Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-11
MERCURY VICTIM
GROWS RESTLESS
AS DEATH DELAYS
Mrs. Jane Rothgerry Still Wells
Act in Mystery-Anxious
for End.

Fully aware that her death is only
few days away, Mrs. Jane r. Roth
gerry, who is a patient in st. Bar
nabas's Hospital, suffering from the
effects of self-administered bichloride
of mercury, whose identification was
made yesterday after she had refused
to tell the hospital authorities any
thing about herself, is awaiting the
end to come Apparently she wants
to die and seems annoyed that her
death is so long delayed, but she will
make no statement Of any kind.
The identity Of the patient was
made known yesterday by Dr. Frank
Q. Stockton, an Orange physician,
with offices in Jersey City and % Cen
tral avenue, this city. Mrs. Roth
gerry asked that he be sent for. Her
request was complied with, and a
short time later DR.. Stockton visited
the hospital and talked with the
patient.
Afterward Dr. Stockton said he has
known Mrs Rothgerry for the past
five years, as q patient. She came to
him one time, he said, to be treated
for throat trouble and said she be-
lieved she had tuberculosis. DR..
stockton said he had treated the
woman on and off ever since, and
the last time he saw her she was
III SOOu nSdiln.
Woman Lived in Orange.
Mrs Rothgerry, who has thrown a
veil of mystery around herself ever
since her admission to the hospital,
1t has been learned, resided in Or
ange until two years ago. when
she came from Texas. About four
years ago she applied for admission
OF her daughter Alberta to the Or
ange orphan Asylum. The daughter
was admitted and later Mrs. Roth
gerry came to Newark taking a
room at 10 West Kinney street. Be
cause of her change in residence 1t
was necessary for her to remove her
daughter from the Orange Orphan
Asylum. Later she made application
for the daughters admission to the
Newark Orphan Asylum, and tho
transfer was effected. The little girl
Is still at the orphan asylum
To Mrs. e. G. Sutphen, chairman Of
the admitting committee of the asy-
lum, Mrs Rothgerry said she came
from Texas, that she was q widow
and that she was earning her living
canyassing for q soap concern.
Find Evidences OF Poisoning.
An examination Of her room in
West Kinney street yesterday re-
vealed the glass tumbler, in the bot
tom of which was q sediment that re-
senbled somewhat blchloride of mer-
curry. A box containing seven mer-
curry tablets was found in the room.
There were indications that led the
investigators to believe that three of
the tablets had been removed.
Z County Physician Mckenzie, who
has charge OF the patient at the hos
pital. after visiting her today. said
her condition could be considered
good. She had passed a fairly COM
Portable night and her pulse this
morning was normal. Asked as to the
possibility of the recovery of the
patient, DR.. Mckenzie said this could
not be determined for day or two.
The patient would have to be kept
under observation for a few days be-
fore 1t could be determined Just how
much of the poison her system had
absorbed. The doctor said, however,
that recovery of bichloride poisoning
cases was rare.
The woman's motive still remains
a mystery, but the information given
Yesterday by DIR. Stockton leads some
to the belief that Mrs. Rothgerry was
despondent because of the belief that
she was suffering from tuberculosis,
Not once since the woman's admis-
sion to the hospital has she men
toned anything concerning her
daughter. although previously to her
attempt at self-destruction she ap-
peared devoted to the child. Mrs.
Sutphen said today in the event of
the death of the mother, Alberta
would remain at the institution until
she was old enough to leave.