The story of Louise Vermilya, a serial killer who poisoned and killed nine victims with arsenic, is fascinating. From the moment they suspected her of murder to all the strange stories that came out about her before and during her trial, a book could be written on her horrendous crimes and strange behavior – a quick search reveals no books dedicated to this infamous poisoner.
Medical Examination of Mrs. Vermilya
May Be Suffering From Strange and Rare Disease
Symptoms of Necrophilism, Most Horrible Disease Known to Science, Exhibited by Alleged Poisoner
Other Arrests Planned
Louise Vermilya may never be tried for the murder of Policeman Arthur Bissonette nor any other of the eight persons near and dear to her who died sudden and mysterious deaths.
Coroner Hoffman today ordered an examination of the woman by several physicians to determine whether she is suffering from one of the strangest and most rare of diseases, known to the medical science as necrophilism.
If Mrs. Vermilya is a necrophilist she could not legally be held accountable for murder, and if the physicians who are to examine her so report to Coroner Hoffman, she will be committed to the state asylum for the criminal insane immediately.
Necrophilism is the most horrible disease known to medicine. Its victims usually are women between the ages of 40 and 50, and most frequently women who have been mothers.
Its outward manifestations are a ghoulish delight in all forms of death and in all the surroundings and vestments of death and homicidal mania, particularly toward the loved ones of the victim.
All these “symptoms” have been most noticeable in Mrs. Vermilya.
The strangest and most revolting part of the story of this woman whom the police say poisoned nine persons, is the delight she always has shown in the presence of death, or the dead.
Two undertakers have told how Mrs. Vermilya persisted in visiting their morgues against their wishes, in handling dead bodies, in helping in embalming of bodies.
Neighbors of the woman have told how, on hearing of death in the neighborhood, Mrs. Vermilya immediately would go to the house wherein the death had taken place, and intrude upon the relatives with offers of aid.
Mrs. Vermilyas own bedroom in the “Death Chamber” of the flat at 415 East Twenty-ninth street, is hung with photographs of the dead and of cemeteries.
There is a large picture of a cemetery, bleak and drear, with many tombstones. It is not a picture of any cemetery holding the mortal remains of one dear to Mrs. Vermilya. It is just a picture she picked up, and which she took a fancy to.
There is another picture of Richard T. Smith, who once was engaged to Mrs. Vermilya, and who died suddenly and mysteriously. And near this picture is one of Smith’s tombstone.
An undertaker, too, was one of Mrs. Vermilya’s closest associates. For over a year, she was seen almost daily with Undertaker C.C. Boysen, the man who prepared the bodies of Smith and of her first husband, Vermilya, for burial.
It is these things that caused Coroner Hoffman to order that Mrs. Vermilya, now in a barred hospital room at the county jail, to be examined by physicians for traces of necrophilism.
“In no other way, can I account for Mrs. Vermilya’s ghoulish delight in the dead and in things connected with death,” Coroner Hoffman said.
“All that we have discovered in this connection has not been made public yet. There are scores of letters and postcards in the possession of the police, belonging to Mrs. Vermilya.
“And perhaps it is in these letters more than in any other way, that the fascination of the dead for this woman has been uncovered.
“All through these letters and postcards run the morbid strain that is the surest indication of necrophilism.”
There is another point in this connection, too. Granted that the police be correct in their theories, unless Mrs. Vermilya be a necrophilist, she deliberately murdered nine persons.
And for what?
The police so far have been able to point to no other motive than that of love of money.
Would love of money be great enough to move this woman to so slay nine persons, every one of whom loved her, or was loved by her?
The idea is monstrous, and Coroner Hoffman again points to the workings of necrophilism.
“Necrophilism in an advanced stage leads the sufferer to murder those near and dear to her (necrophilism is a woman’s disease).”
But while Coroner Hoffman was giving orders for a medical examination of Mrs. Vermilya, a conference was being held in the office of State’s Attorney Burnham, in charge of the case for the county.
The conference was on the advisability of further arrests being made in connection with the Vermilya case.
It is admitted by Burnham that such further arrests are likely at any time. But he also says that they will not likely be made until Mrs. Vermilya herself appears before the grand jury.
This, Burnham says, will take place at the earliest possible moment. He and State’s Attorney Wayman believe that Mrs. Vermilya’s attorney, Burres, intends to attempt to secure the release of Mrs. Vermilya on bonds within a few days.
It is for this reason that every effort will be made to have Mrs. Vermilya indicted by the grand jury as soon as possible. It is feared that if Mrs. Vermilya should be freed on bonds, she would commit suicide immediately, and, as the police put it, “cheat the gallows.”
Who the other persons are whom may be arrested in connection with the case, neither the states attorney, the police nor coroner will say.
But Coroner Hoffman had one significant remark to make.
“The causes of death given in some of the death certificates of the cases associated with Mrs. Vermilya look suspicious.
“In the certificate of Charles Vermilya, Mrs. Vermilya’s second husband, the cause of death is given as acute gastritis, and the duration of the illness as eight days. The certificate of death was signed by Dr. Elisha T. Hook.
“The certificate of Richard T. Smith gives the cause of death as acute gastritis and the duration of the illness two days. That of Frank Brinkamp gives the cause as lobar pneumonia and the duration of illness two months. Both of these were issued by Dr. L.L. Hertel.
“Brinkamp is reported to have vomited considerably before his death. But patients don’t vomit when suffering from that disease.
“Of course, the symptoms of arsenic poisoning and gastritis are similar and a physician might make a mistake and call arsenic poisoning acute gastritis.”
The police also intend to question Undertaker C.C. Boysen, who prepared Richard T. Smith’s body for burial, and who was on extremely friendly terms with Mrs. Vermilya again.
It was of this undertaker that Frank Brinkamp spoke, according to Elizabeth Nolan, when, knowing his death to be approaching, he looked sneeringly at his mother and said:
“Well, you’d better call in your friend Boysen and have him finish this job.”
Mrs. Vermilya is not allowed to see anyone at the jail hospital. She passed a good night, and on wakening this morning, looked cheerfully at her nurse:
“Well, this place isn’t home,” she said, “but it isn’t so bad.”
Her nurses at the hospital several times have attempted to engage her in conversation, but on each occasion, Mrs. Vermilya has turned her face to the wall, and refused to make any answer to them.
The body of Frank Brinkamp was exhumed yesterday. This fact was kept secret because Coroner Hoffman wished to have Miss Nolan attend the opening of the coffin and identify the body of her dead sweetheart. Miss Nolan said she would do so only on condition that the public did not know what was going on.
Miss Nolan appeared when the grave was being opened. She was very nervous, but evidently had herself well in hand. She shuddered once or twice as the earth was shoveled away from the coffin. but gave no other sign of emotion until the final act of the opening of the coffin was to take place.
Then she broke down.
“I can’t look at it,” she sobbed hysterically, “I can’t. I can’t.”
The identification final was made certain by Miss Nolan’s description of jewelry which was buried with Brinkamp, and the girl was led sobbing to her home.
Source: (1911, November 07). Medical Examination of Mrs. Vermilya. The Day Book, pgs. 5-8.
