Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-12
TWO WOMEN FACE
DEATH, VICTIMS OF
MERCURY POISON
Quarrel Leads a Bloomfield
Mother to Attempt Suicide.
Mrs. ROthgerry No Better.
MOTHER SENDS BOTTLE
HOME BY LITTLE GIRL
Drops Unconscious Walking
With Son-Doctors Hold
No Hope for Her.

Two women. who sought to kill
themselves with mercury, are hover
ing near death today
Mrs. Anna McGee, thirty seven
years old, of 20 Berkeley place.
Bloomfield, is lighting the effects of
the deadly drug in the Mountainside
Hospital Montclair. and Mrs. Jane r.
Rothgerry. aged thirty, of 10 West
Kinney street. in ST Barnabas's Hos
pital. this city.
While there is little hope for either,
the'phys'cians say that it will be sew
eral days before they can determine
whether on not the bichoride of mer-
curry was absorbed by the women's
systems completely enough to cause
death.
No Desire to Live.
Both Mrs. McGee and Mrs. Roth
gerry are conscious and in full DOS
session of their normal faculties. They
realize the grave danger of their con-
dition and the nearness of death, and
Yet do not indicate any longing to live.
Mrs. McGee's two small children,
Mildred aged seven. and Leonard
FIVE. witnessed her attempt to commit
suicide.
She had been acting queerly. ac-
cording to her husband, for several
months. After violent quarrel with
him yesterday she turned to the chill
dren and said:
"Come, let's go out for walk"
She dressed them and they started
out They were walking along Bloom
field avenue, when Mrs. McGee took
out bottle filled with mercury tab
lets She took three. each one con-
tanning sufficient poison to Kill a per-
son.
She calmly recorked the bottle and
handed it to Mildred.
Sends Bottle Home With Child.
Take this home. dear" she said,
'and show it to papa
The little girl did as she had been
told. while Mrs. McGee and Leonard
walked on.
When Mildred reached home she
gave the bottle to her father and said,
Mother told me to give YOU this"
McGee looked at the label Then,
Mortified. he exclaimed, ibid she take
snyW
"Yes. three replied the child.
Meanwhile Mrs. McGees had coli
lapsed In the street Councilman
Frederick Sadler, of 81 Baldwin street.
Bloomfield who was passing In his
automobile. saw her. Leonard was
bending over her, sobbing and beg
ging her to get up and speak to him.
Mr.. Sadler lifted her into his ma
chine and took her to the hospital.
All that science could suggest was
done to save her life.
One of the physicians said today
that what hope there was for her
recovery lay in the similarity be-
tween her case and that of Timothy
Driscoll. Driscoll swallowed three
tablets in an attempt to kill himself.
He was taken to the Mountainside
Hospital. For five days his kidneys
refused to woTk--a sign tEat the
mercury had penetrated into his sys-
TEN. Persistent effort on the part
of the doctors. however. were sue
cess in combating the poison and he
finally recovered
QuarreIed with Husband.
The cause of Mrs. McGee's act is
ascribed by neigllbors to frequent
auaIrels between her husband and
herself. He is a painter and is said
to have been out of work recently.
His story is that he remained home
for the past few days merely to take
care of Mrs. McGee, whose health was
troubling her. He SAYS that she had
acted in a slightly irrational manner
at times.
Mrs. RothgeITv, who took mercury
on Sunday night is in an UNCHANGED
condition at st Rarnabas's Hospital.
There is but little hope for her re-
coverv, although 1T is possible the
effects Of the poison may be COM
hated.