Evening star., 1923-10-05
DOCTOR D|SC[0SES
MRS. WEBB'S STORY
Dying Society Woman Said
She Took Blue Tablets, He
Tells, in Statement.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, October 5.-Interest
in the mysterious death of Mrs. Ger
trude German Webb at fashionable
country club in Rye. n. Y, September
25, continued today in this city pend
ing the report of DR.. Alexander 0.
Goether. whose report on his ex-
animation of the woman's vital organs
is being prepared.
DIR. Goettler announced yesterday
that there was mercury in the brain.
liver and kidneys of Mrs. Webb. but
that it was in such small quantity
that il cannot be stated positively to
have caused her death. This he VIII
set forth in his report to Westcnes-
ter county authorities who nave
charge of the investigation.
District Attorney Rowland saIo ne
was going ahead with his plans to
continue the grand jury investigation.
Plans of relatives, several OF WnoHi
are beneficiaries of Mrs. Webb's estate
of several million dollars, to appear
to Gov. Smith for assistance In ehe
contest have been postponed penalng
further action or the "estcheStei
Details of Goettler's report Will not
be made public until the grand Jury
has studied the statement at It's meet
ing next Monday, authorities an
nounced. - a..
deathbed scene described before the
Westchester grand jury by MIS-;
Robert W. tombstone, bosom friend
of Mrs Webb, and by DR.. William >.
Meyer, whose refusal to issue a deatn
are believed to have been revealed in
a Statement made by the doctor last
night.
Took Blue Tablets.
The suspicions of a trained nurse.
voiced while Mrs. Webb was dying.
resulted in cross-examfnatton or MRS.
Webb and the revelation that she had
taken blue tablets which. said DR..
Meyer, might have contained poison.
Mrs. Johnstone and the nurse were
in the sick room when DR.. Meyer be-
gan questioning the dying patient. he
said.
DR.. Meyer told of giving Mrs. Webb
a thorough discrimination and of
taking her hand and saying. "Gertie,
you are dying and 1t is absolutely
necessary for you to answer some
very important questions about per-
sonal things. Will your"
THE poor girls fingers frightened
on mine" the doctor continued. For
perhaps sixty seconds she rolled her
eyes from Mrs. Johnstone to me. then
in a thin, weak voice. said: Yes"
Amazed by Story.
'She told me. in answer to a dozen
questions. the meaning of which had
to explain in great detail because of
this child-woman's ignorance of GER
tain things, an almost incredible
story. From any less source than a
patient on her deathbed I would have
hesitated to believe the things
heard"
In answer to questions, the doctor
said, Mrs. Webb admitted she had
taken an occasional highball or cock
tail, but she did not believe 1t posi-
BILE for any one to have put anything
in those drinks without her know
ing it.
"Try hard and see if you can re-
member any time, any place, any cir
cumstance under which anything
might have got into your system" the
doctor said he asked her.
The conversation as related by the
doctor proceeded:
Margaret (Mrs. Johnstone) knows
she whispered.
"'what was used" asked her. =
Tablets she replied
What color were they, Gertie%
"'Blue, / think she answered"
DIR. Meyer was asked if that was
why he did not sign a death certid-
cate.
"It certainly was, and I think it was
enough" he replied.