The evening world., 1913-12-12
MINISTER'S WIDOW
HIDES NAME, DIES
IN A SAN|TAR|UM
Mrs. Donald Sage Mackay
Feared Cancer, but Didn't
Tell Family.
SOUGHT NEW DOCTOR.
Expired on Operating Table
Just After Chloroform Had
Been Administered.
SOUGHT NEW DOCTOR.

Although she had gone TO q strange
physician under an assumed name FOR
an examination TO determine whether
she was suffering from cancer. and she
was desirous Of keeping her Identity |
secre. some intuitive impulse bade
Mrs. Donald sage Mnckay, widow Of
the pastor o: the Fifth Avenue Collie |
giats Reformed Church. to write her
name and address on n piecc OF paper
Just before she went to her death yes |
BILE In an east side private sanitarium.
1t was this slip Of paper that furnished
the Information which led to the iden-
tlacation OF her body in the Morgus AT
q time when members OF her family
were franticaiiy searching the city for
her last night.
BY direction OF Coroner Holxhauscr.
Coroner's Physician Schultz performed
an autopsy on the body Of Mrs. Mackay
to-day. lie found that she died from
the effects OF chlorofOrm administered as
an anaesthctic. The records OF tho
Morgus were changed TO show that che
body that had been admitted yesterday
evening as that Of Mrs. J. IT, A. Stone
Of Boston" was that OF Mrs. Helen L.
Mackay, and an undertaken employed
BY the Mackay family took 1t to her late
home at M. AL Park avenue.
OTHER. WOMEN TAKE FALSE
NAMES IN HOSPITALS.
Tho death Of Mira. Mackay under an
assumed Identity brought to light the
fact that many women OF wealth and
social standing In New York take names
other than their own and place them.
selves under the care Of physicians or
surgeons unknown to their families.
Sometimes the reason 10 that the patient
10 DESTROYS OF keeping q suspected or
actual condition Of health secret from
the family physician. Often the patient
sssks. by putting on old clothes and TAX.
Ing Q false identity. To escape the pay
ment OF . fee proportionato to her
Y. Y. r.. 49,. ., Afr. x,,..v !, .00o.,,
that abe was actuated by u double mo-
tive whom she went to consult Dr. Henry
We'll Ut No 7s1 Went End avenue on
Wednesday Afternoon and told him she
was Mrs. J. II. Stone OF the Copley
Square Hotel. Boston. First. she feared
that she was suffering from cancer and
desired TO satisfy her mind ~ 10 tho
truth Or falsIty Of her suspicion without
letting her four children or her rela-
tlves know. Secondly. she had been In
formed by one of Dr. Wells patients
that he was skilled practitioner In
diseases OF women.
She had been associated In charitable
work with Mrs. Andrew Carnegie. Mrs.
Finley j. Shepard, who was Iielen
Gould: Mrs. James A. Burden. Mrs.
J. Hood Wright. Mrs J. J. McCook
and other leaders In society and phil
anthropy. She was .hs founder Of tho
Speedwell Society. an organization de-
institutions
WENT IN SECRET TO SEE THE
DOCTOR.
On Wednesday afternoon Mrs. Mackay
ordered her chauffeur to drive her to
inety-eighth street and West End ave-
nue.. She left the car on the corner and
entered an apartment house. remaining
about an hour. This was the occasion
| Of her frst visit to DIR. We'll.
"She told mo she was Mrs stone Of
Boston" said the doctor to-day. and
said she thad been recommended to me
by one of my patients whose name she
gave. Although she complained OF So
we're pains and said she feared she was
seriously III. she was apparently quite
| cheerful. She said she had consulted
q professor in Boston'
| DIR. Well. after cursory examination,
told Mrs Mackay It would be necessary
| for her to submit TO an examination
under anaesthesia. She consented to
this. and he instructed her to 10 to the
Lexington Sanitarium. at No. 40 East
Sixty-hrst street which Is conducted by
the widow of C. l.. Minzeshcimer. who
was superintendent OF Mount Sinai Hos
| pitai for eighteen years. DR.. Well gave
Mrs. Mackay a letter to Mrs Minsas-
| he,mer.
The usual tests were followed and
Mrs Mackay was found to be appar-
| entity sound as to heart action. But
within two minutes after the frst adj
ministration OF chloroform DR.. Well
noted that the patient had not relaxed.