The evening world., 1908-02-06
Autopsy Ordered in Case of
Two Found Dead Sitting by
FireleSS Stove.
HAD COAL, AND FOOD.
Police Believe that Fire Went
Out as They Slept and
d. Cold Killed Them.

An .atuopsy win be held today to de-
Ssrmine the cause OF death OF Mrs.
Margaret Meek BERTHE, seventy. care
fasser of No. S5i West Seventy-first
ptreet, and her friend, Mrs Margaret
Kelly, forty, whose bodies were found
In the kitchen of the house yesterday
by John Holberck. sent by the agent
to make an inspection Of the house.
Both women had apparently frozen TO
death on Monday.
While there were both fuel and food
to the house, the theory of Coroner
hamburger is that the thinly clad
women went to sleep before n small
fre during the bitter cold weather,
and, both being frail and poorly nour-
ished, passed from sleep to death after
the fire died out. Mrs. BERTHE received
s5.bO a Month for coal. but It was
learned she had been spending all she
could for q monument for her husband.
]. Watson Bertie, who had been cap
tain during the Spanish-American war.
Tho older woman was in a chair and
the younger on stool at her feet
with her head In the older womans
faS.
Only Nine Gents In House.
Only nine pennies were found in the
house, and there We're fourteen pawn
tickets. A rear door was unlocked. but
gave no evidence Of having been forced
OF the twenty-five rooms in the house
only three were furnished and used by
the women, These Were in q filthy con-
Sition.
James Meek, who said he was a
brother of Mrs. Bertte, identified the
body at the morgue last night, but said
he did not know Mrs. Kelly. Airs.
Berte formerly kept a rooming house
at No. 400 Fourth avenue. moving to
the hig house as caretaker in october.
She had spoken to friends OF intend
ing to get some woman to share her
home with her, and Is supposed to have |
taken Mrs. Kelly. IN as companion.
Mrs. BERTHE had brooded much over
the death of her husband two years ago.
He left home one day after a trivial
quarrel and was fatally injured in q
street car accident His wife called at
the New York Hospital and remained |
near her husband thirty-st1 hours seek !
ing forgiveness, but he never rega!ned |
consciousness.
Mrs. Bertie is said 10 have come of a |
prominent family of Scotland. and her |
husband is said to have been an artist |
and playwright. The couple once Lived
In Paris.
Offered Aid Too Late.
Mary In the fashionable neighborhood |
knew Of the lonely life Of the two wom- |
en-, and after the bodies were found a |
woman arrived and said to the police
man at the door:
IT hear there are two aged women
here IN distress. Can 1 send them over
something warm
you're two days too late. madam"
replied the officer. They're dead"
Mrs. Bertie was too proud to apprise
her relatives OF her plight. Many let
ters and photographs among her pos
sessions betokened her acquaintance
with persons OF prominence. Among
these was an autograph photograph of
Sir Henry Irving inscribed: Il would
be friends with you and have your
love- On the back was written:
''Henry Irving 10 j. S. Meek. New
York. April %, 1890" Mrs. BERTHE was
Miss Meek before she married. AT
the time of her husbands death ne kept
cafe at Twenty-ninth street and
Fourth avenue.
Gray stains about the mouths of the
women might have been caused by poi
son, and their discovery Is one reason
an autopsy is to be held. Mrs. Berthe,
II Is understood, was first married 20
James Hodge. now OF Clydehank, Scot
land and had been divorced. Then she
rnnrriad !. Wat snn -RnrtIe