Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-03
SLAIN DOCTORS WIFE
GAY DESPITE MURDER
EVIDENCE AGAINST HER
Mrs. Mohr Says She Has Been
Framed Up"-Laughs,
Giving No Sign of
Weakening
PLAYS WITH CHILDREN


PROVIDENCE. r. l., Sept. al am
absolutely innocent" said Mrs. Elizabeth
Blair Mohr today after spending the
night with her children at home. follow
ing her release on $4,000 bail, accused OF
murder.
She absolutely denied all knowledge Of
the alleged conspiracy that resulted in
the killing of her husband, DR.. c. Frank
lin Mohr, and the wounding of his house.
keeper. Miss Emily Burger.
The funeral OF Doctor Mohr, held today
from his residence, was arranged by Mrs.
Mohr and carried out under her direction.
1t was private.
Mrs. Mohr sobbed softly throughout
the funeral services. With her as mourn
ers were only the doctors son by his first
wife, her daughter. Virginia, and Doctor
Mohr's brother. DR. Charles Mohr, Of
McEwensville, Pa. mrs. Mohr gave per-
mission for newspapermen to attend the
services.
A large crowd gathered outside the
Mohr residence, and battery of cam
eras was trained on the accused widow
as she entered a carriage for the ceme-
terry. She made no attempt to shield
neTSeH from lne pnOtORrapnerS.
81 knew nothing about the dreadful
conspiracy until the detectives told me-
Mrs. Mohr declared. They shot and
killed Doctor Mohr and then tried to
frame me up. Yes, II was a frame-up."
For cool nerve, Mrs. Mohr is remark
able. She was the first to reach her
husbands bedside at the Rhode Island
Hospital Within few hours after his
death she applied for the custody of his
property, amounting to $250,00O. She has
smiled and laughed ever since her arrest
That the three negroes, George w
Heals, Henry Spellrnan and Cecil Brown,
have made detailed confessions that the
physicians wife promised them 5000 to
Kill Doctor Mohr and disfigure Miss Bur-
ger apparently has not shaken the nerve
of Mrs. Mohr. After her release on bail
she went, practically free woman, to her
little home and amused herself with her
children, as though she had not a care
in the world.
Efforts already are being made by the
authorities to get in touch with Doctor
Mohr's first wife, said to be in New
YORK. Little has been known here of
the former Mrs. Mohr since she figured
in a sensational alienation suit brought
In 1897 by Doctor Mohr against DR. VIII
liam Stevens, OF New York.
Mrs. Mohr and the three negroes are to
be arraigned before Judge Hammil AZ
Warren, in Bristol County, on September
i6. By that time. II is believed Miss
Burger, her beauty forever marred by
bullet wound in her jaw and shoulder.
VIII be able to leave the hospital and
give testimony. Today ii was said the
young woman was out of danger
The name of another woman, Miss Flor
ence Ormsby, Doctor Mohrs office az
tendant, has been brought into the murder
mystery.
Miss Emily Burger, who was riding with
Doctor Mohr when he was shot, does not
know that her companion was killed. She
continually asks for him and about his
condition, and is being assured that
Doctor Mohr is resting WELL" ut
Physicians at the Rhode Island Hospi-
tai are afraid to tell her of the death of
Doctor Mohr, fearing II might shock her
tion
Miss Burger, lying in bed today told
the story of the shooting and OF her
friendship with Doctor Mohr.
Il tried for long time to reconcile
Doctor Mohr and his wife" said Miss
Burger, but it was impossible Doctor
Mohr felt very bitterly toward his wife.
and when my efforts to bring them to-
gether failed did not feel that It was
wrong for me to so out with Doctor
Mohr.
"On the night of the shooting Doctor
Mohr and 1 started out from Stewart
street with the negro chauffeur Healis
driving the car. Heals drove recklessly.
Doctor Mohr spoke to me about a hsdf
dozen times concerning the rate at which
Heals was going, but he did not order
Heals to check up
we were somewhat surprised and L
was a little suspicious when Healis sud-
denly stopped the car with a Jerk under
a big tree on the road. That was where
the shooting occurred. Heals stooped
over and put out the headlights Then
he climbed out of the car and began to-
tinker with the engine.
He remarked: L am having trouble
with the gasoline but neither Doctor
Mohr or / spoke to him.
suddenly / heard a loud report
thought II was the engine backfiring In
another moment there was another re.
port and 1 jumped to my feet. Both
sounded like back fire from the exhaust.
! saw blood flowing from Doctor Mohr's
race. AS / looked / felt a sharp pain
In my shoulder, the right one, and then
another burning pain in my neck.
Il still thought there had been an &C.
cident to the machine"
THE first thing did then was to iumu
out OF the car into the roadway 1 don't
whether l climbed over the
door or opened II. / didn't see anybody
but Heals. AS / stood In the road he
grabbed me by the arm, dragging me
under the tree and threw me down on.
the ground. The left side of my face
struck something and / don't remember
anything else / didn't see any other
people except Healis and nocfor MohtU