Evening star., 1938-07-22
NURSE ARRESTED
AS WOMAN DIES
Representatives Daughter
Expires, AIIegedIy After
Illegal Operation.
RJILFTTN
BULLETIN.

Mrs. Ethel Mae Conner, nurse,
held in connection with the death
of Mrs. Justince Crosser Sweeney.
confessed she attempted to perform
an illegal operation and the young
woman died from the effects of a
hypodermic, Detective Sergt. George
Darnall of the homicide squad an
nounced
coroner's jury will investigate the
sudden death Of Mrs. Justine Crosser
Sweeny. 20. daughter of Representa-
tive Crosser of Ohio, which occurred
late yesterday afternoon in an apart
ment at $3.50 Fourteenth street NV.
following what authorities said was
an illegal operation
DR.. A. Magruder Macdonald, the
conorer, said the date of the inquest
will be set when his Office and detec-
tives Of the homicide squad complete
their investigation. An autopsy at the
District Morgue last night revealed,
DR.. Macdonald said, that death was
due to an operation.
Authorities were told that Mrs.
SWeeny died within an hour after
she explained to her husband she was
going shopping and left his automo-
bile on Fourteenth street near the $500
block.
The husband. Charles A. Sweeny
an attorney employed by the Federal
Trade Commission, said his wife ap-
parently was in good health when she
left him.
Nurse Is Held.
Police today were holding for the
coroner's jury Mrs. Mae Conner. 43,
said to be nurse. in whose room Mrs.
Sweeny died shortly after 5 o'clock
yesterday afternoon.
Mrs. Corners was brought to head
quarters for questioning this morning.
Meanwhile, the coroner's Office re-
leased the body of Mrs. Sweeny and
it will be taken tonight to Cleveland.
where funeral services will be held.
A private physician was summoned
and Mrs. Sweeny was pronounced
dead late yesterday. The physician
notified the coroner's Office, and
Deputy Coroner Richard Rosenberg
made a preliminary Investigation at
the apartment.
Mr. Sweeny said his wife drove
their car from their home. 1922
Draper lane, Silver Spring, Md, yes
terday afternoon and picked him up
at 430 o'clock when he got off work.
His wife said she wished to do some
shopping on Fourteenth street, Mr..
Sweeny said, and he let her out
of the automobile after making an
appointment to meet her in the vi
cinity.
When his wife failed to keep the
appointment. Mr.. Sweeny said, he
telephone his home and learned au-
thorities had notified persons there
of her death. The husband hurried
to the Fourteenth street apartment.
He said he did not know Mrs. Conner.
Laboratory Test Ordered.
Mrs. Conner was arrested by De-
tectives Jerry Flaherty and Aubrey
Tolson of the homicide squad. Fol-
lowing the autopsy, laboratory tests
were ordered.
Friends said Mrs. Sweeny had been
in robust health shortly before her
death. Representative and Mrs. Cros-
ser are in Hot Springs, Ark. where
Mr.. Crosser recently underwent an
operation.
Mrs. Sweeny graduated in 1881
from American University, two months
after she eloped to Ohio with Mr.
Sweeny, formerly of Toledo who was
a classmate. The couple kept their
marriage secret until after their
graduation, and then repeated the
ceremony at Alexandria, after notify
ing the Representative and his wife.
In addition to her husband and
parents, Mrs. Sweeny is survived by
two daughters, Isabel, 4, and Nancy,
2; a sister, Miss Barbara Crosser.
secretary to the Representative, and
a brother, Robert Crosser, jr.