
l heard from outsiders that there was some
thing mysterious about her death That
is all know There viii be no death GER
tifieate issued by me-"
''Do you think the lady committed sui
cide?" the doctor was asked.
II cannot shy, simply because I do not
know. 1t was very mysterious case. |
do know this, with all due respect TO the
attending physician, l would insist on an
autopsy after all that has been said. That
is all have to say about it,
DR.. j. W. Herbert, who was for a long
time at the Marine Barracks and is known
as a skilled physician, said to a Times
man:
II have been the family physician OF Mr..
o'NeiIl for long time. have been at
tending his daughter, Mrs. Cross, several
this tal abaut bar ronsr~ktf{n,,
suicide is simply rot. Last May, think it
was, when she quit her husband, was
called in, and 1 found the child have
known her since childhood-in n broken
down condition. The cause of this l do
not know. l have heard her and members
OF the family say that her husband did not
treat her night. l know that the girl died
from heart failure, and 1 know what I
am talking about"
When d Times man called at the home
Of Mr.. William Cross, No. 1909 K street
southeast, he found young Mr. Cross In
the rear yard enjoying the shade of d lar ge
vineyard.
Yes, SIR" he said, in reply to a ques-
ti0D, u did have some trouble last night
when / went to the home OF my wife's
mother. Her mother had sent for me-
and when L went to the house was met
by Ed O'Seili, who came down the stair
steps and planted a healthy right-hander
on my left cheek and then let drive with
large conch she'll and made an ugly
wound on my left arm. l saw was
not wanted by some members ofthe family
and, of course, 1 got, and got in short
order would not have gone to the
house, but my wife's mother sent for me-
telling me that Emma was almost dead
and to come. i loved my wife and even
this treatment on the part of her brother
does not keep me from loving her memory.
This merning / sent note to the house
telling them that l would pay every ex-
pense of her funeral, although there is no
legal claim in the World that | should
do so.'
just at this point Mrs Gross, mother OF
the young man, broke in with:
"W hen Willie was married to Emma
0'NeiII last December Mr.. Cross and had
then come here, and when the baby came
in February we did the very best W could
for them, and then in two weeks we put
them 10 house keeping Just across the streeH,
where they lived happily until last May,
when Emnlie deserted Willie and went tt
her home
Just why she went to her mother do
not know, but I lo know that no young
wffein W Washington was ever better 81 Gated
/ don't think Willie ever mistreated Emmie
In any way, and the greatest mistake she
ever made was in going back to her mother
1 know that Mr.. Gross and myself did all
xx-z nl1ld hnr md ha, how