New-York tribune., 1912-12-19
WOMAN'S DEATH
Philadelphia Coroner Looking
Into Case in This City.
PATIENT FROM PITTSBURGH
Had Been Brought to New York
III, and Was Attended by
Well Known Doctors.
rgv Telegraph to The Tribune

fBy Telegraph 10 me TrIoune'I
Philadelph,a. Dec ls-The coroners
office in this city has begun an inquiry
into the death OF Mrs. Emily Devices
Felis. who died in New York City on
! November g. and whose body is now in
this city In charge Of Arthur L. Hell,
brother OF the woman.
II is said here that Mrs. Felis was en-
ployed in the home of Joseph clifton
Trees. in Pittsburgh as nurse and COM
panion for Mrs. Trees. when she was
taken III. When her Illness became
serious, Il Ia asserted. she was taken In
private car TO New York. accompanied
, bv Mrs Trees. and occupied an apart
ment In the Plaza Hotel. Well known
physicians treated her there, and later
she was taken 20 the New York Hospital.
where she died
The certificate Of Mrs Feiss death
gives the cause ne a nervous disease
The body was examined here by Or. Will
lam Wadsworth, cOroners physician,
and ii IL stated that he reported the
woman was the victim OF an operation.
II is because or this report that the au-
thorties are investigating the case.
Mrs Felis's brother asserted to-day
that his sister had told her mother about
her Illness. He said that when he tried
10 learn the particulars OF the woman's
death his efforts were hindered. and he
! then decided TO appeal 10 the authorities
DR. !. Clifton Edgar. Of 80. 2S West
| sGth street. and other physicians who at
| tended Mrs Emily Devices FelIs prior TO
her death in the New York Hospital on
November 2. expressed surprise last night
NJ the report from philadelphia that the
Coroners oc'ce in that city had started
! an investigate Of the woman's death.
Dr. Edgar said he was called into the
case last September, when Mrs. Felis was
at the Plaza Hotel with Mrs. J. c. Trees.
II Pittsburgh by whom she WAS employed
| as a companion and nurse. Dr. Edgar
was out ot the city at the time Mrs.
Trees sent for him. he said and his as
s!stant. Or. Rice saw the patient Or.
| Rice was first under the impression that
II was surgical case and called I'm Or.
| Clarence \. NcWilliams, OF the Presby-
terlan Hospital.
| Or McWilliams diagnosed the case as
! 6 nervous malady not demanding surgical
attention. and tho woman was taken on
| Septemer IS 20 the New York Hospital.
whore DR. Edgar attended her as a pri-
yatc patient lie said there was no
symptom or appearance at any time that
the woman had undergone an operation.
Dr. McWillisms said last night there
| had not been the least suggestion Of an
operation in the case. He called on Mrs
| Fells only once, he said, and quickly de-
| termined that she was suffering from a
nervous trouble. other physicians
among them DR.. J. Ramsay Hunt, the
nerve specialist, OF No. 20 West 50th
street. were called into consultation In
| the case. DR.. Edgar said. The case was
diagnosed as multiple neurits. from
which Mrs Felis died.
| DR. Edgar said that two men, who said
they we're lawyers from Philadelphia rep
resenting Mrs. Felis's family there. called
| on him about three weeks ago and made
| inquiries In regard 10 the case. He said
tho lawyers ssw Dr. McWilliams and DR..
Hunt and other physicians who were in
| terested In the case. DR.. Edgar added
that none OF tho Trees family had ever
been his patient.
According to the authorities at the New
York Hospital. brother OF Mrs. Felis
took the body to Philadelphia, where she
formerly lived. Mrs. Felis gave the
names OF Mr. and Mrs. George He'll, OF
No. 204 West 18th street. as her parents.
according to the hospital records. The
| Heils recently moved to an apartment at
No. 233 West 1Oth street. They were not
at home last night.
Neither the Coroner's ONCE the District
Attorneys ONCE nor the police had heard
anything from the Philadelphia authori-
| ties concerning the case. II was said last
| night.