The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-07
HART'S ALLEGED CRIME
YOUNG CHICAGO PHYSICIAN IN SE-
 RIOUS PREDICAMENT.
Doctor Is Charged With Maltreatiug and Causing Death of Girl Who Lived as His Wife's
 COmpauiOn,


 Companion.
 Chicago, Oct 6.-Dr. Oliver P. Hart, a young physician residing in the su- burb of Rogers Park is in the custody of the police pending further investi- gation of the death of Irene Klokow, 10 years of age, which occurred yes terday in the residence of the physi- clan. It is the opinion of the police that a charge of murder will be lodged against Dr. Hart. and that he will have much trouble to escape convic- tion.
 The girl died in a bedroom Tn the Hart residence in which she and the physician had been locked for several hours It is the opinion of the author ities, based on the facts disclosed at the inquest held today. that the girl was maltreated and then poisoned Tn an attempt to conceal the crime.
 After 1t was impossible for the child to recover, the physician swallowed morphine and lay in an unconscious condition all of last night and during the greater part of today. Late this afternoon he partially recovered and was brought to the city and locked up in the East Chicago Avenue police sta tion.
 The girl was taken about a year ago from the Illinois Industrial Home for Girls by Dr. Hart and his wife, who desired a girl who could serve in a measure as companion for Mrs. Hart, who is but 17 years of age, and at the same time do light work about the house. Yesterday two sisters of Irene | Klokow called at the Hart residence and in company with Mrs. Hart went on a shopping expedition to the city. Irene complained of a headache and IaFA a14 tn e hnnGa physician. What happened in the house is not | known exactly, but the first intimation that anything was wrong was teie- phone message sent by Dr. Hart to 1 neighbor, Mrs. Richard Cortfs. Dr Hart told Mrs Cortis to summon help at once, as he was dying.
 Mrs. Cortis sent word to physician and then ran over to the Hart resi- dence. She let her little daughter | climb through a cellar winoow ana unboIt the front door so that she could get into the house. After entering she called to pr. Hart and he shouted l from 5the floor above, Here l ann you will have to break through another | door" Mrs. Cortis threw her welgnt | against the bedroom door and oroke II open. The Klokow girl was lylnS on l the bed partially dressed, her halr as
  l head. and the room showed evidences l of a desperate struggle. The girl was unconscious and evidently dying, and Dr Hart informed Mrs. Cortis that she | had swallowed morphine pills aIter Tt l had given her some medicine.
 when the physician, pr. Hulstrom l went to work over the body or the slrI Dr. Hart went into an adjoining room 1 and swallowed large quantity or nor Nf HnlStrOm tC | revive the girl were unaVaillng ano l she died in a short time. Dr. Hart was | given some restoratives and Dr. Hul, l strom labored over him for several hours before being convinced that ht | would ultimately recover. A detail ol police officers were placed at Dr. Hart bedside and he was placed under ar rest until this evening when the coro' ner's inquest over the Klokow glrl was held Dr. Hart then was ill an almos, | normal condition and was formally | taken into custody.
 pr Hart has resided in Chicago bu' A short time and is son of mil | nonaire residing in St. Louis, who ha' | sent him regularly an allowance ol money which has supported him ano his wife. as he had no practice in hi' profession. Mrs. Hart was oetore hel marriage Vera Kreigesmann' tn' | daughter or an Or1cldl III tHe ot i l postofire. They were married wnei Mrs. Hart was but 16 years or age. Sh' testified today at the coroners inques that she left Irene Klokow and ne 1 husband alone in the house, but de clared that she believes him innocent O any wrongdoing and that in her opin l ion the statement of the doctor Una the girl ate the morphine tablets D! mistake is the truth.
 Police Inspector Wheeler subJecte' l Dr. I.art to an exhaustive eXamlhatloi tonight in the effort to secure from min statement of the occurrence in tn house during the afternoon, but tn physician refused to alter the story h | had previously told, He Insisted throughout that the girl was not mur dered, that he did not misuse her ant that he did not attempt to commit sui eide He declared repeatedly that tn
 girl had taken the poison by mistak
 and said that his excitement wa
 caused by the fear that he might b accused Of her death. After hndin' that the girl was dead he declared tha he took an injection of morphine t. quiet his nerves and took an overdose
 Dr Lewke, the coroner's physician who examined the body of the girl, de clared tonight that there was not tn 1 slightest doubt that she had beel treated in n reVolting manner.