The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-11
INNOCENT OF WRONG,
SAYS MRS. GILLIGAN
Keeper Of Old Peoples Home
Calls Poison Charge One
Of Persecution.
TO EXHUME MORE DEAD

HARTFORD. Conn. May 1o.-Mrs. Amy
r.. Archer-Gilligan. who is accused or
causing the death Of Franklin p. An
drews. an inmate Of the Old Peoples
Home at Windsor. which she conducted.
wrote out a strong denial Of the charge
to-day In her cell here. Later her state
ment was given out through her lawyer,
Benedict NJ. Holden. II follows:
'Soon after Mr.. Andrews died in May.
1919. ! heard the authorities were try
ing to connect his death with the crimi-
nal act Of some one in the home. Ger
tain OF my near %neizhbors who expected
10 profit from the inmates Of my home
invented stories to keep the agitation
going. I am told that soon after Mr..
Andrews's death Coroner j. Gilber Call
houn Of Hartford and States Attorney
Hugh NJ. Alcorn started an investigation.
DIR. Howard +. King, medical ex-
aminer and acting Coroner In Windsor.
who has been attacked this week and
who was Mr.. Andrews's physician. asked
the Coroner and States Attorney to ex-
hume the Andrews body and have an
autopsy performed a short time after
death.
One Suspicious Inmate.
From inmates in the HON I heard
stories told on the streets Of Windsor
that they would be poisoned IL they re-
manned al the home and one day an
old gentleman did become excited and
declared ] had rugged "A glass OF hot
lemonade, given him for his cold. lie
asked the doctor to analyZe the lemon
AIDE and the physician did so by drink
ing IL right before him. And the doc
tor. he's alive to-day.
During tho twenty odd months that
l knew the state police detectives were
inv stigatine my house and It's manage
'ncnt, knowing had done no wrong
and a nothing to fear ! continued
TO run the home and solicit patronage,
MANY inmates died. but that is not
strang. because they were all old and
feeble and their relatives felt they must
he cared FOR in some institution. Most
of them wer. aiiing from diseases other
than those which usually accompany ad-
yauccd age. Whenever II death oc'
CURED the relatives were notified, un'
less the relatives left word not to be
notified or had abandoned the inmate.
In JAN without ~ Hearing.
Il have had hundreds of aged. help
les and intirm, and have given then
such comforts as the home could AT
ford. think they were all satisfied
When was arrested ! asked the State
police officers II it would not he bet
ter for me to consult a lawyer, but the!
told me t. follow their advice that the!
wCr, friendly to- me and wanted ne
rotorlety, | followed their advice ant
HON am in A Jail cell without a hear
Ing.
Tho public knows nothing of my sid
and knows less about real facts behint
ny arrest and Imprisonment. After
was locked up capt. Robert T. Hurle!
OF ia. STATE Police came and again ad
Niscd me as a friend that they had fou
charges OF murder against me. III
vuuld sign a statement AdmittiDg on
tt,y would drop the other three. Than
God | didn't follow mis- advice, becauS
my counsel, Mr.. Holden, informs me ina
=: had this so-called friend would hav
roundad on, his friendly advice With
conviction OF the awful crime of 'nurdf'
81 ana as Innocent Of wrongdoing I
any person who mas ever been an In
nat" Of my house m either though'
word or deed as any child . year
old. am told that | took persons undo
y life contract and tried TO make prom
hs poisoning them. IN examination o
tho records which have all been se0e
l., the state police viii show the alb
surlity Of such a claim.
Tier rroperty Vow Attached.
81 have conducted thus home for years
and inherited some property from m
parents. and when my husbisnd. Mr.. Gil
lgau, died he left 4 VII leaving hi