Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-11-07
Woman Held as Poisoner,
Failing in Supposed At
tempt at Suicide, Removed
from Home UDder Guard
MORE EVIDENCE rs
FOUND AGAINST HER
Viscera Of R. L. Smith Said
to Show Traces Of Poison;
Decision Reached to Elk
hume Other Bodies.

Chicago, Nov. 6.-Mrs Louise Yer
milya charged with the murder Of the
policeman, Arthur Bissonette, was
formally placed under arrest today.
She remained quiet on her bed during
preliminary hearing In her home.
The hearing was set for November ~
and mittemus issued ordering her
committed to the county jail hospital.
The hearing was held in Mrs. Yer
milya's home owing to her Illness
Municipal Judge Walker and the court
attaches crowding in the little bed
room. She manifested little interest
In the proceedings, languidly answer
ing questions.
Her alleged attempt to suicide,
calmly sprinkling her food with an ar
senical preparation resembling pepper.
convinced the police that she would De
safer under their direct watch than in
her home and after consultation yes
terday officers planned to remove her
to custody this morning.
Municipal Judge Walker, who issued
the warrant for Mrs. Vernilya's ar.
rest, consented to hold lt8in her
room before her removal q hospital
and she will be arraignC. (. Willie stu
in bed. 1t will require only the formal
presentment to the widow Of the nc.
| cusation OF Peter Bissonette, brother
Of the dead patrolman. that she muir.
dered his brother. Then will como
the commitment without taking Of
testimony. n. lss Il.
Evidence Smith Was Poisoned.
Poison is expected to be found in the
viscera of Richard L. Smith, who died
at the home OF Mrs. Vermilya, accord
ing to Coroner Hoffman, who returned
last night from North Henderson
where Smiths body had been ex.
humed. Ia25
Il don't want to be unfair he said,
"but will be greatly surprised II ths
chemical tests do not reveal arsenic
The color of the liver Is wrong: 1t is
the same color that was found in Bis
sonettes liver. In fact, the conditions
are almost Identical and am sure the
dark Rreenish color we found means
arsenic" II 5g
So convinced is Coroner Holman
that Smiths liver will show arsenic
that he said he would begin prepara-
| tions at cnce for the exhumation OF the
body of Frank Brinkamp son Of Mrs.
yermilya and her first husband,
Charles Brinkamp.
| Testimony From New Source.
Testimony from q new source was
given the coroner today. Miss Eliza
beth Nolan, who was Frank Brink
had feared he was being poisoned and
wanted to investigate his death.
Her testimony resulted In All an.
nouncement from Coroner Hoffman
that he would exhume Frank Brink
amps body at once.
Miss Nolan also brought the name OF
G. C.. Boyson, an undertaken into her
story.
A life insurance policy for $4,000 on,
Frank Brinkamp. she said, had been
put into Boysen's hands to collect.
Mrs. Vermilya wanted to marry boy
sen but he wouldn't marry her. said
Miss Nolan.
Miss Nolan said that Undertaken
Boysen had an insurance policy on
Mrs. Vermilya's life and on the life OF
Charles Brinkamp. She said that Mrs.
Vermilya told her Boysen paid the
premiums on both policies, which were
made out to himself.
did Boysen call on Mrs. VermtlyA
often?" she was asked.
Eyes. he took all his meals there
from March until December when he
sailed for Europe. He finally broke
away from her.
Woman Attempts Suicide.
Mrs. Vermilya made daring att
tempt Saturday evening to commit
suicide by taking mineral poison.
"It is nay belief that Bisonette was
given arsenic day by day. even while
was treating him, and finally he was
given enough to overcome all attempts
by myself and consulting physicians 10
stimulate him. and killed himself
without our knowing what the trouble
was"
/ The foregoing statement was issued
by DR.. F.A. Van Arsdale, the physician
who attended Mrs. Vermilya during
her recent illness and who prescribed
for the policeman before the latter'S
death, for the first time furnished
direct connection with the widow and
the last Of the nine deaths that have
occurred beneath her roof during the
last eighteen years. y