New-York tribune., 1910-06-12
SWOLLEN CASE AUTOPSY.
Coroner Takes Action Following
Death of Chauffeur's Bride.
SAYS CASE is SUSPICIOUS
Young Woman Died in Local
Sanatorium and Body Was
Hurried to Bayside Home.

Mrs. Joseph Smollen. who was Miss
Margaret Leavitt, daughter of G.. How
land Leavitt. of Bayside. Long Island,
until she eloped with Joseph Smollen.
employed IS a chauffeur by her father.
last January, died OF Friday evening at
o'clock in Perrigos private hospital. at
No 29S Central Park West from septi-
caamia. following the premature birth Of
a child.
At an early hour this morning Coroner
Feinberg. in company with his physician.
DR.. Leblanc. left for Bayside in an au
tomobile The Coroner said that DIR.
Lehane would perform an autopsy on
the body of Mrs. SmoIlen as soon as
they reached Bayside. After Mrs. Smol-
lens death on Friday night her body
was removed early on Saturday morn
ing to her fathers home. preparatory to
the burial. which was set for Monday
afternoon at $50 o'clock.
Coroner Feinberg said that he had
been led to take this action by the air of
mystery which had enveloped the case.
He had previously stated that he was
not entirely satisfied with the action of
the Board of Health in issuing permit
for the removal of the body to Bayside.
Mrs. Smollen and her husband sep
arated by mutual agreement on April u,
and a few days later the young bride
went TO Europe in order to escape the
nlblic attention that had followed her
marital experiences.
childhood friend, Miss Katherine
Verderey, the daughter of Marion j.
Verderey, of Flushing, and a nurse.
Catherine McKenna, accompanied her
On Mrs. Smollen's sudden determination
10 return home because of the condition
Of her health. Miss Verderey remained in
Europe. and Mrs. Snollen and the nurse
arrived in this city on June and went
To the Hotel Lorraine, at Fifth avenue
and 45th street.
Alone with Nurse When Stricken.
Mrs. Smollen's family visited her there
daily. but only the nurse was with her
on Thursday night when she suffered
severely from nausea. followed by a
severe hemorrhage. According to the
explanation given afterward at the hos
pitaI the nurse was unable to get the
attending physician, and the hotel called
in DR.. NJ A Werner, of No. Isl Second
avenue
DR.. Werner said that when he reached
the Lorraine Mrs. Smollen's family was
with her. and within a few minutes DR..
H c. Coe. of No. West 10Th street.
arrived. DR.. Coe took charge of the
little more than spectator.
Mrs. Smollen was I'll nearly all the way
across on the return voyage from
Europe. and when she reached this city
she called in DR.. Frank r. Oastler, Of
No. 126 Central Park South, who had
attended her sister. Mrs. Charles c.
Never. Or. Oastler was one of the at
tending physicians in the case of Miss
Lucille Clerk, a young Englishwoman,
who died at the Hotel Grenoble on Feb
ruary IS last under mysterious circum-
stances. DR.. Oastler refused to sign a
death certificate in that case and in
formed the coroner of the death. lie
sailed for Europe with Mrs. Oastler yes
terday on the st. Louis.
Near Death When Moved.
Dr. Coe soon called in DR.. E. B.
Cragin, of No 10 West 5Oth street Al
10 o'clock Friday morning Mrs. Smolen
was taken To Perrigos hospital. She
was in a dying condition when she ar
rived there. according to the hospital
officials. and all that could be done for
Continued third page.
THE CENTRE OF ACTIVITY,
as shown by the record of recent sales pub
lished in the real estate columns Of all
neNspapers this morning. is Garden City