The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-02
Miss Thompson Died After One
Had Been Placed on Face.
MUCH MYSTERY IN THE CASE.
Letters From Flancs Speak Of danger
and "RIsk' Involved In the Beauty
Doctors" Office.

Chicago ILL.,, June 2.-Whether Miss
May Thompson. who was soon 10 become
the bride of william Turner. of Perry.
o. T., died as the result OF natural
causes OF was the victim OF the applica-
tion of the facial mask OF a beauty doctor
is yet to be determined by the coroner.
Miss Thompson became seriously Ill
while the mask was still on her face.
She died soon after II was removed by
DIR" IL. w. Johnson, who superintendsd
the treatment which was to make the
young woman physically more attractive.
That the mask itself had anything to do
with the girls death. even indirectly, Is
not contended by DR.. Springer. the coro-
ners physician, but there were 80 many
strange circumstances surrounding the
death OF the girl that the facial messeur
and his wife were arrested. Mrs. John
son was released. but her husband was
held on the charge OF involuntary man
slaughter.
POLICE THINK ETHER THE CAUSE.
Lieutenant OHara, OF the police. ex-
hibits q bottle, labelled Poison" and con-
tanning ether, which was found In the
girls room. Lieutenant O'Hara contends
that the ether was rubbed into the pa
tents face and that she inhaled the drug
all night and was suffocated.
have been caused by some poisonous To-
tion rubbed on the girls face.
Aside from the poison and suffocation
theory Ia another. that the girl was the
victim Of woman's Jealousy. This
theory is based on several letters. written
recently by Miss Thompson's fiance.
which speak OF danger and risk In
q way that has given a complicated aspect
to the case. In a letter written by Mr..
Turner on May l5 he says:
You tell me not TO worry about this
lady at your Doctors, but don't you
know that jealousy Is the worst thing
TO cope with that you can have? l
certainly would not give her any
chance to have any kind OF revenge
that she may think she is entitled
to. Just let the whole thing drop.
You don't say how often you take
these treatments. but II only one a
week you will only miss few at most.
! would rather you try and do without
them than run any risk.
In a letter written May 20 Mr.. Turner
says;
Don't forget to keep your weather
eve on that woman, and IL you see
any danger quit the treatment alto
gether
Five days later Mr.. Turner wrote:
Now, May, dearest, II you fancy
anything wrong with that doctors
fancee don't run any risk Just trot
off up home and put the time in run
ming on the farm. gaining strength
by natural electricity rather than run
any chances with that person con-
nected with the electrical machine.
MARRIED THREE YEARS.
The police consider that many things
I'm the letters point to Mrs. Johnson as
the woman meant. She Is her husband .
assistant.
The letter of May Is speaks OF the name
less foe as the doctors f1ancee." Mrs.
Johnson has been married TO the doctor,
according to her statement, for nearly
three years. She was the only woman
in the office. The only other man was
DIR. Il. j. Harrison, medical superinten-
dent of the establishment.
The inquest will be held next Thurs
day In the meantime Mr.. Turner will
have arrived In Chicago to clear up the
mystery attached TO his letters.
A large number of physicians have ex-
pressed opinions on the question of
beauty masks" and, without exception.
they say no danger exists in their use.