Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-17
mrs. BLAKE TESTED
BY SANITY EXPERTS
Commission Refuses to Reveal
Findings--Woman Will Be Wit
ness at Inquest Over Buddy
MURDER THEORY DOUBTED
BY a stag Correspondent

Atlantic City, Dec. 17.-Mrs. Esther
Blake, former Philadelphian. accused
OF having thrown her five-year old
son Buddy" into the ocean last Fri
day, was examined by commission in
lunacy this afternoon.
She has been summoned to appear
MS one of the witnesses at the inquest
into the death of her child. The in =
quiry will be held tomorrow night.
Physicians believe she will be sufi
ciently recovered by that time to attend
Doctors John T. Beckwith and G.. "
| II. 1ugersoll, visited Mrs. Blake at her
bedside in the hospital this afternoon
and questioned her at length
No Trial If Found Insane
They refused to disclose after the
examination whether or not they con
sidered her sane. Edmund G. Gaskill,
Jr., county prosecutor, already has an
nounced that it she is adjudged insane
she will not have TO face n jury, but
will be removed Immediately to an asy
lum.
DIR. Lewis !. Souder, coroner's ply
sician, was to have been one of the
special commissioners in lunacy. AS he
already has talked TO Mrs. Blake sew
eral times, and has formed dis opinion
| that she is suffering from paranoia
Doctor Beckwith mental expert, was
selected in his place.
The summons for Mrs. Bake TO at
tend the inquist came as surprise. II
will be held at 8 O'Clock tomorrow eve
ming in the recorders room at city
ball. All persons who have any first
hand knowledge of the case have been
subpoenaed to appear.
James NJ. Blake, the dead child
father, will be one of the witnesses
at the inquest. 1t is expected that nc
will explain more fully than has been
revealed before the reasons why he and
his wife separated.
! Donald Riddle and Mrs. Florence
Riddle, son and wife of former Mayot
| William Riddle, have been summoned
also. Donald took Mrs. Blake to the
hospital in an auto after she had col
lapsed on the porch of Mrs. Benjamin
Fox's home. 1t was Donald also who
| found Mrs. Blake's pocketbook on the
Fentnor pier. Somers Endicott, Mrs
William Gilmore and William Pepper,
trolley car conductor, will tell of Mrs
Blake's actions when she boarded car
with Buddy"
Doubts Murder Theory
"I am not satisfied with the police
theory of murder" said DR.. Soudei
today. Although the stories told mi
by Mrs. Blake in several examination
have conficted, they lead me to beliey'
that possibly she did not throw tn
child into the sea i"
Shortly after the special commits
sioners in lunacy questioned the mothe
this afternoon, Buddy" was to hav
been laid at rest in the family lot u
the Druid Ridge Cemetery, just outsld
of Baltimore.
The little casket was put aboard thu
10 a. m. train for Philadelphia, ther
transshipped Immediately to Baltimore
James NJ. Blake. the father, and Mis-
Maud Miller, sister of Mrs. Blake, &C
"ompanied the body. Mrs. Clara Mil
Ter, the grandmother, remained to car
for little Esther, "Buddy's' sister
who is i'll.
Plans for Funeral
Arrangements had been made 70
Eugene Blake, grandfather of the dea
child, and other relatives planned t
meet the body. The funeral was to b
held from st. Johns Episcopal Church
Mt. Washington.