The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-11-07

Coroner Dugan SAID that ne would not
decide what action ne would take In the
new development in the case until he con-
suits with the authorities at Boston. He
declares that Roberts alias Hunt. alias
Howard is the most daring the most re-
sourceful and most able OF the malprac
tice syndicate,
Hunts name while in this city was Or.
William r. Roberts He had headquar-
ters in three different sections OF the city.
one on Twelfth street, below Walnut an
other near the Ashmead hospital on
Eleventh street, above Poplar, and an
other at $50 North Twelfth. All were
run as hospitals" and the place at
Twelfth and Walnut streets was run as
an adjunct 10 Mrs. Ashmead's baby
crematory." three doors below
DR. Roberts, I'm leaving the city hur-
riedly. four months ago, LETT trail OF
deaths behind him. In house i'm West
Philadelphia. on North Eber street, the
body OF Maude Gilpin, choir singer, was
found a few. days after DR.. Roberts sud
den departure. and Detective Mckinney
found evidence that preparations had
been made TO dssect the body of the
beautiful young woman just as was done
IN the Durrell girls case.
II was known that the young choir
singer had Appealed to DR.. Roberts to 'titf
her In trouble. %
DIR. ROBERTS FLED.
In this place there was every appliance
FOR the disposition OF the bodies of vic
Tins. In a joculsr mood they called II
Mrs. Ashmeads paradise
Neither Coroner Dugan nor DetectlNe
Mckinney now has any doubt about the
pH
ycnd the peradventure Of doubt he IS
pr Roberts The detective posiuNeiy
identified the picture OF Hunt last hisht
as that OF Dr. Roberts.
For more than year Coroner Dugan
has been cndeaNoring 10 break up lne
malpractice syndicate OF which Dr hoo-
or,s was one OF the recognized heads.
several times DIT Roberts was thought
20 have been nailed with crime but each
time. when arraigned upon the charge OF
nerforming a criminal operation ne man
aged TO escape through technicalities'
Al last. when Coroner Dugan had clear
evidence OF the mans work in the Gilpin
case he found that Roberts had gathereo
ALI his effects and had fed. Hls Wl'e was
arrested and confessed. Roberts coroner
Duxsn said had been hiding In Boston
and New York.
HEAD OF Is PLACES.
II was the arrest OF Mrs. Elizabeth ASH
mead. known as the woman IN black 10
scores OF women and as Dr. Conue w Nv.
associates. that the first blow at the great
phiIadelphia malpractice syndicate was
struck - -.
Her house at 95s South Twelfth street
IN the heart OF the old-fashinoed quarter
was one OF the headquarters OF the com
h,ne and eco North Twelfth street, where
DIR Roberts was chief. was another OF
the II most important such places
The malpractice syndicate was perfect
IL organized--sti1 Is. in fact. Coroner
Dugan. who fought II. and sent many OF
its members to Jail and others out as fu-
gitives from justice. admits that the evii
is only checked and that the brains be-
hind the murderous but immensely pront-
able enterprise are still at work
In fact. the real men and women. tho
actual heads Of the combine, were neXer
caught. although Dugan's detectives sew
eral times thought they had them
HORRIBLE PRACTICES.
Their system was perfect All the hos
pitals'' were carefully connected with prl-
vate wires. Communication could be had
nj once and secretly. and there were Sc
cret passages and apertures. Apparently
reputable physicians asked for blank
death certificates from the bureau OF
health and got them. These were sold 10
and used by the syndicate. Some OF these
apparently reputable physicians nearly
went to Jail because OF IT,
Ghoullsh and terrible things went on In
these hospitals Bodies were dismembered
and sent out I'm boxes 20 other establish
rnents OF the syndicate where the frag-
nents were buried In outlying districts or
else consumed I'm furnaces and I'm beds or
ouicklime
Babies were thrown. living in many
cases. into the mouths of furnaces Some
Of the details that were given Coroner
DlJgan by witnesses during the investiga-