The Washington times., 1920-01-04


@ Did she drink snythingi
A. She then drank water from sglass on the mante
piece. Then heard something tiRkle on the fat roof
outside.
Q. Was the window opcni
A. She opened it.
Q. Did she say anythingi
A. did not realize what had taken place She i'm
mediately back to and said, "Tony kiss for
the last time Almost Immediately she had said she
sank down. and caught her in my and lifted her
on to the bed. summoned the nearest doctor by tee
phone, and Dr. Maxwell Simpson came round
Q. Did your wife say anything elsef
A. She did not say q word give any sign Of con
seriousness from the moment she sank into my arms
Q. Can you give any reason why she should have
taken poisonf
A. only know what she told about her past life
being very sad.
@. What did she tell youf
A. That her first marriage very unhappy.
The Coroner only want to know any facts that will
upon the question OF suicide the state OF her mind
Q. Did she get some sort Of obsession about her
parentsi
A. Yes.
Q. What was iti
A. Am l. for her sake, bound to tell youi
The Coroner, don't want to pry into secrets only
know anything bearing the state of her mind
A. Both her parents had committed suicide too
Q. suppose she talked of that great dealt
A. Yes, great deal
9. And it got on her mindf
A. Yes She said she felt her mother calling her, and
wanted 10 60.
The Coroner: That is very important. You don
know whether it was true that her parents committed
sucidei
A. OF course, don't.
@. All you knew about her past what she told you
hersefi
A. Exactly. She showed me many photographs.
O. Did she have any deuson other than that she heard
her mother calling to heri That anyone was prosecuting
her, or anything of that kindi
A. She used to allude to her former husband. She
could bear the thought that perhaps he might
Q. Did she divorce her husbandi
A. Yes.
@. And she did not wish him to see her boyi
A. She did not want him to come into contact with
Q. Has she left any writing bearing her deathi
She left message for or for her son whatever
@. What was her financial position roughyi
A. 1t good don't think money worried heT
very much when she married We loved each other(
much that money did matter because of that fact
Q. Are you well Off
Dr. Philip Henry Gunn police surgeon testified that
he had examined the poison pha which had been picked
up in the gutter outside the window The doctor said
that contained cyanide of potassium and that this was
the Of Mrs. Steanes death.
Not word said which explained in any way why
this beautiful young woman newly married favorite in
society with ample means at her disposal should have
suddenly taken her life after gay and enjoyable
day.
What message Of dreadful import suddenly came to
her after she into her bedroomi How did it Gomez
Was it writteni Was it spoken through the windowf
Did it come by teephonei Did it come in some more
occult mannerf
Nothing in her husbands recollection of her
sations gave any rational explanation Of her act The
fact that her father and mother said to have com
mtted suicide, the Austrian Crown Prince and
Baroness vetsera supposed to have DONE ade
quate explanation. Why should that well known occur
renee of long her to commit suicide suddenly
after life in which she had sought and deeply enjoyed
most Of the worlds peasuresi
Throughout her life Mrs. Steane had adhered
sstently to the story that she the child Of the Aus
tran Crown Prince and the Baroness Vetsera In favor
Of it certain resemblance to the deceased Baroness
and foreign accent and appearance. Among the many
people who knew her in the United States, had
ever been able to find out that she had American
parents The religious sisters who conducted her educa
ton considered themselves bound to conceal her origin
Mrs. Steane after leaving her Canadian convent
always used the Of Vetsera (somemes Vecera as
appears her marriage ccrtAcate after the Baroness
who she believed was her mother
II ID interesting to note that the certificate Of her
marriage with Captain 6teane in London this year no