The New York herald., 1922-08-30
Woman Refused to Diyulge
Name Of Man Who Had
Given Pill to Her.
PRESCRIPTION TORN UP
Lawyer in Victims House Re-
fused to Carry Out<Ad-
vice Of Doctor.

DR.. Gusts We A. Fensterer testified
yesterday before a Coroner's jury at
Mineola that in his opinion Mrs. Cathe-
rine Josephine Wainwright of Floral
Park, L. l., died In the Nassau Hospital
in Mineola last Saturday as the result
of bichloride of mercury poisoning. He
testified also that after she mad been
admitted to the hospital he had operated
upon her to relieve a condition brought
about by an uncompleted illegal opera
tion. The questioning of all the wit
nesses by District Attorney Weeks was
based principally on these two develop
ments in the case.
John c. Wait. a lawyer of 233 Broad
way, who was Assistant Corporation
Counsel of New York in 1904 and at one
time an assistant professor OF engineer
ing at Harvard University. when in
formed by DIR. Fensterer that Mrs.
Wainwright would probably die, offered
TO pay the doctor and hospital bills. as
che woman's family was poor. accord
ing 10 the physician. Botn be and Or.
Joseph B. Musante OF Floral Park, the
frst physician TO be called when Mrs.
Wainwright became Ill. said that Wait
had made particular Inquiries as to the
possibility of the woman having taken
arscnical poisoning.
DIR. Fensterer said that when he sent
Mrs. Wainwright TO the Nassau Hospi-
tai she seemed at first to be suffering
from intestinal trouble. but that later
symptoms OF mercuric poisoning de-
veloped. When questioned she said that
her husband had given her a pill to take,
but when reminded that her husband
was in South America she said another
man had given it to her. She would not
divulge this man. name and would not
tell more aboui the pill
DR.. Musante testified that when he, at
tended Mrs Wainwright in her home at
Floral Park Wait was there. He gave
a prescription which called for soda,
cascara and rhubarb. Wait. he testified,
tore up the prescription, saying that
there was as good soda in the house as
sould be obtained on the prescription.
Or. Musante also said that before he
turned the case over to DIR. Fensterer
he had not seen any evidences or an
Illegal operation nor of mercuric poison
ing The infection In Mrs. wainwright
body, he said. could have been caused
by food
Michael Cusack. father of the dead
woman, sail that he understood his
daughter went to Waits office. some
time before size became III to read her
wal and other papers that she had
there. She had been employed by Wait
as a bookkecper before her marriage,
he said. Wait attended the hearing yes-
terday, bit did not testify. The District
Attorney said. however that Wait had
asked permission to do so, and that per-
mission might be granted at the neAt
session of the inquest. which was ad-
journed yesterday afternoon to await
the receipt of laboratory report on a
chemical analysis of the contents of
Mrs. Wainwrights stomach.
During his testimony DIR. Fensterer
said that he had understood from Wait
that the lawyer had taken Mrs. Vain
wright to lunch and that she became
i'll during the meal He then took her
to her home in Floral Park. He also
testified that later Wait came to the
hospital and asked II it would not be
advisable for Mrs. Wainwright to make
a will