The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-03-06
TRYING To- LEARN.
WHY MISS COOK
SHOT HERSELF
Autopsy Performed on Body Of New
Haven lStenOgrapher
EMPLOYER REFUSES TO TALK
Lois Waterbury Says Girl Knew All
About Mayos Double Es-
ablishments.

New Haven, Conn March 6.--Coron
| or Eli Mix began yesterday all in
quiry into the circumstances sur
rounding the suicide of Lillian May
Cook, whose body was found in 9
lonely spot in West Rock park Thurs
DAY afternoon after the police Of
three states had been searching TO.
| her for a week,
The autopsy was performed bs
medical Examiner NJ M. Scarborough
and Dr. Richard j. Rand Of the Yak
medical school.
In his statement of Thursday Nir
ginius J. Mayo, Miss Cooks employ
er, admitted that while he was livinl
in New Haven with his legal wife ne
maintained in Brooklyn an establish
ment for Lois Waterbury, who for
merly held the position occupied by
Miss Cook at the time of her disap
pearance. Mayo did not hesitate 70
admit that while he and his legal
wife were childless, Lois Waterbury
who was known for convenience. rs
he put it. as Mrs James Dudley
was the mother of two of his children
Witnesses who were examined by
the coroner behind closed doors yes
terday were Frank Cook of Brooklyn,
n. w. father OF the dead girl; Miss
Helen Wilson, her roommate In the
building occupied by the New Havei
Young Women's Christian assocs
ton. and Miss Inez Huh, superintan.
dent of the bIlldii
From outside sources, II was lerrn-
ed that Mr. Cook had been asked
many questions concerning his daugh-
ter and ii was said that he admitted
that he knew Mayo ard Dudley
were one and the saLie persons at the
time his daughter mysterlously drop
ped from sighI. lie had previously
denied this Before returning to New
York last night, Mr. Cock said:-
Il want to eet al the truth OF this
matter If anyone is to blame for my
daughter killing re. self, l will not
rest until / find out who that person
is and then | shall make sure that
proper punishment is meted out"
Miss Hull told the coroner that
Miss Cook had 9.ways teen we'll be-
haved and that she was in he.' room.
every night at t0.30 O'Clock, with the
exception of one o. two nights when
she went to theatre. Miss HUll
said that Miss Cook had frequently
arrived at the Young Womens Chris
tian association in an Automobile
owned by Mayo. She did not believe
however. that Miss Cook had ever
been out at night in any one of the
numerous machines owned by Mayo.
Lois Waterbury. head of the home
Virginius J. Mayo maintained in
Brooklyn under the name of James
Dudley, said at Brooklyn yesterday
that she had received letter from
Lillian Cook. written day or so be-
fore Miss Cook disappeared
1T is ridiculous to suppose that MIR.
Mayo had anything to do with Lii
lians disappearance" said Miss Wat
erbury. He was interested in her
because of me. know Lillian as a
very dear girl, girl of very hign
type. While she was here came 10
know her very we'll and became very
fond of her. Before she left she be
came fully acquainted with the facts
of the relationship existing between
Mr. Mayo and myself. She knew
that | wasn't married to him. But
she did not leave because she learn.
ed of this. She left because she was
intelligent, ambitious and wanted to
improve herself, and the place as
nurse girl wasn't the kind of place
for her.
"We decided that she should go to
New Haven to join Mr.. Mayos office
force. don't know whether the sug
gestion that she should so there
came from Mr. Mayo or from me: |
don't remember. Lillian wrote me
very often. Mr. and Mrs Cook knew
she was very dear to me an6 knew
that | took an interest in her. re
ceived a letter from her just before
she disappeared.
when she had gone away, Mr..
Mayo telephoned to me to tell me
that she had gone and to find out II
she had come to me or if | knew any
thing about her. OF course, | didn't:
wish | did.
In my opinion Lillian wandered
away while temporarily deranged.
She was studing very hard She was