Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-20
HOW MRS, B|NGE DIED
Lawyers Assert Tissues Alb
sorbed Poison in Wounds.
WILL IS NOW DEMANDED
Accused Woman Must Appear at the
Coroner's Inquest.
MAY BE ADJUDGED INNOCENT
District Attorney Says That He Has
Established Double Motive
for the Crime.
WILL IS NOW DEMANDED
MAY BE ADJUDGED INNOCENT

sues is the remarkable contention put forth
by counsel for the defense of Mrs. Lottie
Wallau, charged with the murder Of her
mother, Mrs. Ida Binge Of No. 6S East SOth
street, and now imprisoned in the Tombs.
Convinced that Mrs. Ida Binge neither
committed suicide nor was poisoned by her
daughter, the lawyers for the defense pur-
pose to advance the novel theory that Mrs.
Binge died of mercurial poisoning from the
administration of antiseptic dressings Of
equal parts of bichloride of mercury and
muriate Of ammonia.
Medical practitioners in this city said
yesterday that while such a theory was
possible there was no precedent for 1t in
medical records. 1t was pointed out that
while there had been more or less severe
cases of poisoning by fodide antiseptic
dressings, there was no case on record of
fatal poisoning through bichloride of mer-
curry.
II Will Be Proved Innocent"
There is strong possibility that the de-
Tense will insist, If 1t is established beyond
question that Mrs. Binge was administered
poison through drugged champagne, that
some person other than Mrs Waliau poi
soned the wine.
Il cannot believe that my mother died
of poisoning Mrs. Wallau sobbed in the
Tombs, but If it is proved she died from
poison 1 will devote my entire fortune and
my life to the discovery and punishment
of the guilty person.
Il am innocent and I will be proved so
tomorrow at the coroner's inquest. There
was never greater injustice than my ar
rest and imprisonment
Double Motive Alleged.
The district attorneys Office processes
to have established a double motive for
the alleged crime, in which each motive
dovetails into the other. From exhaustive
investigation and from the sworn state
ments of witnesses, it has been established,
according to the prosecution, that Mrs.
Wallau was infatuated with a wealthy and
prominent New Yorker and that she was
wearied of the long Illness of her mother
at time when she desired to take a trip
around the world.
A friend of the family yesterday assert
ed that Mrs. Binge, who had taken a trip
to Europe with Mrs. Wallau last year, had
declared she would not contemplate such
journey again, despite the fact that Mrs.
had set her heart on touring France and
Italy the coming spring.
Mrs. Wallau will be taken before the
coroner's inquest this morning in the Grim
inal Courts building despite every effort of
Edward Lauterbach, her counsel Pressure
was brought to bear upon the district at
torney's office to avoid her appearance on
the ground that the evidence to be put
forth by the defense would prove she had
been unjustly arrested and imprisoned.
The district attorney declared such a
method of procedure was unheard OF and
held it was the plain duty of Coroner Acri-
telli to produce the woman in court.
May Ask Habeas Corpus.
after the inquest her counsel will go before
supreme court justice and ask for a writ
of habeas corpus, which will assure her
liberty under heavy bail bonds. Such &C
ton has not yet been taken, because of the
dictment on a charge of murder in the first
degree prior to the coroner's inquest.
Jerome's Plans for Inquest.
The prosecution endeavored at the exami-
nation yesterday to avoid revealing testi-
mony which Is not necessary, and yet to
make it certain that Mrs. Wallau will be
held by the coroner on the charge of MUIR
der. In speaking of the evidence to be in
troduced, Mr.. Jerome said:
I'VE will establish the fact Of Mrs.
Binge's death and the probability that Mrs.
Wallau was the agent, and that is all we
will do"
Probably no testimony to establish a mo-
tive will be introduced. 1t has been the
chief desire of Mrs. Wallau's attorneys to
force Mr.. Jerome to make this public, but
they have been unsuccessful, and from the
attitude of the prosecution it is believed
all their efforts in this direction will fail
Among the witnesses who have been sum-
moned TO attend the inquest are four serv-
ants of the Wallau household, the nurses,
Miss Devine and Miss Cleveland; Dr. Sam
uel Gluck, DR.. w. 4. Bull, Professors Witt
haus and Deghuee, who performed the
oh of FRO i'm oh
and DR.. Otto Schultze, who performed the
autopsy.
Case to Go to Grand Jury Soon.
1t was said at the district attorneys Of
flee that Mrs. Wallau's case would be pre-
scented to the grand jury Immediately after
the examination of witnesses by Coroner
Acritelli. This probably will be done to-
morrow, as the grand jury will not be in
session on Friday.
Assistant District Attorney Corrigan said
the case was ready for presentation to the
grand jury. He refused to say whether it
would be brought before that body this
week, and implied his action would depend
on the outcome of the inquest and the sub
sequent course taken by Mrs. Wallau's at
torneys.
DIR. Gluck, who for thirty years or more
had attended Mrs. Ida Bnge, was before
| Assistant District Attorney Corrigan yes
terday to swear to statements he had made
| to Mr. Corrigan previous to Mrs. Binge's
death.
Mrs. Binge's Will Demanded.
IT. Corrigan also said he had served
notice on Harry L. Haas, of counsel for
| Mrs. Wallau, that he must produce Mrs.
Binges will at the inquest.
The district attorney relies chiefly upon
! the testimony of Miss Cleveland, the night
| nurse who first suspected poison was being
| administered to her patient. 1t was learned
| that when the nurses went to Father
| Sweeney and told him of their suspicious
| he Immediately communicated with Mon
sgnor Lavelle of the cathedral. The two
| churchmen decided to lay the matter before
| Assistant District Attorney Corrigan, whom
| both knew, he being the nephew of the late
| Archbishop Corrigan. Through Mr.. Cor
rigan the case was put before Mr.. Jerome.
| The information given to Father Sweeney
! was not made as a confession, the nurse
coming to him only for advice as her spiri-
| tual director.
| No summons has been issued for the at
| tendance of either Father Sweeney or Mon
| signor Lavelle at yesterdays hearing but
| when Mrs. Wallau's case comes before the
/ grand jury they are to be summoned to
| relate the story told them by Misses De-
vine and Cleveland.
| Negotiations are in progress, 1t was learn