The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-18
POISON CLUE Barred
IN LEBAUDY TRAGEDY
Attorney Hears Story Indicat-
ing Victim Planned to Kill
Wife and Child.
DAUGHTER AT FUNERAL
Inquest in .Westbury Ends
Wife Prays Continually
In Mineola Jail.

Information came b Harry W. Moore,
attorney for Mime. Marie Augustine Le-
oaudy. at Mineola yesterday which II
fully substantiatsd will be- conclusive
evidence to his mind that Jacques Le-
bsudy Intended to carry out his reported
threats to finish" his wife and daughter
Jacoueline in that he tried to purchase
po!son a few hours before he was shot
home.
soon after the body Of Lebaudy had
been buried yesterday afternoon in the
graveyard of St Brigid's Roman Cath
Ole Church and an inquest had been held
Attorney Moore received a telephone call
from a drug clerk in Manhattan. The
man gave his name and address to tho
lawyer. but Moore decided to withhold
them for time.
The drug clerk, Moore said, told a cir
cumstantial story that a man OF peculiar
nannerisms had entered the drug store
where he Is employed on Saturday MORN
ing. The clerk. he said. thought his
prospective customer bore a close re-
semblance to the slain man. basing his
Judgment on the descriptions and photo
graphs of Lebaudy published in the
newspapers since the murder
Acted Like One Demented.
He further fitted the description be-
cause he impressed the clerk at the time
as either demented Or under the influences
Of drugs. According to Mr.. Moore, who
related the incident at the drug store,
the clerk asked him what he wanted.
"I want some cyanide Of potassium"
The customer replied.
"You can't have It without a prescrip-
ton" said the clerk. What do you
want It for?''
The customers reply to this was con-
fus!ng to the clerk. He thought his Gus
toner said for my. wife and child" but
decided n; the moment that he must have
been mistaken and that the man had
said for my wife and chickens" AS
Stunning that his patrons idea was to
Turn II over TO his wife to administer 1t
TO his poultry the drug clerk advised:
Better not let your wife handle II.
It's 80 highly poisonous
well" said the other, Il want a
pound or two OF it." Then he made this
surprising query. according TO the at
tendant: Wouldn't It be effective II
burned this on top Of the stove? Wouldn't
II smoke the rats ovt?'
Attorney Starts investigation.
Mr.. Moore said that the clerk, becom-
ing suspicious by the mans strange ap-
pearance and the fact that he had no
prescription for the poison, refused to
give him any. Mr.. Moore last night
started an investigation into this new
angle to the tragedy for possible use in
the event Of the Grand Jury returning
an indictment after resuming its sessions
next Tuesday.
Jacques Lebaudy was buried yester-
day. Only few persons we're present.
Nine. Lebaudy said a prayer for him in
the Nassau county Jail.
Shortly after noon an automobile
hearse drew up outside the pretty little
church in Westbury. 1t brought the body
OF Iebaudy from the undertaking rooms
Of c. F. Remsen at Roslyn. Difficulty
mad been anticipated over the inter-
men., as Attorney Edwin T. Murdoch.
claiming to speak on behalf OF Lebaudy's
relatives In France, had asked that the
body be kept in a vault to await in
structions from France as to its dis
posal.
However, court order had COM
ritted the body to the undertaking es-
adjustment. and no attempt was made
10 interfere with the funeral arrange
ments ordered by Attorney Moore. A
plain mahogany coffin held the body. and
when 1t was placed inside ST. Brigid's
pink roses and the other of Easter lilies
we're the only floral tributes upon it.
Daughter Sends Lilies.
II is not known who sent the. roses.
but the lilies came from Jacqueline. She
Already was in the church, having come
from the home Of Thomas J. McGinnis
about half an hour before, accompanied
BY Mrs. McGinnis and Ernest Suffern.
81 he fot, nj Nf shn
Rev. William r McGinnis, pastor Of the
church. who conducted the service and
tire altar boys. these three, with Attor-
rey Moore, were the only persons d.
-ectly concerned who we're present
Newspaper men increased the number
IN the church to eighteen.
In the hush, Father McGinnis who ha 8
been Nine. Lebaudy's spiritual adviser
since she moved to Westbury, appeared
from the sacristy and began reading the
service. attended by two acolytes and
an incense bearer Half way through
Tire ceremony he paused and made this
statement:
Before offering the prayers of the
church over the body OF Jacques Lee
baudy and placing his mortal remains
IN consecrated ground. It may be we'll to
action, 10 avoid misunderstanding of
scandal
Explains Attitude of Church.
The offices of the church and Chris
Van burial are permitted only when the
deceased has apparently led Catholic
Nfe--has gone to mass regularly, has
received Holy Communion frequently or
A. least once year. around Easter time,
o. az least has received the sacraments
before death.
In this particular case OF the de-
ceased none OF these things has hap
osned. so the attitude OF the church must
be clearly understood. ] have no evil
Hence that since his arrival in West
bury he has ever assisted at nass-he
even tried to Impede his child from
attending mass-has ever gone to con-
t"ss'on or received holy communion.
How, then. can this situation be
reconciled and why may we say the