Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-04
PHYSICIAN PUT IN ARREST
Father of the Deceased One of the
Witnesses.
MEDICAL TESTIMONY GIVEN
Detective Evans Reads the Letter
Written by Horton Simpson Tell
ing of the Marriage.

quest held today into the dedtn OF MISS
Abbie NJ Coultry the coroners jury d-
rected that DIR. Albert L. Lawrence be
held for the action of the grand jury. He
was Immediately placed in arrest by De-
tective Evans.
1t is probable that application will be
made to one of the justices of the Su-
preme Court OF the District of Columbia
this afternoon for the release of DR.. Law
renee on bail.
Six attorneys. one representing the Of
fee of the United States attorney, were
present at the inquest, the audience being
made up of friends of the persons par
ticularly interested in the hearing. Horton
Simpson. the school principal. who has
been missing since last Saturday, did not
appear. his interests being represented by
Attorney Charles F. Diggs. Attorneys
James b. Archer. jr., and John Lewis
Smith represented DR.. Lawrence. Attor-
ney E. Hilton Jackson was present with
Mr. Coultry, father of the deceased. and
Attorney Joseph Burkhart was in at
tendance with DIR. S. Wren Howard.
The evidence was concluded about 2:10
o'clock this afternoon, and the case sub
mitted to the jury. The verdict was
rendered shortly before o'clock
Detective Evans Testifes.
Detective Charles A. Evans. who was
detailed to investigate the circumstances
of the death of Miss Coultry, was the
first witness. He explained that he first
learned of the matter about IL o'clock
the morning Of January 81. When he
went to the undertaking establishment
he was told that the woman died Janu-
airy 26, under the name of Mrs. Alice
NJ. Clark. He went to the Portner apart
ment house, the address given, and
learned that no such person had resided
there. He subsequently learned that the
woman was Miss Abbie NJ. COultry,
teacher In the Hubbard School, and later
that she had left home Tuesday MORN
ing. the day she died, telling her father
she was going away to nurse friend
who had been injured In a wreck. and
also for the purpose of being operated
on for tonsilitis.
Witness called to see DR.. Lawrence and
found him at Providence Hospital. The
detective related In detail his conversa-
ton with the physician. the latter telling
him of the several visits of the young
woman and Of the statements she made to
him. Mrs. Clark, as DR.. Lawrence refer
red to her, told him she had operated on
herself.
DR.. Lawrence, the witness said, explain
ed that he had summoned DR.. s. Wren
Howard to administer the anesthetic. and
said he also summoned Dr. Harrison
Crook, but the latter did not arrive until
after the operation had been performed.
DR.. Crook, DIR. Lawrence told witness. was
asked to make arrangements Tor the ad-
mission Of the patient to Providence Hos
pital. The latter was then suffering from
hemorrhage and was in so serious con-
dition when an ambulance reached the
house that she could not be removed to
the hospital. The patient died that after
noon
Detective Evans told OF his interviews
with the several physicians who were in
terested in the case. after DIR. Lawrence
had told him he had been unable to find
the parents of the woman. DR.. Howard
told witness he had been informed that
the operation was for the purpose of re-
moving a growth and that it would not
be serious. DIR. Lawrence, according to
the witness, said the young woman had
represented herself as Mrs. Clark. and
the man who accompanied her. he was
told. was her husband, and the latter said
he would defray all the expenses
Witness told the jury Of the many con-
versations he had with different persons
interested In the case. and mentioned
what Mr.. Coultry had said about the con-
tents of letter he mad received from
Horton Simpson.
Witness made inquiries at the city post
Office and ascertained that the letter had
been mailed at window 3 at the main Of
flee Sunday at $50 o clock.
Letter From Horton Simpson.
The witness read the letter. as follows:
Dear Mr. Coultry: 1t is my painful
duty to tell you that your daughter and
my beloved wife Is very i'll at DR.. \. L..
I.awrences home, 1902 l. street north
west. under the name of Mrs. A. NJ.
Clark. The matter Of our marriage,
which took place last fall. when we quiz
city left the city, we decided to keep a
secret, as Abbie preferred teaching until
spring, when she intended to resign, the
rules Of the board Of education not per-
mitting married woman to remain in
the schools This secrecy was our first
great mistake for we should have at
least taken you into our confidence and
thus had the benefit OF your judgment,
but neither Of us saw 1T at that time.
About month ago Abbie complained
of pain. and we finally decided 1t would
be best to consult a physician. Some one
recommended DR.. Lawrence. on l. street.
She went to see him on a number of oc-
casfons. He finally told her that she
naturally worried her very much and
she was determined to have an operation
performed.
Il endeavored to persuade her not to
have 1t done. fearing the consequence,
but she insisted that it must be done as
she had every assurance that it could be
done successfully and without serious
risk. / was under the impression Mon
day night. before she went home, that
she had decided to take my advice and
have nothing done, and was greatly sur
prised when she called me up by phone
at the school Tuesday morning about
O'Clock and said she had changed her
mind, and that she would not be salts
fed until she had carried out her pre-
vious plans.
II told her at that time to walt until
i could see her again and was not aware
that she was then On her way to the doc
tors, as i afterward learned. Immedi-
ately after school, 1 inquired after heI
and was informed that in the operation a
very serious condition was found: that
she was very Ill and not In a condit on
to see any one; that everything that could
be done would be done: that he (the doc
tori had called in consultation several
other physicians and that nothing would
be spared in giving her the best care and
treatment
II realized IL was then too late TO come
to you-neither you nor i could do any
thing. She was having the best medica
attention that could be had.
II was simply wild; the world grew
dark before me; the woman loved deare
than anything else In this world l wa.
liable to hose. I was afraid would lost