Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 35, Number 153, 9 April 1910 — Page 1

AND SUN-TELEGRAM.

VOL. XXXV. NO. 153. RICHMOND. IND., SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 9, 1910. SINGLE COPY, C ITS.

Coroner Bramkamp's Verdict Makes This Positive Finding But Does Not Fix the Responsibility for the Alleged Crime.

SENSATION IS CAUSED BY VERDICT Franklin Township Now Has a' Mystery on Its Hands That the Wayne County Authorities May Have Difficulty in Solving.

CHEMIST'S REPORT MADE THE BASIS OF THE Positive Evidence of Deadly Arsenic Has Been Found in Both Stomach and Liver of White. A COMPLETE INQUIRY BY THE PROSECUTOR Latest Development Probably Will Result in Grand Jury Being Called on to Probe Case. ' "I, A. L. Sramkamp, coroner of Mid county, having examined the body of Cddla White, and hoard tha testimony of. tha witneeeee which la hereto attached, do hereby find that eald deceased came to hla death the 23rd day of. December, 1909, from poisoning by arsenic, how and by whom administered, and with what . purpose the evidence procurable by me fails to establish." The above is the report of Coroner A. I Bramkamp, filed this morning, with County Clerk Harry E. Penny. Eddie White died at his home, about one mile south of Whitewater on December 23, after an illneer. of one week. Hla Illness and death was suspicious to the residents of that vicinity, but no Information was furnished the county officials until late In January and on January 28, Coroner A. L. Bramkamp held hla official autopsy. ' Eddie K. White was a well known young fanner, having lived in Whitewater and that vicinity his entire life. He lived with hla wife and one daughter on a farm, aouth of Whitewater, and was highly respected in that neighborhood. On December 15, he and his wife, leaving their daughter at Whitewater, came to this city, and did some shopping. Among the supplies purchased was a can of corn, which was prepared for supper upon the return of Mr. and Mrs. White that evening. Mrs. White had a headache and did not eat much aupper, but her husband ate a large amount of the corn. ;' Mrs. White Becomes III. Mrs. White became very 111, that evening and vomited repeatedly. However, Mar. White's health was as usual and not until aftery his breakfast on the following morning, did he feel ill. He became very sick and vomited frequently. Dr. A. H. Jones of Whitewater, was called to the home and treated him for stomach trouble, believing that the illness was due to eating the corn, the night before. While Mr. White was very sick, yet he was not considered seriously so, and was only confined to his bed two days. A week after he was taken ill, he died. Just previous to his death he was unconscious, and before this, nervous and excitable. He had complained to those about him during his delirium that something was trying to kill him. At no time, did he experi ence any great amount of pain, his suffering being more from numbness and contraction of the muscles of the abdominal regions. ; V Sensational Stories Heard. Dr. A. H. Jones, the attending physician. In his death return, announced that he believed death was due to ptomaine poisoning, as a result of eating the canned corn. Mr. White was burled In the cemetery in Whitewater, and after his death, rather sensational stories were circulated. The authorities heard of these and started an examination. On January 28, the coroner ordered that the body be exhumed. He, in company with Dr. J. E, Weller, conducted a post mortem examination. However, they were unable to discover any causes for. death, other than thai it was due to natural causes. Dr. Alburger. the head pathologist at Indiana university was asked to make an examination and did so. He, la.tnrn, found nothing positive and at the direction of the coroner, the organs

