The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-21


New York. Feb 20.-"Mrs Binge said
to me: Miss Devine. / want TO die Give
me something 70 end my misery -
This statement was brought out to-day
at the inquest into the death Of wealthy
Mrs. Ida Binge, whose daughter. Mrs
Lottie Waliau. is under arrest on the
charge Of having given Mrs. Binge poison
Miss Devine. the witness who gave this
testimony, was the nurse whose suspicious
that Mrs. Binge was being poisoned led
her TO go to the district attorney and
ask him to make an inquiry.
Under crOss-examination by John b.
Stanehheld, who IS associated with Ed
ward Lauterbach and Bandler & Hass,
as Mrs. Wallau's counsel. Miss Devine
made many admissions which seemed To
controvert her own suspicious that Mrs.
Binge's death had been caused by some
one else.
Had BichIOride of Mercury.
One Of the most important facts brought
out was that Miss Devine herself had
bottles of bichloride OF mercury sent 10
the sick room for use as an intiseptic.
The inquest was held before Coroner
Acriteili. The courtroom was crowded.
many well-dressed women. apparently
friends Of Mrs. WaIlau being there. Mrs.
Wallau's husband and son sat in a cor
ner Of the room some distance away
from Mrs. Wallau.
Mrs. Wallau. dressed in deep mourning.
wi;h a long black veil covering her face.
sat at the counsel table alongside of
Edward L3uterbach. When she came in
her husband and son went over to her
Aand she kissed them, smiling cheerfully.
Then she dropped her veil.
Mrs. waTau Calm.
Her deinoanoT was calm and confident.
She intensely watched and listened TO
each witness. and particularly when EIz-
sbeth G. Devine the nurse. was on the
stand, Miss Deyinc was the third wit
ness following Coroner'st Physician
Schultz. The assistant district attorneys
examination Of Or. Schultz was very
brief. The important question asked of
the doctor being:
Was the condition Of Mrs. Binge's
organs consistent with the presence Of
''It waa'
On cross s-examination by Mr.. staneh-
field. Or. Schultz testified that almost
every one of the vital organs Of Mrs
Binge were abnormal. that she had heart
disease. hardening Of the arteries, con-
gcstion OF the lungs. kidneys. liver. and
intestines.
Consistent with Diseases.
v-L--r- C4.--l,e-T44
ton
Doctor. If the condition Of Mrs. Binge's
body was consistent with the presence of
mercury. was il not also consistent with
the presence Of various Diseases
1T was"
Mr.. Stanchfeld said: That's all"
Miss Deyine told very fully of her OBJ
servations and experiences in the WalIau
home during the time she was employed
there from December 3. 1906, to January
81, 1907. This was her story:
"On December 2 Mrs. Wallau brought
me bottle Of champagne to be given to
Mrs. Binge I don't remember what ef-
feet that particular bottle had on the pa
tient.
1T was on Tuesday, before breakfast
when 1 had seen Miss Cleveland the other
nurse. that I began TO think that some
thing was wrong. Miss Cleveland had. 1
learned. taken some Of the champagne
the night before, and had been III.
Asks About Champagne.
while I was speaking with Miss
Cleveland Mrs. Wallau came in and asked
how Mrs. Binge was. She asked if her
mother had taken the champagne, and
] said she had, and that she had retained
some and had vomited some.
Mrs. Wallau said that she would bring
me a fresh bottle. and she went down
stairs. I followed her without her knowl-
edge. She went into the buffers pantry
without seeing me. I saw her take a bot
tie of champagne.
AS she was about to draw the cork
stepped TO the door. Mrs Wallau turned
around, and seeing me. said Go upstairs.
Miss Devine. and / said I will take up
the champagne Mrs Wallau said.
went back TO the bathroom, where Miss
Cleveland was.
In about five minutes Mrs Wallau
brought up the bottle of champagne and
said that it had not been opened / saw
some fragments floating in the bottle"
Nurse Made Sick.
Was the tinfoil OFF," asked Mr. Corri-
gan.
Yes but I can't say whether the
bottle had been opened.
Il told Miss Cleveland that she ought
to have doctor. Mrs Wallau came in
and 1 said to her that / thought Miss
Cleveland had been poisoned. and Mrs.
WalIau said that maybe Miss Cleveland
was III and told her TO go downstairs
and get a glass of milk
Il took some of the champagne for n
sample. and I took it first TO Mrs. Blnge's :
dentist. Dr. Haas. I told him of my sus-
piciOn. saying. ! think Mrs WaIlau is
poisoning her mother. I know its an
awful thing 10 say.
In another conversation Haas told me
he had found mercury in the cham
pagne."
Former slave Dies, Aged IO-,
Special 10 The Washington Herald