Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1915 — SOT’S DEATH NKEDS SOME INVESTIGATION [ARTICLE]

SOT’S DEATH NKEDS SOME INVESTIGATION

Son of Lou Watkins Said to Hava Died of Acuta Aloo holism —People Indignant. The 3-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Low Watkins, who live in Rabbit Town, died this morning and Dr. C. E. Johnson, the phyteician called to see the child, states that he believes the child’s death was caused by acute alcoholism. If this should prove true, the good people of this community should not rest until a thorough investigation is made and if it is proven that the father of the child or any other person gave the child whiskey and produced the condition that resulted fatally then the most vigorous prosecution should follow. The child is to be buried Friday morning and right at this time .when the hearts of the parents should be wrung with anguish it is unfortunate to have this story afloat, but it seems to be talked generally about town that the Wat kins family had a drunken Jamboree last Sunday, that this little boy was used to pfcss the bofitlie of whiskey about to Jhe father and other men in the house and that the child drank of the liquor in sufficient quantity to Cause its death a little more than two days later. It is said that Watkins has been In the habit of entertaining at affairs where liquor and brawls constituted the entertainment and on one occasion one of the Watkins men Was fined foT public intoxication. The writer on one occasion saw the father in a decidedly intoxicated condition in Company with one of his little children and has frequently heard that (Watkins had drank to excess and th'at conditions existing in his hbme have been far from what they should be. Prosecuting Attorney Sands has consulted Judge Hanley about the rumors and an indignant citizenship will back him up in an effort to bring to justice the guilty person who gave whskey to the littfte b'oy if that proves to be the cause of death. *