Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-07
Inquest Ordered by Core
nef in NickeTson Case.
Bases Suspicious on Absence
OF Water In Woman's Lungs.
Negro Waiter Sought By Dsise.
iivss--Hlstory Of the Case. Il.

Providence, Aug. 6-The mystery
which has surrounded the disappear
ance ard death of Mrs. Lillian G.
Nickerson. who left her home in ia
maica Plain. Mass, more than two
weeks ago to join her husband in New
York, and whose body was washed
ashore on the beach at Little Compton.
July q. was deepened Saturday when
Coroner Eugene H. Lincoln of this
city, in the first official announcement
that has been made, declared the wo-
man came to her death from some
cause other than drowning.
The coroner based his statement on
the fact that the autopsy held in Lit
tie Compton last Thursday revealed
the TACT that there was no water in
Mrs. Nickersons lungs.
I'VE have been working on the sup
POSITION that the woman came to her
death from some other cause than
drowning" said Coroner Lincoln Sat
urday. land the fact that the lungs
contained no water proves 1t con-
clusively The inquest may be taken up
again at Little Compton. The case rs
certainly a mysterious one.
rs the absence of water in the
lungs the basis upon which the inquest
was ordered? ?" Mr.. Lincoln was asked.
Yes. that is the basis" he answered
This assertion by Coroner Lincoln
seems to substantiate the murder the
ory which has been advanced by the
woman's relatives. though he would
not discuss either a murder, suicide or
accident theory given in explanation
of the woman's death.
Mrs Nickerson was last seen alive
on board the steamer Georgia. which
plies between this city and New York.
Saturday. after making the statement
that the woman did not die from
drowning the coroner went down TO
the Georgia. which locked here Satir-
day, in an effort to interview several
persons who it is believed, will be i'm
portant witnesses.
Included in the number is Robert s.
Smith. the purser and porter on the
steamer who is supposed to be the
last person who saw Mrs Nickerson
alive.
In the event of another inquest be-
ing hello in Little Compton, Coroner
Lincoln said there are important Wit
nesses to be heard from both in Bos-
ton and New York
A Negro waiter, who was discharged
from the steamer Georgia just follow
ing the disappearance of Mrs. Nick
erson. is being looked up by detectives
at work on the case He applied for a
position as porter at a downtown no.
tel and talked much about the
Womans loss from the steamer.
On July 20, Mrs Nickerson left her
home in Jamaica Plain to go to New
York. Until recently Mr.. and Mrs.
Nickerson lived together in Jamaica
Plain. but owing to dull times he lost
his position there and went to New
York Mrs Nickerson was employed
as a bookkeeper. Both were we'll
spoken of in Jamaica Plain.
Nickerson had been successful in
finding work in New York and had
sent for his wife to join him.
on July q a fisherman found the
body of a we'll dressed woman near the
shore of Little Compton and the fol-
lowing day the remains were identi-
fed as those of Mrs. Nickerson.
After the body had been identified
an autopsy was performed. but the re-
suits were not made public On
Thursday last an inquest was held.
Nothing was divulged other than a
few words by Coroner Clifford to the
effect that the inquest did not end
the case. After the inquest the body
was buried in the old cemetery in
Little Compton.
The townspeople of Little Compton
have been inclined all along to believe
that Mrs. Niekerson did not meet her
death by drowning.