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were turned over to Dr. It. E. Lyons, one of the chemists at the university. Dr. Lyons addressed the coroner, stat ing that he found positive evidences of arsenic and it was on this, as a basis, that coroner Bramkamp, rendered his verdict this morning. Grand Jury May Be Called. Coroner Bramkamp stated this morning that so far as his connection with the case was concerned he bad comnleted his Investigation. Prose cuting attorney Charles Ladd stated that if any convincing evidence was se cured and arrests made on suspicion, that the grand Jury will be called, and at the same time Investigate the mur der of Mrs. Prank Allison. The call for the grand jury has not been issued as yet. , Sends Stomach to Pathologist. The coroner removed the stomach and a few other internal organs of EdV die White. That these might be chemically analyzed, the stomach was sent to Prof. Albert R. Alburger, head of the department of pathology of Indiana university and he, in turn, delivered the organs over to Dr. Robert E. Lyons a well known chemist- In the introduction of his verdict the coroner says: v. ' ' " Rumora of ,FouJ Play. 1 "The report was brought to me from' various sources that the death of Eddie KWhlta. of.nearl35aUtewater, December 23, was under suspicious circumstances, that the indications were that death had not occurred from poisoning by canned corn, as was alleged by the attending physician, but by some other person, perhaps intentionally administered by someone for the purpose of causing death.. An Autopsy la Held. "Arrangements were made to have the, body exhumed from the grave in the cemetery at Whitewater by Sexton A. B. Austin, on January 28, and on this date at about 2 o'clock p. m., under instructions of the coroner, an autopsy was held by Dr. J. E. Weller; of Richmond, whose report is-hereto attached. . "The microscopic findings faUt'd to establish satisfactorily the cause of death; therefore specimens of various viscira were sent by me to the pathol ogical laboratory of the state university at Bloomington, Ind. .The pathologist, there, Dr. Alburger, reported that the microscopic findings also were not sufficient to establish the cause of death, and in answer to the direct question, stated that the findings were such as would occur if arsenic had been ingested. Under my instructions, Dr.- Alburger delivered to Robert E. Lyons, chemist, at the university, the specimens and he at my request, carried out on them, the tests for arsenic with positive results as shown by his report under date of March 23, 1910, herewith appended. The embalming fluid used was proved to ' contain no arsenic (see Frigid Fluid Co., letter.)" v Letter From Dr. Alburger. . A letter dated February , 18, and addressed to Coroner Bramkamp by Dr. Alburger, the pathologist, is In part as follows: " v However, it would seem that I am already, more or less involved so will say to you that the histrologic findings might easily have been , caused by the arsenic, especially the condition of the stomach. The lack of decomposition could also be explained by the presence of the arsenic in the tissues. We can make an analysts for arsenic, provided no arsenic was used in the embalming fluid. I have the specimens in the original contalnes in which they were sent and can proceed on advice from you." . Positive Testa For Arsenic The letter from the university chemist. Dr. R E. Lyons will also be of Interest. It Is dated March 23. 1910 and is in full as follows: , "In accordance with your request, I have made the chemical examination for arsenic in the postmortem material (stomach and piece of liver) delivered to me by Dr. Alburger on March 17, 1910, and beg to report as follows: "The liver, and stomach, each gave positive tests for arsenic. I ' find the stomach membrane to contain . forty-five- one-hundredths (45-100) of a grain of arsenic, calculated as arsenic tri-oxide." Or. Welter Reports. Dr. J. E. Weller of this city, who under the ; direction of Coroner " Bramkamp, conducted the post mortem examination, reported to the official his findings. Some of the salient points are: - "Height 5 feet 9 inches; weight 140

