The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-11-05
Mrs. Vermilya, Suspected of
Killing Nine People, Tries
to Kill Herself in a Chicago
Hospital.
POISON WAS HIDDEN
IN A SALT CELLAR
She Sprinkled 1t Freely on
Hard Boiled Eggs Which
She Ordered for Her Sup
per Last Evening.
National News Association)

CHICAGO. Nov. 4-Suicide-and
by the same poison with which the
police suspect she has made away
with half score OF relatives and
friends-nearly closed the case Of the
state of Illinois against Mrs. Louise
Vermilya tonight. The woman, watch
ed day and night by two detectives
and a nurse, very nearly succeeded,
despite their surveillance, in closing
what the authorities now believe is
the most remarkable series of poison
ings since the days of John Hook, by
accumilative doses of arsenic.
Nearly week ago when Police.
man Bissonette died at a local hos
pital after being removed from his
room in Mrs. Vermilya's home. the
woman was taken i'll. She took to bed
when the physician in attendance at
Bssonette's death voiced his opinion
that arsenic was the cause. When a
chemist certified that Bisonettes Wis
cera had disclosed large quantity OF
the drug the woman was said to be
Rlarmingly i'll.
Where She Kept Poison.
This evening when Mrs. Vermilya
was asked what she wanted for sup
per by the hospital attendant, she
called for hard boiled eggs. 1t was
noticed that she plentifully sprinkled
the eggs with the contents of salt and
pepper cellers. Immediately after eat
ing the eggs. Mrs. Vermilya became
quite i'll and physician was called.
Mrs. Vermilya had been treated for
pneumonia and the acute stomach
trouble could not be accounted for un-
til the nurse suddenly remembered
that the woman had been using the
salt and pepper cellers very literally
before eating the eggs. The contents
OF the cellers were then examined and
1t was discovered they were filled
with rat poison. 1t is known now that
Mrs. Vermilya has been taking the
poison ever since entering the hos
pital She has been reading the news
papers and was familiar with all the
details OF the case. Although Mrs.
Vermilya is seriously i'll it is believed
her attempt at suicide will not be sue
cessful.
While relatives Of her supposed vic
tins and the police are weaving about
her net Of circumstantial evidence
which may brand her as the most no.
table woman "bluebeard" Of modern
times. Mrs. Vermilya retains entire
composure. No question that the po-
lice have put to her has in any man.
ner served to unnerve her. With stol-
idness, she listened to the reading Of
the warrant for her arrest.
In an even more cold blooded man.
ner. she replied:
III they found poison in Arthurs
body. can't explain it,
Following the report Of the toxicolo-
3ists that a large amount Of arsenic
had been found in Bisscnette's Wis
cera and the placing Of charge of
murder against Mrs Vermilya. devel-
opmcnts came rapidly today in what
the police believe is one of the great
est poisoning mysteries of the cen
fury.
Coroner Peter Hoffman ordered the
exhumation of the body Of Richard T.
Smith. an Illinois Central X. r. con-
ductor. who lived with Mrs. Vermilya
as her husband. and who died under
peculiar circumstances a year ago at
her home. Smiths body is buried at
North Henderson. Ill.
Dr. Ralph Nermilya. veterinary
surgeon of st. Paul, Minnesota, ar
rived here today and Immediately took
steps to have eAhumed the bodies of
his father. Charles Vermilya, Mrs.
Vermilya's second husband. and his
sister. Lillian Vermilya. both of whom
died under circumstances similar to
the death of B:sonette.
Mrs. Hazel West Rehe, who was
believed to be in New York, was found
in Chicago and she agreed to tell the
police OF a promise which she had
made to her former husband, Frank
Brinkamp. Mrs. Vermilya's son, that
should he die. she would have his
death Investigated carefully. This in
yestigation was not made because
when Brinkamp died the woman had
divorced him.
Miss LYDIA Rivard, daughter Of a
wealthy Marshall. Mimi. farmer. came
to Chicago today to aid Bissonette's
relatives in prosecuting Mrs. Vermil.
va. The disappearance Of many Of the
love letters received by Bissonette
from Miss Rivard led Peter Bisonette,
who swore to the warrant charging
Mrs. Vermilya with his brothers MUIR
der. to declare that jealousy was the
motive for the crime.