Evening journal., 1913-08-25
GET WITNESS
TO DEATH OF
STATE GIRL
Caretaker Says Philadelphia
Police CarOuSed While Miss
Dukes Died
PARTY DRANK BEER
In ADJOINING ROOM

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 25 William
james, colored, twenty-four years old,
Of 40. 1905 Lombard street, who up
until last Sunday was house man at
No. 1912 Arch street. ia the house in
which Miss Meredith Dukes, Of Selby-
WILLIE Del. died following IN Illegal op-
Grafton said TO have been performed by
Miss May Simmons, was arrested this
morning by Acting Lieutenant Gregory
Of the Fifteenth and Vine streets sta
tion ns a material witness.
James told the police that on August
~ while he was working about tho
house. carriage drove up TO the door,
aud Miss Simmons and a physician cur
ried Miss Dukes into the house. He
said the physician came every day 60 sec
the girl and that Miss Simmons stayee
at the house and acted as nurse.
The colored youth surprised tho
police when he told them that on the
day the woman died. two policemen
from the Fifteenth aud Vine streets
station came TO the back gate at l512
Arch street, and asked to see Harry
Leisner, the proprietor.
"He knows we are coming" one
OF the policemen Is said to have re.
marked "He told us to stop in and
get some beer"
"The policemen who we're in uni.
form, then came into the house,
said James. "and Harry took then
into room adjoining that occupied
by Miss Dukes The men laughed
and sang all the afternoon, while
Miss Dukes was in the next room
moaning with pain.
Il went to the room and told m.
employer the girl was dying, and h'
paid no attention to me. ! told hin
! would write a postal card 70 th'
police. telling them what Eind Of /
house Il was, and Leisner pulled 1
blackjack from his pocket and chas
ed me 10 Nineteenth and Arcl
streets.
"Miss Dukes certainly was neglecte
while she was in the house. and it il N
wonder she died, with all the noise othe
persons ia the house were making. lher
was beer party in the room right owe
Miss Dukes. and although ! asked Oh
. people 70 stop the racket, they paid II
attention 20 me- That night Miss DUKE
died
/ Superintendent Of Police Rohinsc
s SAID be would investigate the chafH
made against the policemen by Jami
! and the youth viii be taken 70 The ~
teenth aud Vine streets station today
, pick ont the men he says we're IN q
! habit Of attending parties az the Ar,
, street house Superintendent kobinse
said nc would suspend the men II the
: are identified
Q Coroners Detective Frank Pa
e said today there was no way TO est
5 mate how many operations had bee
performed by Miss Simmons. who
under arrest He said she had bes
/. under surveillance for four years.
Paul admitted that before the inve
tigation is completed persons OF s.
ciat prominence in this city may
? dragged into the affair including Sc
+ eral well-bnown physicians. He wi
J, confer with Coroner Knight and Di
n trict Attorney Rotan. At the confe
s encc the confession OF Sommers.
}, Twelfth street. near Huntington. tn
he made a certificate of death fro
intestinal inflammation for Meredi
Dukes when he knew she had dii
from other causes viii be considere
Mortality records az City Hall a
being searched to check up the phys
clans who have treated patients
the accused nurse,