Evening star., 1923-09-28
RICH WOMAN'SbOD
TESTED FOR POISON
Mystery in Death of Mrs. c. J.
Webb Causes Probe-Had
Made New Will.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
RYE, N Y, September 2S.-The
death of Mrs. Charles Webb of New
York and Philadelphia, society wom-
an. which, 1t was learned last night,
has aroused the suspicious of several
Westchester county officials, will be
thoroughly investigated in an effort
to discover the cause, the authorities
said today.
Mrs. Webb, who was said to have
been wealthy in her own right, died
last Tuesday in the fashionable West
Country Club after
an illness of three weeks. DR.. Will
liam ]. Meyer. her physician, declined
to issue a death certificate. on the
ground that death followed certain
unnamed mysterious circumstances.
Several relatives. including Mr.. and
Mrs. william T. Hunter of Devon. Pa,
W no were with Mrs. Webb at the time
of her death, and cogniZant of the
alleged mysterious circumstances sur
rounding it, demanded that an au-
topsy be performed. Medical experts
were summoned and instructed to
determine If any letha1 poisons were
in the body. The result probably will
not be known until tomorrow.
secrecy
The greatest secrecy prevailed at
the club and among the dead wom-
ans relatives and friends. Mr.. Webb.
who was with his wife through her
Illness, could not be found at his
home. his office or his club.
Mr.. and Mrs. Webb were married
November last. Since that time they
have lived largely in hotels, country
clubs and resorts.
Mrs. Webb's private fortune is esti-
mated at between s2,o00,000 and s3.-
O00,o coo. 1t was said changes in her
will had been made just prior to her
death.
Though physicians working on the
case would not make any statement
regarding the circumstances of her
death. it was said that suspicious had
first been aroused by bruises on the
abdomen.
Family Was Wealthy.
Mrs. Webb was the daughter of S.
Jennings German and the late Mrs.
Gertrude A. German. She was of the
fourth generation that has occupied
the family home in fashionable Madi-
son avenue. Her grandfather. Ed
mund A s. Smith. was a financier and
left large real estate holdings that
still are in possession of the family.
Mr.. Webb's father. the late Charles
Henry Webb. was known as John
Paul. author and journalist. For
three years he was literary editor of
the New York Times and was on the
Tribune under Horace Greeley He
founded the Californian, the first lit
erary journal of that state. His wife
was a lineal descendant of Levi Hol-
den, a lieutenant of George Washing
tons bodyguard-
Doubts Foul Play.
Coroner Edward F. Fitzgerald was
frank in saying he did not believe
there. was anything suspicious about
the death of Mrs. Webb and that if
she had not been woman OF wealth
no attention would have been paid
to the circumstances of her death.
II don't think there's anything TO
it," he said. It's simply u case in
which the physician did not want
to issue a death certificate We have
lots of cases like that. ! don't know
what the analysis will show, of
course. but ] don't think it will re-
veal poison.
II don't say that it won't, but ]
feel that there is nothing to these
suspicious. However. if poison is
found l will take the matter up
with the district attorney. / expect
a report on the Psychologists exam
fnation in a week or ten days. 1t
would be impossible to make thor
ough analysis in few days."