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pounds; body shows no wounds, except a penetrating wound to the abdominal wall, made by the undertaker In process of embalming; body comparatively well nourished showing that death was due to some acute process; perltomeum. and intestines normal; stomach-size normal, on low er curvature there are four perfora tions, having the appearance of having been made by the-needle used in embalming. The stomach contained one-half pint of chocolate colored fluid. The mucous membrane shows evidence of chronic .gastritis, with some erosions on the lower curvature having the appearance of ulcers. The pyloris is normal but Infiltrated with bile; live, normal, middle lobe shows two punctures each, one and half inches apart, probably. made dur ing the process of embalming; spleen, left and right kidney, all normal; left and right lungs, greatly congested, but showing no evidence of disease; heart full of broken down blood but valves and ventricles, normal. Brain not diseased. "Postmortem examination of the body, without chemical examination of parts of the internal organs and the stomach and its contents, reveals nothing that would indicate that death occurred from other than natural causes," is the conclusion of Dr. Weller's report. 1 Testimony of Mrs. White. The testimony of Mrs. Maude M. White, the widow, secured on January 28 is voluminous and covers the time of their married life, which was nine years before death. She said that he had measles two years ago and had stomach trouble ever since.' frequently vomiting. She says that on Saturday December 4, the deceased took several chews of Honest" Scrap tobacco, on the cover of which were some green 'spects. He became ill but the next day was as well as usual. On the night of ' Wednesday, December 15, the witness said that she was taken ill with . nausia and vomiting. Her husband seemed to be in usual health, except that his head hurt. After eating a light breakfast on Decern-ber-lO-he-became sick and -vomited, most of the day. ' '- , ' Both Ate Canned Corn. She says that she believes her own and her husband's illness was brought about by eating canned corn for supper on December 15. - Mr." White was sick for several days, vomiting f re quently, but did not take to his bed until December 22. The deceased did not . think his illness anything more serious than stomach trouble. The widow said that Dr. Jones was called on December 16 and saw her husband every day until his death. Dr. Jones told Mrs. White . that her husband's temperature was at all times no more than a half degree above ' normal. The deceased had an attack of numbness and coldness on December ,20 and again on December 22. Dr. Har ley was called into consultation by Dr. Jones on the morning of White's death, Mrs. White says. .She said that he arrived about 4:40 o'clock, the morning of December 23. about twenty minutes before Mr. White's death. She said that Dr Harley said death was probably due to the effects of eating a large amount of canned corn. In her opinion, according to her testimony to the coroner, she thought death was due to acute indigestion, brought on by eating a large amount of canned corn. . Mrs. Amanda J. Kennedy who assisted Mrs. White in nursing her husband during his last illness, told the coroner that Mr.. White was a heavy drinker. . She said that he gradually became worse and was conscious until within an hour of his death. She says that Dr. Jones administered nitroglycerine, hypodermically and also by his mouth, four hours and fifteen minutes before his death. Testimony of Or. Jones. ;" Dr. A. H. Jones the attending physician and living at Whitewater, in his testimony before the coroner, gave a history of the illness of theMecedent, as he, as a physician was faifiiliar with it He says that Mr. White became a patient of his when he had an attack of tonsilitis in the fall. He said that it appeared to him, when first called that the illness was -due to eating the corn. He said that his condition did not appear serious. He left a cathartic on the occasion of his first visit. He said that he was called on Wednesday and that White said something was killing him, complaining that the muscles of his stomach were cramped. A stimulant and sedative was administered. His pulse was poor at this time. That night. White became very cold and perspired profusely. One eighth grain of morphine hypo was administered first and In half an hour one-thirtieth grain of strychnine sulphate. Still later, one one-hundred and. fiftieth grain of atropine was administered. Dr. Harley of Hollandsburg was called by Dr. Jones and when he entered the room. Dr. Jones says that he remarked, "He Is a dying man." Dr. parley, concurred. Dr. Jones Gives Opinion. At the time of death,. Dr. Jones asked whether It would be a : coroner's case and Dr. Harley responded that it would not as he had a similar case, a Mrs. Joseph Skinner, who had died from eating a can of cove oysters. Dr. Jones says that in his opinion and that it still was his opinion (on January 28) that White's death was due

