New-York tribune., 1908-07-16
HARTRIDGE CASE DARK
NO LIGHT ON MYSTERY.
Three Death Certificates Submitted
IN Pittsburg, 1t Is SAID.
fBy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

Pittsburg, July 15.-Compete mystery sur
rounds the death at the Homeopathic Hospital
last Monday of Mrs. Clifford W. Hartridge wife
of the New York attorney, and the secret OF her
disappearance from her home last October will
probably never be known Silence is maintained
by the hospital authorities regarding her
trance to the institution and the cause of her
death.
In a statement issued this afternoon Dr. W. b
Koons. superintendent of the hospital, declares
she was accompanied to the hospital on July
by her mother In interview this morning
Dr. Koons said that her mother and brother
had been sent for after her condition became
serious.
When his attention was called to the discrep-
ancy Dr. Koons became indignant and stood by
his official statement Tonight it is positively
declared by attendant at the hospital that
Mrs. Hartridge brought to the hospital IN
a comatose condition and that her mother ana
brother were afterward sent for. 1t is also al
legged that Mrs. Hartridge had been living in this
city for six months prior to being admitted to
the hospital
THREE DEATH CERTIFICATES
DR.. T. T. Miller, who attended Mrs. Hartridge
in her last illness, declared that the case was
private one, and that he would not talk because
he promised the family not to do so. Asked the
cause of death. DR.. Miller said:
She died of cerebro-m meningitis. 1 made an
honest statement in the death certificate
In spite of this it is declared that three diff
ferent death certificates were submitted to the
Bureau of Vital Statistics before one was al
lowed to reman. The official statement lssueu
by DR.. Koons is follows:
Mrs. Hartrdge came to the hospital with her
mother She s ala not give her bo sb ass as un
her death announced In fact; dla nor see see
Mrs Hartridge alive I've Or; or dead ngr room on
the second floor A few days later she was taken taken
caused by '' passing sing wagons Her brother Robert
Russell, was here several times and also at her
death.
MOTHER TOOK CHARGE
The attendants at the hospital declare that
Mrs. Hartridge became delirious almost immedi-
ateIy after her arrival. and that Mrs. Russell,
as socn as she arrived took charge of the case,
so that no one could hear the rawlings of the
unfortunate woman in her delirium
The report that Mrs. Hartrdge had been in
the city for some time prior to her arrival at
the hospital is borne out by the fact that no
woman was taken from any of the hotels to a
hospital on July 8, woman taken from
any of the incoming trains.
The body of Mrs. Hartridge was taken to
Canton Monday night by Mrs. Russell and Rob-
ert Russell. Mr.. Hartridge met the body at
Canton and the funeral was held there on Tues
day at the home of Mrs. Russell. The services
were conducted by the Rev. DR.. Browne, rector
of. the Episcopal Church there, and the body
was placed yesterday morning in the little
churchyard.
Mr.. HartriGge returned to this city after the
funeral, but when seen yesterday refused to
lift the veil of mystery in any way. Il did not
.bo,, che oljI,a' ho
said, and 1 certainly will not that she is
dead"
1T is absolutely untrue, he went on. that l
was at the New York Club last night. was
said in a morning paper At the time / was
said to be at the club I my way here
with Robert Russell my wife's brother.
HAD TO STAY WITH SICK CHILD
Il was unable to be with my wife Monday
because my eldest daughter was sick with the
measles When / learned of her death I called
up my mother-in-aw and found she was al
ready preparing to go to Pittsburg. I had
come back here before the burial because 1
wished the Board of Health to raise the quaran-
tine on the house where my daughter has been
i'll"
Mrs Hartridge was Miss Jessie Russell daugh-
ter Of the late Supreme Court Justice Leslie w.
Russell. on October % she dressed hurriedly at
her apartments. at No 321 Central Park West
and went out telephoning to Miss Riordan, her
husbands secretary, that she was too dine at
house in West 123d street, where the lawyer and
his father had been staying the former to be
treated for injured foot. She also wrote
note to her mother. who then lived at No. 164
West 10Th street the contents Of which
We're made public. So far is known of
her family saw her before she went to the hos
pital. although of her brothers got tele-
gram about a week ago saying she in Pitts
burg.
Her husband and relatives. aided by the pC-
lice, made a long search for her. She was re-
ported having been in several places, and it
was said at time that she had been seen in
Germany, the of butchers boy who dis
appeared from Canton the day she left home be
ing coupled with hers. but if anything ever came
from these clews nothing ever was made public
SHIPPERS MEET IN pRnTEST