Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1915 — CORONER’S INQUEST WAS HELD MONDAY [ARTICLE]

CORONER’S INQUEST WAS HELD MONDAY

Statement of Watkins Family All to Effect that 3-Year-Old Boy Got Whiskey Himself. County Coroner Dr. C. E. Johnson, conducted an inquest Monday afternoon to ascertain how the 3-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Lou Watkins met his death. As the attending physician, Dr. Johnson, had diagnosed the little lad’s trouble as acute alchoholism and an autopsy after death supported the diagnosis. Rumors that Watkins or others who were at his home had given the boy whiskey caused thd decision to hold the inquest. The witnesses were Mr. and Mrs. Lou Watkins, Elmer Watkins, brother of Lou, and William Allen, a ditcher, who has oeen living with the Watkins family. Also Mrs. William Burch and her husband’s uncle, W. R. Burch, neighbors of the Watkins family. The members of the Watkins family all told the same story that a bottle a small amount of whiskey had been left on the floor on Saturday night and that the boy, who was up before the father got up, took the bottle and drank of the contents and became sick almost at once. It was William Allen who went to the Burch home to call the doctor when the little boy was siezed with convulsions and he told Mrs. Burch and her uncle that the father of the boy had given him whiskey, at least that was the testimony of both W. R. Burch and Mrs. William Burch at the inquet. Mrs. Burch also states that after the doctor was called to see the boy Watkins left home and did not return until the afternoon, when he arrived in an automobile and was apparently under the influence of liquor. Watkins did not try to excuse himself from moral responsibility, although denying that he had given liquor to the child. He said that the child had an appetite for liquor and turned the bottle right up and drank it. He admitted that he had been in the habit of drinking periodically and that he felt that his habits were thus responsible for the death of his child. He seemed to be filled with remorse and stated that he would never again touch a drop of liquor. Following the inquest, as far as it was conducted, Watkins saw the editor of The Republican and protested his innocence but admitted indirect responsibility. He said that he promised the little boy when the life was passing out that he would never touch liquor again and that he intended to keep the promise. "You can say, if you like,” said Mr. Watkins, “that I will never touch liquor again as long as I live.” : __ Coroner Johnson was unable to get some other neighbors of Watkins to testify, as they pleaded sickness. He will not file his report, however, until these people are sufficiently recovered to give their testimony. If there is sufficient evidence to impeach the testimony of the members of the Watkins household it is probable that the coroner will hold the father legally responsible in making his report to the clerk of the court.