The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-02-04
DR.. Lawrence Admits DELAY
in Reporting Teachers
Death.
LETTER is READ
FROM PRINCIPAL
Missive Gives His Version of Mar
riage and the Womans
Illness.

/ Admitting that he Is entirely ignorant
/ of the rules of the Health Department
( regarding the removal Of bodies OF the
/ dead and the notification of proper Off
+ Gals, DR.. Albert J.. Lawrence. in whose
/ Office, at L02 l. street northwest, Miss
I Abbie NJ. CouItry died on Januarv Is.
/ took the witness stand at I.30 O'Clock
/ this afternoon and told the Coroner's
1 jury Of the circumstances leading up to
/ the young WOmans death.
The testimony was concluded a few
minutes after 2 o'clock and the case
was given to the jury.
/ Dr. Lawrence said ne was a specialist
/ on nervous diseases and conducted a
/ private sanatarIum and hospital al the
/ L street address, Asked by Deputy Cor
/ oLer GlazebrOOk what means he had
/ taken to ascertain the facts stated in
/ the drst death certificate. dIed rgder
| the name Of Mrs. Alice N. CLARK. DR..
/ Lawrence said he had gathered some IN
/ a general way and had assumed others.
Slow in Making Report.
| Dr. Lawrence admitted he made no
| effort to inform the Health Depart
ment OF the woman's death, and that
! her body had been in his Office four
/ teen hours before he notified an un-
/ dertaker.
- This is the first death have ever
had resulting from an operation
j SAID DR.. Lawrence, +'and didn't
know exactly what to do / would
I nave informed the authorities before
put expected the Woman's husband
ute.a a'i'e a' any MIN
Evidence produced at the inquest
/ showed that the body Of Miss Coultry
/ haq been removed from the physicians
/ residence through a rear door. and that
tHs gfeaies secrecy had been main
/ Iained about the ease.
Father on Stand.
| Almost overcome with emotion Ia
velle COuItry. father of the young vor1-
| an was called to the stand, and told
| how he had learned OF his daughters
death.
After receiving the letetr from Mr.
Simpson. went TO DR.. Lawrence's Of
fee, and was told that she had passed
away last Tuesday. / Gid not know
my daughter had gone ther for anv
treatment. 1t had all bee without our
consent or knowledge. Dr. Lawrence
told me that he h6a done all in MS
power 20 save the girl. He agreed to
accompany me 20 my house, While /
broke the news TO my wife"
Dr.. Crooks eTstimony.
DR.. Harrison b. Crook said he was
called to Dr. Lawrence's Office about
4:30 O'Clock in the afternoon of January
26. Dr. Lawrence had informed him
over the telephone that patient was IL
a serious condition as the result Of herr.
orFnage, ana he hurried 10 Dr. Law
Arriving there. he said, he realized
that the woman S condition was critical
ana suggested the use Of salt soIu-
ton. Dr. Crook returned to his office
10 get -he necessary apparatus for the
treatment II was then decided 10 ra-
move the woman 10 Providence hos
pltal, and Dr. Crook went out TO make
the arrangements.
Detective Evans was first called
TO the witness stand at the INQUEST
today. He said the case was placed
IN his hands by Major Sylvester on
January 81. He had been instruct
ed sd: ne SAID. "a. to inIyesttigate the
ing TO Lees undertaking establish
meut, he learned that the woman was
supposed 10 live In the Portuer apart
ment, Fifteenth and r streets north
west.
Sought Her Identity.
Inquiry developed the fact that no
Mrs. Clark was known there. and ne
tried to learn her identity by calling
at several other apartment houses.
He learned on Sunday that Mrs
Clark was in reality Miss Abbie NJ.
COultry, teacher in the Hubbard
School. and that she had been away
from her home since January D. She
had told her family she had TO 20 10
nurse a sick friend Detective Evans
then interviewed Dr. Lawrence. who
said he believed Mrs Clark was the
woman's real name, and that she was
a married woman She first called at
the physicians office. Dr. Lawrence
told him. January l9. called again Janu-
aTy -, and when she returned on the
18th he advised an operation.
Letter From Simpson.
Coroner hewitt then instructed De-
teCtive Evans to read to the jury the
letter which Horton Simpson sent To
Miss COulJry's father. The letter, which
was mailed at the City Postcfhce at
5:30 O'Clock January so, was as follows.
Dear Mr.. CcultTy: 1t is my painful
duty TO tell YOU that your daughter or
my beloved wife is very III at DR.. A. L.
Lawrence home, ~ 1102 L street
northwest, under the name Of Mrs. A.
NJ. Clark, The matter Of OUT marriage.
which took place last fail, when sc
quietly left the city, we decided 90 keep
a secret, as Abble prerers teaching until
spTings when she intended 10 resign.
The rules of the Board OF Education do
not permit married woman 10 re
main IN the schools.
This secrecy was our first great mis-
take. Tor we should have at least taken
YOU into our confidence, and had thA
benefit OF YOUR Judgment but neither of
US saw It at the time About a month
ago Abbie complained of annoyance
and pain, which she finally decided
that IL would be best to consult a ply
siCian.
Go to Physician.
'Some one recommended Dr. Law
renee on L street as a very efficient and
able physician in matters of this kind
He finally told us that she had
numerous growth and that III would
probably be fatal 10 her If She ever
had any children. This condition