The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-05-08
Deathbed Story Told by Harriet Walske, a
Kenosha Nurse, duplicates a
Kenosha Surgeon.
THOROUGH INVESTIGATION NOW ON
District Attorney Makes Investigation of Report That
Illegal Operation Was Performed in
Kenosha Recently.

treatment. She suggested that Mr..
4 Steinle talk to the girl.
Z. Since last Monday Miss Walska
stoutly refused to make any statement
concerning her plight. Although rack
ed with pain, she laughed off the per-
sistent efforts made by the assistant
prosecutor to get her to make a state
ment. On Wednesday unable to laugh
any longer, she admitted that she re-
allied the seriousness Of her condi-
ton. On Thursday when she contin-
ued to steadily become worse she made
her first statement
Names Racine Doctor.
Although refusing to name any doc
tor specifically, she stated that the
illegal operation had been performed
by Racine physician. She said that
after the operation she returned to
Kenosha and went to the Hotel Ke-
nosha. When she realized that she
was in danger, she said she summoned
Ia Kenosha physician who called each
/ day to treat her.
Last Saturday she wired her sister
in Fond du Lac, that she was i'll with
appendicitis, and asked that her sister
come to Kenosha Immediately and
have her moved to Milwaukee. Miss
Walske's family live in Milwaukee,
and she told her sister she wanted TO
be near them while she was i'll.
Last Sunday an ambulance called at
the Hotel Kenosha and moved the sick
girl to the Maternity hospital at Mil
waukee.
Later Thursday when Assistant
Prosecutor Steinle again called at the
hospital the girl told him that she had
come. to Kenosha about four years ago
and had been employed as a nurse at
the Willowbrook sanitarium.
Met Betrayer Last Year.
She stated that she met her betray-
err, a Chicago man, last year. Since
that time she had seen him frequent
ly. Their last date was in the early
part of February. In March she said
she realized that she was in trouble
and left the institution. She moved
in town. Under further questioning
she stated that she would not name
her betrayer or the physician until she
knew that she was dying. Then she
promised to call the prosecutor again
if she felt the end was near
4 Late yesterday afternoon Mr.. Steinle
received call from the hospital.
/ Nurses said Miss Walske had asked
for him at once. Accompanied by a
court stenographer he was rushed from
his office in the city hall to the he'd
5;d7 &C The dying girl in police
car.
The girl lay on cot in a private
roof, her face distorted with agony.
"Mr. Steinle," she gasped, II am dy-
ing, and know it. But can't die with
that lie on my lips 1t was not Ra-
cine doctor that operated on me. 1t
was that Kenosha physician (here she
named the doctor.) l am telling the
truth now for l know ] am dying. I
was operated on in an office there in
Kenosha, and then went over to the
hotel From then on l continued to
get worse"
The girl paused for a moment,
caught her breath and then continued:
"The man who is responsible is -"
She died before she could finish the
sentence.
Check Proves Statements.
A hasty check here in Kenosha this
morning succeeded in proving all the
main points of the girls story.
At the Willowbrook sanitarium Miss
Ellida bunker, superintendent of the
institution, stated that Miss Walske
had been employed there during the
major part of the past four years. She
left once for few months about two
years ago and then returned later.
Miss bunker declared that the girl
was one of the finest nurses who had
ever been, at the institution. Her
work had always been done with ac-
curacy, and her service was most con-
scientious. She added that Miss
Walske was of quiet demeanor and
was seldom away from the institution
for any period of time. She stated
that the revelations Of her tragic death
came as a distinct shock.
At the Hotel Kenosha a check of
the register showed that Miss Walske
registered there on April Ii and left
in an ambulance last Sunday, April
I27. The girl appeared to be i'll when
she registered, it was stated, but grad
ually grew worse, until her sister ar
rived a week ago today to take her
away. Hotel employees stated that q
4 Kenosha physician had been treating
i the sick girl during her stay there.