The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-09
Dr.. Hanna's Widow Says Strange
Man Wears Husbands Clothes
ALSO ANSWERS HIS NAME.
Hints at Grapr Crime Mon,I Accumu-
lated 10 Practice and Valuable Diplomas
Have Disappsarsd-Polce Investigating

Chicago. ILL.,. June s.-That DR.. Kings
ton Hanna. who is supposed TO have died
about May is, has a double who has as
sumed his name, wears his clothes, ana Is
practising medicine under the dead phys
ician's diplomas, is the belief OF Mrs.
Florence IL. Hanna. of ithaca, N. T.,
and Of officials OF the state board Of
health, who are now investigating the
strangest case that has come before them
for years.
One OF the most important circum-
stances connected with the case is the
appearance OF a woman in Muskegan,
Mich. who asserts that she is the lawful
wife OF DIR. Hanna. II is also learned
that the physicians family was not no.
titled either OF his sickness or death until
the body reached the morgue. that he
died In debt, despite having enjoyed a
lucrative practice. and that a man has
been seen to occupy the Doctors ONCE
wearing clothes similar to those worn by
the physician.
The man, IT is asserted by the officers
OF the state board OF health. agreed 10
perform an operation. although his name
does not appear as a licensed physician
in Illinois. Coupled with these facts II is
the assertion Of the members OF the fam
~ that DIT. Hanna died under peculiar cir
cumstances.
DR.. Hanna died at 154s Michigan ave-
nue. about May IS. He had been Ill Tor
some time but his illness appears 10
ahn M Of
mination until shortly before his death.
MISSING MONTHS BEFORE.
A letter was received In Chicago on
May 10 from Mrs Florence B. Hanna"
dated at Ithaca. N. Y. asking the local
authorities whether II was possible 10
stop the insertion of DIR. Hanna's adver-
tisement in local papers, and stating that
he had been suffering from some mental
trouble and had disappeared from Chi
cago several months before.
Five days later a second letter was re-
ceived from Mrs. Hanna, In which she as
serted that a man whom she called Es-
from or Estrant. had kept the body OF
Dr. Hanna at the Windsor Clinton hotel,
later removing II to Perrigos morsue. that
he had failed to notify the family Of the
death, and had practiced medicine under
the Doctors name
She said that tho cause OF death had
been given as gastric ulcerd, superin-
duced by the use of drugs" Mrs. Hanna
added that In such a condition the doctor
would be an easy victim OF an unscrupu-
lous man.
Mrs. Hanna's attorney, Orielle Van
Thompson. today said:
"Dr. Hanna's relatives have expressed
the opinion right along that his death
was surrounded by peculiar circum-
stances and l must confess that II looks
A. \. -
healthy fellow, and i did not Anow he
was dead until his stepson. DIR. Edward
Hanna came and told me about IL.
while he was at the morgue. he SAID,
a man entered the place wearing DR..
Hanna's clothes. The body was called
for by woman from Muskegon, Mich.
who said she was the physicion's lawful
wife and he was buried there.
"Dr. Hanna was married three times.
We have information that he was di-
vorced from his first wife. but that has
since been disputed. l do not know the
man whom DIR. Edward Hanna saw at
the morgue."
George c. Fownes. inspector for the
state board OF health. said:
"As near as l can find out, about a
month before Mrs. Hanna's first letter
reached Chicago. complaints were made
TO us about DIR. Hanna During the
investigation n man whom l took TO be
a Frenchman appeared at our Office and
enlisted my interest I'm a patent ash slit
ing machine.
'He came around several days after
ward, took me out to luncheon, and was
a good fellow He asked me whether we
were investigating DIR. Hanna. 1 did not
give him a satisfactory answer, but ne
replied: oh. leave him alone. lie Is
a prince OF good fellows
IL went TO Hanna's office one day and
found this man there. I did not recog
nize him at first, but said that wanted
an operation performed upon a friend.
He made an appointment to meet US at
six O'Clock that same day. We went that
eening, and he agreed to take the
case.
Upon returning 10 our Office I looked
up the name i had first known him by
and found he had no license. Then
heard OF Mrs. Hanna's letters. but by
that time the Doctors ONCE had been
cleared out and the advertisements
ceased.
"Dr Hanna held valuable diplomas
from the Universities OF Edinburgh and
Glasgow, and we have been unable to
find them as yet"