Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-09-10
MYSTERY AT TER
WOMAN'S DEATH
IN AUTO M|SHAP
Now Denied She Ever Was Wife
of L. A. Thompson, Amuse-
ment Promoter.

| Conflicting stories regarding the
identity of the woman killed last
night at Pine Brook in an automobile
accident are being told today That
the dead woman is Mrs. Laura
| Thompson is generally admitted. It
is denied, however, that she is the
widow or even the divorced wife of
l.. A Thompson, the scenic railway
builder. Edward Donaldson, brother
in-law of Mr.. Thompson, told the
Evening Star today that the dead
woman Is In no way connected with
| the scenic railway man.
| The dead woman, who had sum-
mer home in North Caldwell, was
motoring with her sister, Mrs. e. A.
Doyle, who lived with her. She tried
to pass a farm wagon on Bloomfield
avenue, Pine Brook, when the ma
| chine suddenly skidded and crashed
through a fence on the side Of the
road.
Almost Decapitated.
The top rail of the fence struck the
Thompson woman's neck, breaking it
and almost decapitating her The
fact that Mrs. Doyle raised her hands
prevented her from receiving SINH
lar blow. Henry Gottschalk, pro-
prietor of nearby hotel, heard the
shouts of the Doyle woman. He sum
moned aid. Mrs. Thompson was dead
when physician arrived. Mrs. Doyle,
it was said today. is not in a seri-
GUS condition.
DIR. Lawrence Welsh, one of the
Morris county coroners, viewed the
body last night He declared death
was caused by a broken neck. II
granted q burial permit. Arrange
ments Tor the funeral have not been
made. buf it is understood the body
will be Inferred in Fairmount Gene
terry, this city.
Information Refused. s
At the Doyle home today all in
formation regarding the identifica-
ton of the woman was absolutely re-
fused. Leon Cooper, a Caldwell mer-
chant. who, with his wife, had talked
with the dead woman on several oc-
easions. declared she had given him
the impression she was the widow
of L. A. Thompson. Mrs. Cooper said
her recollection was that the woman
was widow of a brother of the scenic
railway man.
More than that. Mrs. Thompson
told the Coopers she received check
every month from the Scenic Railway
Company.
"She appeared to be nice woman"
said Mrs. Cooper today, land | was
satisfied her statements were truth
full
Mr.. Donaldson, who is yice-presi-
dent of the scenic railway concern,
emphatically declared the woman
was in no way connected with anyone
in the company. Mr.. Thompson and
his wife have been in Europe some
time, and are probably homeward
bound on the Atlantic at this time,
Mr.. Donaldson said.
Had Divorced Wife.
According to Donaldson. Mr..
Thompson has only one brother who
is a resident of San Diego, Cal. A
divorced wife of l.. A. Thompson, IS
an invalid and lives in Washington,
d. c. She is about go years old.
At the Thompson office today it was
recalled that last summer Mr..
Thompson received bills for automo-
bile repairs made out in the name
of 81. A. Thompson" Investigation,
it was said, proved the work was
done for Mrs. Laura Thompson,
widow, who, last summer. had a
summer home in Long Island.
At the Office of the automobile con-
Germ the following description of the
Thompson woman was furnished:
About 35 or 3S years old; five feet,
eight inches tall; light complexion,
dark hair and good dresser. This
tallies somewhat with the description
of the auto victim. The records of
the automobile concern show the
Thompson woman changed her ad-
dress quite frequently.