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to eating canned corn, causing ptomaine poisoning..: He further states that in his observance of the case, he had noted nothing which led him to believe that White's death was due to other than natural causes. He said that he had no reason to suspect that death was due to anything else. BREAKS UP SERVICE Ex-communicated Priest Vis its Cathedral and Consternation Ensues. POLICE REFUSED TO ACT (Special Cable from the International news ervice.j Milan, April S. An. extraordinary scene has occurred at the Cathedral of Pisa. A solomn Requiem Mass was being celebrated for the repose of the soul of the Grand Duke of Tus cany, when Don Romolo Murrie, priest and the leader of the Italian Christian v Democratic movement against whom Plus X had hurled the major excommunication, entered the sacred edifice clad in the sacredotal cassock, which be has never laid aside. According to the Canon Law, the presence of a solemnly excommunicated cleric at liturgical function in tan tamount to that of his satanic majesty himself. Hence the clergy obeyed its requirements, and 1 immediately Don Murri's presence became known, stopped divine service, and, summoning the cathedral guards and canons, hade them eject .the great , churchman, who was quietly kneeling and saying his prayers. The guards declined, on the plea that such action rendered them liable to arrest for an infraction of the Civil Law. The city police were thenjcalled.' but conterfted'themselves by giggling. Murri remained .calmly reciting g)is breviary for about half an hour, and : then, after admiring the glorious - architecture of the building retired as unostentatiously as he had entered. It was only then that High Mass was iroceeded with. A MAD IRONWORKER In N. Y. City Tears Up Rails 'With His Teeth for His Own Amusement. IS FINALLY OVERPOWERED . New York, April 9. In a mad effort to tear up a street railroad track with his teeth, Dennis Taylor of 254 West One Hundredth . and Thirty-second sereet, an ironworker of herculean physique, caused a disturbance which required twenty policemen to subdue at One Hundred and Twenty-ninth street and Amsterdam avehue, but at the end of a prolonged struggle, Taylor finally -was overpowered when railroad construction men came to the rescue of the police. Taylor took possession of the middle of the street and defied the world to stop him. - He said he could pull up the track with his teeth and tried to do it. When he succeeded in loosen ing one rail. Policeman Feudner interfered. He called three more policemen and then sent in a call for reserves. The railroad employes managed to get an iron bar across Taylor's chest while he was down and twelve men sat upon him. He was charged with disorderly conduct. YANKEES HAVE CLUB (Special Cable from the International News 8ervicc : Ixmdon, April 9. American "Varsity men in London have now a special club wherein to i foregather. , : The American Universities Club of London has opened it doors in the heart of Clubland, its address being 8 Pall Man, cheek by JosI with 6C James Palace, and Marlborough House, the Prince of Wales residence. . The aim of the club is to foster "entente" between the educated minds of the United States, Britain and Canada for "Varsity men from-the Dominion will be eligible lor membership. Oxford and Cambridge are giving the scheme their support, while ex-President Roosevelt, Lord Strathcona and Lord Brassey are . interesting themselves in the club's welfare. The organising committee is headed by Mr. George Gray Knowles, (Tale 92.) THE WEATHER. STATE AND LOCAL FaV and Sunday. tonight

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TO BE A BUSY QUE TO STUMP SPEAKER Both Sides Say That They Are Preparing to Storm the Works of the Other Side in Earnest This Year. LEADERS OF BOTH . PARTIES CONFIDENT Interest Manifested This Year Will Rival That Shown in Presidential Campaign, It Is Said Some Dope. (Palladium Special) Indianapolis, Ind., April 9. It is the understanding; that the coming cam paignwill be a busy .-one. from the standpoint of the stump speaker. Pres ent indications are that , there will be about as many speakers in the field and about as many speeches made this year as in any other campaign year, whether presidential year or not.' Both sides say they are preparing to storm the works of the other side. Senator - Beveridge, it is . understood, will forego a part of his vacation the coming summer and spend practically all of his time in this state, making a speaking campaign which will carry him into every county. - There is no man in the country - that can stand more hard work than he can, and he is going to have a chance to prove it this year, for he is to be the big card of the season in the republican fight. It is understood that a number of speakers from outside the state will be brought in to help the republican campaign also," and that some of them will be in surgent congressmen and senators who will come in and expound the tariff views which they hold and which Sen ator Beveridge holds. - t He May Be Chairman. - It is "said that7WWH.HaysorSu livan will , be the chairman of the republican speakers' bureau during the coming campaign, though it is not def lnitely settled yet; Hays was the chairman of the - speakers' bureau two years ago and ; four years ago, and knows tbe . game ' like a book. His work in those two campaigns won for him great praise because of the excel lent manner in which he handled the speaking part of ? the campaign. He brought in from outside a large num ber of noted spellbinders, and these, together . with the Indiana republicans who volunteered to go into the cam paign, gave r Hays a list ; of speakers, the like of which has not been seen in many a day. And he placed them to good advantage throughout the cam paign. . Hays was the permanent secretary of the republican - state convention this week, and again won high praise for his work. He is one of the best known young republicans in tbe state. Can't Lose the Democrats. The democrats say- they will not be behind the republicans in the matter of making - a speaking campaign this year. Bert Hendren, of Linton, has already been selected-at the chairman of the democratic speakers bureau, and Is ready to jump into the lob at a mo ment's notice, .r He is a son of Gilbert Hendren. of Bloomfield, who has been chairman of 1 the ' speakers' bureau of the democratic state committee for several campaigns. Gil Hendren worked like a beaver in this work, and his son Bert, says he will f do the same. He Qame to town yesterday . for a conference with State Chairman -Jackson in regard to campaign arrangements, and the two spent some time together. , Gilbert H. Hendren is thinking seriouslv of becoming-a candidate for tbe democratic nomination for clerk of the supreme court. There are already two candidates for this place. ,- J. Fred France of Huntington, and A. J. Behy mer of Elwood. ' William H. O'Brien of Lawrenceburg, has announced that he will be a candi date for the democratic nomination for Auditor of state. ! : He was state chair man for years and is ' well ' known lmnnr tha democrats of the state. d He was national treasurer of the democratic national committee when Thomas Taggart was national chairman. ASSAULTS All OFFICER Ernest Keller was arrested last ev ening by railroad detective Burns for assault and battery and in police court this morning, Kelley was fined $5 i aud i costs. . ' Kelley attempted . ' to catch east bound passenger train No. 20, at Thirteenth, street last ' evening and when ; prevented br Burns. saulted the latter. . His arrest was an easy matter for Burns. FORM A STOCK CO Arrangements have been concluded whereby a company of excellent playera hare been selected to form a stock company to be known as the Richmond Stock Company. The company will open at the Gennett theater on April 18 for an indefinite ran.

