The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-02-28
Latest is the Charging of Mill
ionairess With the Murder
of as. as.:. Hi.tv.;c., =. /.
LATTER WAS An INVALID
AND DYING WITH CANCER
Authorities Believe Mrs. Wallan Gave
Poison to Her Parent, Mrs. Binge,
to End Her Suiferings-The Theory
Advanced Is That Of Euthanssia-
Family Has Millions.

Associated fress - TIE Bvenlng T1nes.
New York. Feb. 2S.-Were old Mrs.
Binge's days Of torturing dnvalidism
shortened by poison administered by
q sympathetic hand-an act of mercy
that the patient daily begged from
daughter, doctor and friend?
This is the question that has fast
-ened suspicion on Mrs. Binge's low
tngly devoted daughter, Mrs. Lottie
Wallau, and placed before her the
prospect Of trial for murder. This
question. involving the oft-discussed
theory of euthanasia, appears to be
the only motive for the alleged crime
that can be advanced. While the dead
woman possessed wealth estimated at
several million dollars the authorities
admit that mercenary motives for a
murder are lacking.
: The peculiar circumstances and
facts surrounding the case promise to
make 1t one Of the most celebrated
with which the courts of New York
have had to deal in long time. While
1t lacks the sensational features to
r1vet the attention of the public at
large, the developments up to the
present time would indicate that it
contains elements that will be closely
watched by the legal and medical pro-
fessions throughout the country.
A Woman OF Wealth.
The Wallau and Binge families are
related to several Of New York's we'll
known families. Julius Binge, the
husband of Mrs. Binge, died about six
years ago. He was broker in the
New York customs house, as we'll as
a lawyer. He was an expert on Gus
toms duties and filed many claims for
overcaarges. 1t is said that these
overcharges amounted to nearly
100000, and that he received $1,O00,-
900 for his services. His chief case
was on the importation of hat bands.
The government hold that they were
manufactured articles, while Mr..
Binge successfully maintained that
they be admitted as ribbons, upon
which much lower duty was collect
able.
Mrs. Lottie Wallau, daughter of the
dead woman, Is the wife of Leopold
Wallau, we'll known Importer of
bronzes. The family, including Mrs.
Binge and 20-year-old son Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Wallau, lived in a handsome
home at 6S East Eightieth street.
The Charge Against Mrs. Wallau.
Mrs. Binge died on Feb. 6, three
weeks after she had undergone an
operation for cancer. Suspicion fell
upon Mrs. Wallau and following the
receipt of an analysis of the contents
OF the dead woman's stomach, Coron-
er Acrdtelh directed her arrest. On
Feb. II Mrs. Wallau was arraigncd
before the coroner, charged with mur-
der in the first degree in having
caused the death of her mother by
the use of poison. Chemists who had
examined the kidneys and liver Of
Mrs. Binge reported that they had
found considerable quantities of bi-
chloride of mercury present. Mrs.
Wallau was consequently held without
bail to await the result of the inquest,
which was held on Wednesday of last
week. At the inquest Miss Devino,
a trained nurse who first called the
district attorneys attention to the
case, testified that she had suspected
poison and that she had found some
poisonous tablets secreted under pap
ers in the patients room. Other testi-
mony tended to show that the poison
might have been administered to Mrs.
Binge in champagne.
The Unique Theory.
The theory of euthanasia is the only
motive so far advanced In connection
with the alleged crime. It was only
a few months ago that a prominent
philanthropist advocated the passage
Of law giving people authority to
cut short the life Of person who was
suffering from painful and mortal
disease or injury. From humanitar-
ian standpoint, the proposition was
generally Endorsed. Almost the sole
objection to it was raised on the
ground that it would be abused and
jury of medical experts would have
to be summoned in each case.
Did Mrs. Wallau. who was always
spoken of as loving and devoted
daughter, resort to euthanasia to end
the misery of her mother, who hourly
prayed for death. Experts say that
II ever there was a case where auth
anasia was justified 1t was Mrs.
Binge's. A cancerous growth was
literally eating through her whole
system. And, further than this, sew
eral of New York's ablest physicians,
including DR.. Abraham Jacob and DR..
William T. Bull, had passed upon the
case, and had declared that 1t was
only a matter of days before the patti
ent would die.