Evening journal., 1903-03-16
MANY GRAVES
WILL Be OPENED
Philadelphia Police Will In
vestigate at Least "a
Suspicious Deaths
"VOODOO DOCTOR" GIVES A CLEW

Physicians Give OFFICIALS Data About
Patients Who May Have Been Muir
dered-Msny Women Said to Have
Bought Poison.
Philadelphia, March 16.-Murder for
money, murder for hate, murder for
Illicit love, murder for social position,
murder for mere revenge-perhaps "a
murders in all--are revelations be-
lleved to be possible from inyestiga-
tlons now being made as a result OF the
arrest of George Hoossey, the "voodooI
doetor'who is held without bail for al
legged completely in the reported MUIR
der of William G. Dame. That Hoos-
sey has sold very large quantities of
common arsenic, the kind known to
the trade as ratsbane, is an established
fact.
Well-known physicians in all sec
tlons of the city have reported cases to
the district attorney that wiz probably
lead to the opening OF many graves and
to the holding OF as many inquests by
the coroner. In each of these cases the
patient first appeared with a minor
complaint, which grew progressively
worse and which, just before death,
manifested what are now recalled as
the usual symptoms of arsenical poi
soning. In each of these reported cases
there is a story OF insurance, disturbed
domestic relations, or an affair of next
of kin. Il is said H0ossey's home was
visited frequently by many women,
most of whom wore heavy wells, who
bought his deadly potions.
A clean sweep was made of all the
physicians in the northeastern section
of the city who have signed death GER
tfcates within the past two years that
specify heart LESSONS as the cause Of
DEATH and seven of these practitioner.
were closeted with Assistant Distric
Attorney Shoyer for several hours. dur
ing which time they went over their Of
fee records in the mortality cases, an,
frankly stated their suspicious. lneaoi
OF these a thorough Investigation wa
ordered, and the local managers of al
life insurance companies were nske'
for information concerning the polieio
', paid upon the risks in this cases.
II is not believed, however, tina
/ 'Dr." Hoossey was knowingly
party 70 any extensive plan to murde
= people for insurance money. This the
ory is based upon his moderate mean.
y Being uncommonly shrewd, Heosse
= would have demanded a large share c
: any pJoceeds derived from any policie
. issued on the lives OF his victims. Iii
= speciality seemed to be the clearing n
* of disturbed domestic relations by de
liberate murder, with the insuranc
feature as a secondary incident Of hi
Ie work. His price, according to them
1t orandum found in his shop, was in
1t variably 500. Some of his patrons ar
"a only referred to by numbers, oIners b
r hieroglyphics that nobody but himsel
y will ever be able to solve, but there ca
= be no mistake about the entry 300
y that appears after each of "a entrie
made on the same record with the So
NJ entry which admittedly applies to Mr.
q Catharine Dame and the $40 entr
~ which identifies the case of Detectiy
10 Gavin, who says he contracted to hay
M his wife murdered by Hoossey for So
le The records of the bureau of healt
sr show that Hoossey issued death Gel
d, tiflcates over his own signature &
Oh George HOossey, NJ. D., and the al
e. thorities are doing their utmost TO di
re cover how and from whom Hoossey oil
talned tho blan1 forms. All of Il
- deaths so certified are to be invest
!, gated by Acting Coroner Harmon
IA who has developed much of the real
~ valuable information now in the han'
of the police.