New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-15
ONE DEAD IN NEW
POISON MYSTERY
4 Woman Died While Visit
ing Actress Who Is Ill,
and a Prisoner.
NO TRACE OF DRUG
FOUND BY CORONER
Several Other Stage Women
Live in Same Building-Au-
topsy To Be Made.

=
All the investigating agencies Of New
York City and County are at work 20
solve the mystery OF the death OF Mrs.
Mabel Z. Hodge. Of l03 Eagle Street Al
bany. who is believed 20 have succumbed
to some form OF narcotic poisoning while
visiting at 2i5 West Fifty-frst Street
yesterday. Mrs. Margaret Lahah, an
actress and music teacher. who was en-
tertaining her, is in Bellevue Hospital
in critical condition from the same
poisoning
Although Coroner Israel Feinberg
and the police agree that an overdose
Of narcotics probably killed one and
threatened the life Of the other, they
have been unable 70 find any trace Of
durgs in the small three-room apart
ment on the sixth floor Of the house.
Dr. Otto II. Schultz. medical exam
iner for the District Attorneys Office,
spent three hours last night question
ing Miss Dorothy Morgan, an actress.
Of 2O3 West Ffty-fourth Street, and
Morton A. Loeb, real estate broker, Of
547 West l57th Street. both Of whom
were in the apartment when the two
women we're taken in. An autopsy will
be performed on the body OF Mrs.
Hodge at the morgue at 10 a. m. to
day.
Soon after midnight Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Renaud, In charge Of the
homicide bureau, ordered Miss Nor
gan and Loeb detained as material wit
nesses. They were taken 70 the West
Forty-seventh Street station.
Actress Held a Prisoner.
Mrs. Lahah. who, it is reported, has a
fair chance Of recovery, is held as a
prisoner at Bellevue, charged with at
tempted suicide. Assistant District At
torney Renaud and Detective Sergeant
/ O'Connell. Of the Cd Branch Bureau,
took charge Of the investigation after
the Coroner completed his preliminary
report,
Among the other tenants In the
apartment house who participated IN
the general excitement attending the
poisoning mystery we're Mrs Ethel Lor-
raine Belmont, who receives 500 a
month alimony under an agreement Of
separation from Raymond Belmont son
Of August Belmont, her former chum
and roommate, Mrs. Dorothy Gates
Herman, who il separated from Philip
Herman. her eighteen-year-ol hus-
band; Mrs.. Conway Tearle. the second
formerly Mrs Roberta Menges Corwir
Hill, the Pear OF Sheepshead Bay,
and John Mason, until recently a mem
Der of the cast in Common Clay
Had Separated from Husband.
From the police in Albany IT was
learned that Mrs Hodge, who was
twenty-nine. was separated from her
husband, saloonkeeper IN Buffalo. She
left Albany q. 2:O5 Thursday afternoon
for this city.
Mrs. Lahah. also twenty-nine. vert
20 Grand Central terminal 20 meet her
friend. the police learned. They lost
each other in the terminal building. A
few minutes after Mrs. Lahah reached
her home Mrs. Hodge arrived IN taxi.
They found Miss Morgan. who, the pc
lice say. is Dorothy Miller, Of 2l5
Chestnut Street. Philadelphia, chorus
girl. and Loeb in the apartment The
four had dinner and later INDUCED 10
seven bottles of beer.
Several times during the evening,
Miss Morgan told the detectives, she
noticed Mrs. Lahah and Mrs. Hodge IN
secret conference in the dining room.
They retired shortly after II o'clock.
Two hours later Mrs. Lahah was
taken III. Alarmed BY her groans, Loeb
told the hallboy 20 summon DR..
Matthew Beattie. Of 238 West Fifty
first Street. who found both women IN
condition Of partial coma. The ply
stefan told the police that he admin
istered strychnine after diagnosing
their illness a. narcotic poisoning.
Both patients appeared 20 respond 20
treatment. and he left the apartment
shortly before dawn.
When the two women became much
worse a. $3.50 4. VI, DR.. Beattie and DR..
f. F.. Gardner. who has an Office IN the
building. both worked over them until ?
T. ". when Mrs Hodge died. As soon
a. Coroner Feinberg arrived he recon
mended the removal Of Mrs. Lahah 70
Polvclinic Hospital. from which institu-
ton she was transferred 70 Bellevue
last night
The police found that Mrs Hodge
had with her jewiery valued az $500.
consisting Of two rings and three
bracelets. Her clothing was Of ar eN-
cellent quality.
Miss Morgan. or Miller, volunteered
the information that she mad formerly
been member OF The Follies' and
the "Midnight Frolic." She and Loeb.
swore that they did not see either Of
the women take narcotics IN any form.
On T. table In the living room the
police found a box Of tablets labelled
"asperin" and an unopened box Of
headache capsules.
Mrs. Lahah rented the apartment a
few days ago
TELECRAPHER, CRAZED
BY KEY, KILLS HIMSELF