RELEASE A MURDER SUSPECT BUT TRAIL GROWING WARMER

Man Held at New Castle Taken

Identified, But the People of That Town Saw the Man the Authorities Are Hunting, Their Description of Him Tallying Perfectly in Every Detail.

SEARCH MAINTAINED

Suspect Has Been Traced, Through Description Given by

Mrs. Clevenger, to County Infirmary and Thence to Hagerstown While at That Place, the Suspect ; Asked for Newspapers at Several Homes.

Although the man arrested at New Castle last evening on suspicion of being the murderer of Mrs. Prank Allison was released at Hagerstown this morning, when taken there by Marshal Drischell of Cambridge City, for the purpose of identification, the authorities are confident that the clue furnished by Mrs. Joseph Clevenger of Milton, is the only reliable one that they have in their possession, and they are confident that the man who Mrs. Clevenger saw running across a field between 12 and 1 o'clock on the afternoon of the murder, is the slayer of Mrs. Allison, and they are also confident that the man who was in Hagerstown yesterday, and who impudently accosted several women and greatly alarmed Mrs. Mary Punk; an aged woman, by his threatening actions,- was the man who Mrs. Clevenger saw. . . : v.,, . , . These conclusions are based on hard facts and excellent evidence. The man in question is now the only quarry in the man chase, which is now ' on, and the authorities are hopeful of soon having him in custody. Officials in every town in this section of the country have been furnished a good description of the suspect and farmers abd townspeople are on guard for him. All of western Wayne county from the Henry county

line to the Fayette county line, is thoroughly aroused. This morning the -county commissioners offered a reward of $.YK for the arrest and conviction of the slayer, and residents of Cambridge City will raise an equal amount.-.. Keller, the man arrested at New Castle, answers the description of the suspect by his dark complexion and by the light brown felt hat he wears, but in other respects he does not fit the description. He is at least five inches shorter than tbe man wanted. For that reason he was released today.

Here Is a description of the man

.A tramp. s ,-...:. - . ....,. 1 .....,". Wears two coats, the outside one being grey, the other brown. Evidently an American, but so darkly tanned that he could be mistak-; en for an Italian or a light negro. - .His clothes are well worn and the trousers splattered with mud. ,, Wears a light rbrown "felt hat. " "( - "jr"

