Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-26
MISS HANAN TAKES
SECRET TO GRAVE
Dying Woman Absolves Man
Companion of Blame for
Double Tragedy.


died at the Long Island College Hos
pital, Brooklyn, at o'clock yesterday
morning. She was unconscious for
two hours before the end came and
the mystery of her death and the sui
eide of her chum, Mrs. Grace Lawes.
who shot her early Friday morning,
remains unexplained.
Miss Hanan died in the arms of her
mother. while her brother. Alfred p.
Hanan, Jr., and Patrolman Jchn Nor
iarity OF the Butler Street Station,
stood AT the bedside The policeman
was there because Miss Hanan was
booked as material witness on the
police blotter.
She ESonerates Borland.
Just before she lapsed into uncon-
sciousness. she exonerated John $. |
Eorland. New York importer, of all /
blame i'm the tragedy. Borland was |
with her when she was shot. Jealousy |
ON the part of Mrs. Lawes was held |
by the police TO have been the cause.
Boriand denied this emphatically in
sisting that he did not know Mrs.
1.awes well enough to have given her
any cause for jealousy.
Late last night Detective Captain
sullivan questioned the dying woman
60 fuihu the formalities of the law.
who shot you?" he asked.
Grace"
DO YOU know why?"
Miss Hanan wearily shook her head
did Mr.. Borland have anything to
do with it?"
Not in the least" was the reply.
An autopsy was performed yester-
day morning by DR.. Carl Boettinger,
assistant medical examiner of Kings
county. in the presence of DIR. Ernest
Vaughn. of the District Attorneys
office The autopsy showed that a
bullet had pienced the throax and the
g. ,oincn and had lodged under the
ninth rib on the right side beneath the
chest walls.
The body was taken TO the funeral
parlors of Fred Riker. Brooklyn, where
a. was embalmed and then taken TO
Alfred T. Hanan's home at Sea Gate
l.. L. whence the funeral, strictly pri-
v..tc. will be held.
Miss Hanan lost her fight for life
4 ause she was unable to overcome
weakness from loss OF blood due to
three bullet wounds. Up to Saturday
midnight she was reported TO be i'm
proving. She had survived several
operations for blood transfusions and
phys ans had said she might live
nut with the early hours of Sunday
morning came a relapse. Her mother
and brothers were summoned just be-
f,~e dawn, when she died.
Several times shortly before shs
iapsed into unconsciousness Mis-.
lanan seemed To try To speak To Pa
trolman Moriarity. Ii is believed shs
may have decided to tell the reason
Mrs. Iawes suddenly attacked her
Shc opened her lips. but speech faileC
her.
Burland maintained his silence. II,
told the police it may have been a cas-,
of jealousy, but denied that Mrs
1awes was jealous over him. He saiC
she might have been enraged becaus,
he took up so much of her chum'
time.
The police declare Mrs. Lawes wa
an the habit of taking drugs. The,
eaid several friends of hers had in
formed them that she had been usinl
various narcotics steadily for the las
Elk months.
Mrs. Lawes' body is still in tn
Miss Har...n's brother discussing tn
double tragedy explains:
Mrs. Iawes several months ag
impressed me as irresponsible.
N didn't like the way she acted, and
asked my sister TO try to break III
connection with her, at least as ia
as its intimate nature was concerne'
She had the appearance and manne
which l thought indicated a user {
drugs and just the suspicion of thu
disquieted me. Mrs. Lawes was
cousin Of the second Mrs Hama
and Mildred met her through HI
father. She had little and Mildrt
felt sorry for her.
Mildred was a good hearted gi
and her goodness OF heart has no
cost her her life. The suggestiC
that rivalry between Mildred al
Mrs. Lawes for any mans attention
is absurd. Mrs. Lawes was fort
nve and not thirty-five as the pape
have been saying. Mr.. Borlan
who, OF course. is the only man wi
can be considered in any such refe
II ence. is only a young man. The
never was any engagement, or su
gestion Of an engagement, betwe
him and Mildred.
"To suggest a motive for such
crime is almost impossible. The on
explanation is that her act was III
OF an insane woman. and insane p'
sons need no motive. There was
disagreement between Mildred a
Mrs. Lawes. Mildred had been &c
20 her. loaned her money from til
20 time. She lived on and off at
mothers house.
"As ] stated. ! was disquieted abb
the woman and her whole charact
told Mildred il would be advs
tageous 10 break with her and n
dred acted according to my ADV
When Mrs. Lawes found she was
lose the monetary help and the no
she decided 20 commit the crime. 5
said to Mildred at the time of
disagreement: i will see that
Hanan name gets in the papers
big type and she certainly carr
out her threat.