Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-03-06
MAYO EXONERATED
FROM BLAME IN
TYP|ST'S SUICIDE
Manufacturer Found BIameIess
by Both States Attorney
and Coroner.

NEW HAVEN, Conn.,, March s.
Coroner Eli Mix today completed his
investigation of the circumstances
surrounding the suicide of Lillian
May Cook. The coroner said he would
file report on Monday stating that
Miss Cook came to her death by her
own hand. and that she and she alone
was therefore responsible for her act.
Virginius j. Mayo employer of the
young woman at the time OF her dis
appearance more than q week ago,
was instructed to disregard a sub
poena requiring him to appear be-
fore the coroner on Monday.
An official connected with the In
yestigation said that the physicians
who had performed the autopsy upon
Miss Cook had found certain con-
ditions, one Of which might have In
dicated preparation for an operation
OF some kind, but nothing that would
positively establish a cause for the
young woman to go to a lonely spot
IN West Rock Park and send u bull
let into her heart
The same official was responsible
for the statement that Frank Cook,
the father, had told the coroner DUR
Ing his examination yesterday that
his daughter had been dispondent for
more than a year.
Following chemical examination of
the organs of Miss Cook. the
States attorney made formal STATE
ment after midnight formally exon
Grating her employer, Virginius j.
Mayo, from any suspicion in connec-
tion with the girls death.
The States attorney In announcing
that Mayo was in no way connected
NIT he =. II. -
not propose to take any further steps
In connection with Mayo's dual life
In New Haven and Brooklyn.
The coroner examined two wit
nesses yesterday. Miss Inez H. Hull,
matron of the Y. w. C. A., where
Miss Cook had lived. and Miss Ellen
Wilson. the closest friend of the dead
girl. Asked If anything in the testi-
mony of these two witnesses had led
him to decide that there was any
reason why the investigation should
be continued, he said that he could
not discuss the testimony of wit
nesses
Benjamin Slade, of the firm Of
Slade & Slade, of New York city and
New Haven, upon reading the state
ment attributed to Mayo. said he had
rung him up as a friend and coun-
selor on previous occasions to warn
him against further talking. In con-
sequence of this warning from his
lawyer Mayo would have nothing
further to say except that some of
the statements which had been
printed about him were without
foundation. He refused to indicate
the statement to which he objected.
Frank H. Cook, of Brooklyn. the
father of the dead girl, had inter-
views with Coroner Mix and with Po-
lice Captain Donnelly, and returned
yesterday afternoon to Brooklyn. He
said that he was anxious, above all
else, to get possession of his daugh-
ter's body and take 1T home. He said
to Captain Donnelly:
IF this inquiry shows that my
daughter committed suicide because
my grave until l find out the person
who Is responsible"
The two women who were ques-
toned by the coroner are the two per-
sons in New Haven who were most
intimate with the dead girl Both
have said that Miss Cook had fire.
quent fits of melancholy while she
lived in New Haven, and that she
talked of suicide many times in the
twelve months before her death.
Miss Hull said that the two girls
the dead girl and her roommate. Miss
Wilson-had frequently returned from
work at noon or in the evening in one
of the automobiles owned by Mayo.
81 heard that last fall Miss Cook
was occasionally out automobile rid
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