The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-21
SELMA LARSEN'S END.
Nothing to Suggest Suicide,
and Less to Support a
Theory Of Murder.

POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y, July q, 1897
The officials who are trying to solve the
mystery of the death of Selma Larsen
are completely at sea because Of the abb
sence from the case of one very essential
factor, and that is motive. So far
nothing has been found out that would
indicate that the girl had any reason for
committing suicide, The doctors who
performed the autopsy say that she was
not in trouble, the servants at the Dins-
more place say that she was i'll the best
of spirits when she left there Maggie
Rhattigan, who accompanied her to
Poughkeepsie. and was with her up to
fifteen minutes before she was taken
suddenly sick on the train says that she
never saw a happier girl than she was
when she left her, and the doctors and
matron at the Fishkill Hospital assert
that the girl not only denied that she
had eaten or drunk anything, but beg
ged the doctors to make her well enough
to go to her sisters in New York in time
for the party the following day. These
are but some of the facts that stubborn
ly arise to refute all theories of suicide
On the other hand there is a complete
absence of evidence, either circumstantiaI
or direct, that William Charwill, the but
Ter, was in any way concerned in her
death. They had been very friendly to be
sure ever since Selma came to the Dins-
more House in May, and Williams APP
parent affection for the girl had been the
subject of gossip in the servants hall, but
they had never quarreled, and when Selma
left Staatsburg the butler was at the sta
tion to bid her goodbye.
The only suspicious circumstances was
that he gave her two bottles of choice
wine from the Dinsmore wine cellar, and
when he learned of her sickness rode post
haste to Fishkill and took the wine away
the theft from being detected, but Mrs.
Dinsmore found it out and discharged the
man. Taking all these facts into constd-
tration it is not surprising that District
Attorney Wood was inclined to believe
this. morning that the girl died from nat
ural causes.
carefully study of the case" he said to
the representative of the Associated
Press Dr. Poucher, who examined the
girls stomach. says that there were un-
he also says that there are indications of
the existence of an ulcer in the stomach
which may have broken and allowed the
poisonous substance to break down the
stomach and cause blood poisoning which
in turn produced peritonitis and death
Besides the lungs were found to be in the
first stages of pneumonia. How do they
account for that?"
Mr.. Wood added that he should not
allow his personal opinion to influence his
official acts and said that he should con-
tinue his investigation until the mystery
has been solved. Accompanied by As
sistant District Attorney Hoysradt, he
left at noon for Staatsburg to interview
Mrs. Dinsmore and her servants and after
that he will attend the inquest before
Coroner Bevier at Fishkill, at four o'clock
this afternoon.
Speaking of the report that the organs
of the dead girl had not been subjected
to chemical analysis because it would
cost the county thousand dollars or so,
Mr. Wood said that as soon as he could
find the slightest evidence that crime
has been committed he should prosecute
the case to the fullest extent without
consideration of expense. The District
Attorney has instructed the Coroner to
endeavor to have the Butler Charville at
the inquest, as his testimony is consider
ed of great importance. The butler,
who is believed to be in New York, may
safely come forward as no evidence has
been found which would warrant his be-
ing held.