How Man Was Traced. The man on whom the suspicion of the brutal . crime has now been fastened, first attracted notice to himself while at Cambridge City last Tuesday. A cowboy belonging to tbe Buckskin Ben wild west show noticed him near the showman's farm holding a chicken, from which he plucked all the feathers and then turned the unfortunate bird loose. It was the action of a man with fiendish instincts. When the man noticed the cowboy he hastily . departed, lie was next seen late Tuesday afternoon on the road to Milton. It is on this road that the Allison farm is located. No traces of him are to be found on Wednesday, except a statement made by Mrs. Joseph Clevenger,; a i Milton woman. . She says that between; 12 and 1 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, a few hours after the murder, she saw a man running, that he hurriedly jumped a fence and ran across a field toward a woods. As she was some distance away 8he did not obtain a good view of him, but gives the following description:. Bark complectioned, looking like a negro, felt hat and light suit. Led Through a Creek. It will be remembered that hounds were placed on the tracks made by the man that Mrs. Clevenger saw, and these dogs followed him nearly to Centerville, and the scent led through a creek, which the man' had waded. Friday it was learned by Palladium men working on the case that late in the afternoon of the day the crime was committed, a man called at the county infirmary, near Centerville and requested something to eat. His clothes were wet, he was dark complectioned, wore a felt hat and was thought to be a tramp. When the man left he headed for Hagerstown. Seen at Hagerstown. A Palladium reporter at Hagerstown this morning learned that a Mrs. Burton was probably the first person who saw the suspect in that locality. As she was driving to town she noticed a tramp, wearing a felt ? hat, travel-stained and very dark complectioned. When the man noticed her he laid down in a ditch until the rig had passed. This occurred Thursday afternoon. ' the day following the murder. The man's whereabouts that evening are unknown, but Friday morning he entered Hagerstown and called at several homes and asked for a breakfast. He was very insolent and the women who talked to him describe him to tally with the description of the man seen at Cambridge City, the county infirmary and by Mrs. Clevenger. , ' He Was Threatening. - He became very threatening at the home of Mrs. Mary Funk but was frightened away. At the home of Mrs. McGowan he was very anxious to see a newspaper. At other homes he also asked for newspapers. Marshal Dixon was finally informed of the man's strange actions and be started out to Cud him, but the man succeeded in getting out of town. Late yesterday afternoon when Dixon became convinced that the stranger was the probable murderer of Mrs. Allison he started on a search, which he main

to Hagerstown But Is Not

THROUGHOUT MIGHT who is now being bunted down: - tained, but without results, until 11 o'clock last night. - , , This morning Dan Flske, who oper ¬ ates a sugar camp a mile southeast of Hagerstown. k informed Marshal Dixon that the "suspect had slept 'Friday night at - the sugar camp. His whereabouts today are unknown. Lon Anderson, who works for Flske, had a good view of the man and describes him according to the description held by the Cambridge City authorities. 1 ROQSEVELTS LEFT OLD GENOA TODAY ? ; . IsiBtssjBsa S;k " , ' Ex-president Win Endeavor to Take a Rest at Pcrto Maurizio. IS GREETED WITH CHEERS AMERICAN FLAM DISPLAYED IN MANY HOUfl AMD 1 AfCROWDS CLAMOR FOR GLIKPS2. OF FAMOUS STATESMAN. . ( American News Service) Genoa, April 9. Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt left .Genoa today by train for Porto MaurUlo.' There the ex-president will rest at the Tillage of his sister-in-law. Miss Carow, and will meet Gifford Plnchot. the ex-chief for. ester, removed summarily by President' Taft. ' i On there "arrival here last evening. Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt went to the Hotel Brittaaia. Their desire was for. quiet, but all through the evening; and again this morning crowds gathered In front of the hotel, anxious for a glimpse of the most famous and most popular private dtlsen, who has visited the Riviera in as long as the oldest hotel keeper can remember. On many homes American flags vers displayed. Colonel Roosevelt was greeted with cheers whenever the crowds camxht sight of him. He was besieged by? newspaper men representing journals of all the surrounding towns. The attentions of the reporters, after the specific reques that their quiet be not disturbed, did much to induce the former president and his wife to harry their Riviera trip, . The vRoosevelts spent little time fa sightseeing here, their piuaiess calling for departure on the 9 o'clock train for, Porto Manrisio. on the war from the nct-T t tie crowds lining' the ; Ce9ez, which they passed At the statSoa ttafe ihJ C. yn xzt crowd and the C-"Z' - 5 departed amid Ca erics ;. C of persons, and tie j cf krdreds of American asa u .n Czx . -