Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1901 — MIKE LAWLER LOCKED UP. [ARTICLE]

MIKE LAWLER LOCKED UP.

Under Suspicion of Having Caused Death of Young Woman. Mike Lawler, one of the Lawler Bros., owners of the Lawler ranch, near Rose Lawn, was arrested Monday night in Chicago and was held to await the result of the coroner’s inquest in the case of a young woman whom he claimed had committed suicide. Tuesday’s Chicago Tribune contains the following account of the affair: Miss Elizabeth Sterling died yesterday morning under mysterious circumstances at the house of Mrs Mary Harris, 263 Twenty-ninth street. Michael Lawler, member of the StockYards commission firm of Lawler Bros., was with the young woman at the time of her death and watched her as life ebbed away. Mrs. Harris and Lawler were arrested at 9 o’clock last night by Detectives Bretowitz and Schwelbert of the Cottage Grove Avenus Station, and are being held to await the result of the Coroner’s inquest. The story told is that the woman drank carbolic acid on Saturday afternoon. Efforts to conceal the manner of the woman’s death have been made by all who are supposed to know the facts, and the statements made are at var’ance one with the other. It appears that Lawler had been paying attentions to Miss Sterling for seven years. According to his story told to the police she was jealous of him and threatened to commit suicide if he left her. “I suppose she thought I was going away with another woman,” said Lawler last night. “Sne said she would kill herself if I left her, and I and other people have taken carbolic acid away from her than forty times.” According to the statement of Mrs. Harris Lawler and Miss Sterling rented a room at the house at 11 o’c ock on Friday night. They went away at 9 o’clock the next morning. They returned, and at 4 o’clock on Saturday afternoon Mrs. Harris says she heard a scream in the hall, and found Miss Sterling leaning across the banister. She helped her into the room and called Dr. W. A. Bennett, 2901 State street, who gave the woman antidotes for carbolic acid. Miss Sterling lingered till yesterday morning, when she died.

Her body was taken to Barney McNeil’s undertaking rooms, 2911 State street, at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The undertaker denied any knowledge ofthe body until the police located it. Dr. Bennett, who, according to the rul?s of the Health department, was to notify the police of the woman’s death, declared he was told by the persons in Mrs. Harris’ house that the police had been notified. The police have not been able to find the bottle which contained trie carbolic acid. This and the fact that the woman lived thirty-six hours after she had taken the aoid, has made the police suspicious. The woman’s lips show no marks of carbolic acid burns, and the Coroner’s physician will have to determine the cause of ner death.

Lawler Exonerated. At the coroner’s inquest Tuesday the jury decided that Miss Sterling came to her death from the effects of carbolic acid taken with suicidal intent. Michael Lawler of the commission firm of Lawler Bros, and Mrs. Harris, the lessee of the flat, were both exonerated. Deputy Coroner John Downey was in charge of the inquest. The witnesses examined were Douglas Sterling, a brother of the woman, Detectives Schweickert and Breterneitz of the Cottage Grove Avenue Police Station, Dr. W. A. Bennett, of 2901 State street, and Mrs. Mattie Harris. Mr. Sterling testified that his sister bad been of a mel&ncholy disposition for a considerable period. Mrs. Harris told of the case. “I heard some one moaning in the hallway,” she said. “It was Miss Sterling. I dragged her into the kitchen. We sent for Dr. Bennett, who treated her until she died.” Dr. Bennett corroborated Mrs. Harris’ statement. The detectives told how their attention had been called to the case and stated their belief that it was suicide. The Deputy Coroner read the report of the Coroner’s physician, showing that Miss Sterling had died as the result of carbolic acid poisoning. The bowling match between the Hammond and Rensselaer teams has been postponed until Friday night of this week.