The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-09-29
GIRL KILLED BY
CARBOL|C ACID
Miss Edith Murray Drinks Poi
son and Dies After Reach
ing Hospital.
MYSTERY NOT YET CLEARED
Police and Physicians Unable to
Say Whether 1t Was Sui
eide or Accident.
MYSTERY NOT YET CLEARED

Whether II was suicide or accident
is the question that surrounds the
death of Miss Edith Dallas Murray,
daughter OF eX-Policeman Murray and
niece Of w. y. Chesterman, who died
In the elevator OF the Memorial Hos
pitol at $50 o'clock last night from
the effect of carbolic acid. She was
twenty-five years OF age and had
been spending the summer with rela-
tires at Bon Air, where she was to
return yesterday afternoon with her
brother. Eugene Murray.
No one seems to know any Of the
important details of the tragedy, which
occurred in the apartments OF Mrs.
Brown. $50 West Marshall Street, be-
tween and o'clock yesterday after
noon 1t seems that Miss Murray went
to the house on a visit. and. accord
ing to j. p. Davis. who leases the
property. spent some time in the upper
rooms. 1t is said that she complained
of being III, and went into the bath
room to take some aromatic spirits of
ammonia.
Poison Bore No Label.
Instead. she got hold OF the carbolic
acid. Mr. Davis said that Mrs. Brown
would not have anything to say about
tho case. but his understanding was
that the acid had been In the house
for some time. and had been used for
cleaning purposes He was not GER
tain. however, whether she brought
the bottle In with her. DR. Watts. of
the ambulance, stated that from what
he gathered from cursory examina-
ton he would Judge that she had swal-
lowed about half an ounce of poison.
He found an ounce bottle but it bore
no label. which ne considered strange,
as all drug stores are required to place
labels on poiSons sold
Coroner Taylor viewed the. body last
night but did not decide as to an in
quest 1t was moved to the Murray
home at 1928 Stuart Avenue. No ar
arrangements will be made for the burial
until after full legal procedure has
been taken.
Suffered Great Agony.
1t was about $3.50 when Or. Watts
received hurry call to the apart
ments Of Mrs. Brown. When he ar
rived Miss Murray was suffering ter
rible agony, but her case did not seem
to be fatal Her brother was there
when the physician arrived, and in
structed him to take her to hospital
as soon as possible. SO the ambulance
was rushed to the Memorial Previ-
ously the doctor had used heroic meas
ures. and for while he thought there
was chance OF saving her, as every
indication showed a recovery of vital
ity Shortly before reaching the hos
pital. however. the blood began TO
steam from her mouth and nose, and
there seemed to be little hope. As she
was being rushed to room on one
of the upper floors OF the hospital she
died. and was brought back to the
ground floor without being taken off
the elevator.
The body was taken to her home,
ana members of the family who were
waiting for her at Bon Air were
brought to the city In an automobile.
May Never Clear Mystery.
1t is the belief OF those who knew
the circumstances that 1t Is a plain
case of suicide. though she never
seemed particularly morose or I'M
happy. Her health. though. was bad,
and 1t is said that she frequently
suffered from spells similar to the one
that led her to enter the bath room
at .Irs. Browns.
The mystery Is where the poison
came from. No one seems positive
whether she brought a bottle along
with her or whether there was enough
In the scent vial in the bath room
to end life: whether she mistook the
deadly acid for ANN MIA or took it on
purpose. Very possibly 1t never Will
be known.