The evening world., 1911-11-04
While Coroner Seeks More Evil
dence Against Mrs. Vermilya
Police Hold Back Warrant.
ACCUSED WOMAN SICK.
Suffering From Pneumonia and
Her Arrest Postponed-Un-
der Constant Watch.

ehdIfllntllp1 VI lnf Dou1 VI lNioi -
Smith will either CONFIRM or disprove
the police theory that Mrs. Louise Yer
mllya is n modern Borgia responsible
for the death Of nearly half n score OF
friends and relatives. Coroner Hoffman
and DIR. Lcconte, an expert on post
mortems, left here to-day for North
Henderson. Ill. TO exhume the body Of
the former Illinois Central railroad con-
ductor.
smith died at Mrs. Vermilya's house
on March II. under circumstances very
similar to those attending the last III
ness OF Policeman Arthur Bissonette.
Chemical analysis OF Bissonette's in
ternal organs developed the fact that
he had died from %arscnical poisoning.
1t was then that the police first turned
their attention fully 10 the remarkable
number of deaths OF persons intimately
associated with Mrs. vcrmiiya during
the past decade. Nine persons-two and
possibly three. husbands; two daugh-
tiers: one son. one stepson. and a near
relative. and one or two friends-all died
OF diseases whose symptoms were
nearly all Identical.
Mrs. Vermilya 10 confined to her
home by an attack OF pneumonia. De-
t~ectives are guarding her night m
day. and a police nurse eits at her bed
side. No warrant has yet been served
upon her. but one was issued yesterday
on complaint Of Bissonette's brother. but
IL being held up by the authorities
until the woman 10 strong enough to be
taken to jail.
DR.. a Arsdalc. who has been at
tending Mrs. vermilya continually
since she became III. reported this AZ.
ternoon that her condition had become
dangerous and that she had been at
tackled by a severe nausea.
There is absolutely no Direct evidence
to date to connect Mrs. vsrmiiya In
any way with the chain Of deaths In
; her home Half Q score OF detectives
are at work in various nearby towns
, where Mrs Vermilya formerly lived.
n where several Of her friends and
relatives who died In her home are
buried.
From Miss Lydia Rivard, Bisonstte's
hancee, who arrived here to-day from
her home In Minnesota. tho police hone
to learn something OF the dead police.
mans relations with Mrs. vermilya.
Police Captain Harding limited to-day
that Miss Rivard had already told him
she had an important clue.
DEATH HAD STRANGE FAsciN.
ALTON FOR HER.
Permits were taken out to-day for ad.
7 d'iohal examinations. There 10 q State
law tnAt forblds the U.s. Of arsenic In
emoaimins. and IL arsenic 10 found In
any OF the bodies the undsrtaksrs vii
be required to make a%fidavits A. to the
carrying out OF the law.
From many sources the police are
: gathering evidence that Mrs. vermilya
has long been Stripped by q morbid fas.
c~ination for death. She talked almo.,
necessarily about the dead. She showed
a preference for the society OF undsr.
takers and whenever she heard OF a
death would rush on to see the body
Several times she sought employment
with undertakcrs In order to find an ON.
le portunity 10 prepare the dead for burial.
The Idea OF death was a degenerate pas.
sion with her. and the police theory Ia
=" that she killed for the sheer ecstacy O,
NaubiHe uSatn anu DtlUk uDle tc look
D. upon and study the victims.
The case OF Policeman Bissonette
would have passed without question A,
u had the other remarkable series OF
deaths within the woman's immediat Il
family. had It not 90 closely followed
z that Of Smith.
Arrangements have been made to ex.
O. hume the body OF Smith and fv, othe,
OF the alleged victims. The deaths II
which suspicion Is now cast upon Mira
Vermilya include:
ID Fred brinamp, nrst husband. who le,
ID her 5000 insurance.
re Charles vermilya, second husband
died two years ago. leaving 5000 lnsur
ance.
Frank Brinamp. son by FIRST marr,ax "a
: died a year ago. leaving mother 81. 20
insurance.
Henry ]. vermilya. steps0n, died
o. year ago after a quarrel with his step
al mother over the sale OF a house.
n Lillian Brinamp, granddaughter O
nd Fred Brlnamp. died In 1905 at home q
he Mrs. vermilya.
er Richard 7. Smith died roomlng at he
" home. Reputed to have left her o.
ns life insurance. and declared by some
have been a third husband.
OF Cora Brlnamp. daughter. died whe
be eight years old. at former home. Bar
at rington. Ill.
az Florence Br!namp. daughter. died q
I'd four years OF age at Darlington.
vi NO KNOWN MOTIVE SHOWN n
ng BissoNETTE CASE.
ny That there was no money motive "a
Up the Staying OF Policeman Bissonstte. No