The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-08-16
Mysterious Death.
From the Detroit Post, august 9Th.

From the Detroit Post, august 9th. -
On Saturday morning word was brought
to the city that Major William S. Atwood,
one of the Circuit Court Commissioners of
Wayne County, had been found dead in
Elmwood Cemetery. No particulars be-
yond the bare fact Of the death were re-
ported, and at first the veracity of the in
tormant was doubtful but subsequent in
vestigation proved the report only too true.
He was found lying upon his back, with
his arms folded across his breast, his cane
between his legs, and his hat carefully de-
posted beside him. There were no marks
of violence upon his body, or any evidences
of struggle, but the whole appearance in
Dictated on easy death. 4d1 & :.
When discovered, he was by the side Of
the grave Of his adopted child, which died
several months since, and on searching the
body, several small flowers that had been
plucked from the grave were found IN a
pocket book. a photograph of the child,
taken after its death, was also found in the
breast pocket, and those who claim to know
state that it has been the Majors constant
companion for several weeks past. This,
added to the fact that he was devotedly at
tached to his adopted son, may afford a
clue to the cause OF death. There are
some circumstances from which it is argu-
ed that he premedltated taking his own
life several days before. On Friday he
came to his office, on Harmed strcet west,
and arranged and settled all his legal and
official business SO far as it could be done,
stating as a reason that he had intended
! starting the next day for Niagara Falls,
where his wife and her parents Were spend
ing the summer months, and should prob
ably be gone several weeks. la the eve
ming he started out in company with a
friend to visit the little grave in the GENE
! terry, but Us they neared the enclosure the
! Major requested his companion to turn
| back as he desired to 60 in alone. Al
4 though he seemed vi>ihly affected and act
! ed somewhat strangely, his emotion was at
I trbuted 20 his affection tor his child, and
I the friend obeyed his request and came back
| to the city. 1t seems that the Major could
not obtain entrance to the grounds, as it was
after visiting hours, and soon after return
ed to his office where he spent tie greater
portion of the night in looking over and de-
suoying papers and letters.
Early on Saturday morning he took the
| Fort street ears, and was among the carll-
est visitors to the cemetery. About nine
! o CLOCK q little girl, who, was wandering
about the grounds, saw him lying by the
grave, and supposed him to be asleep, and
as the sun was shining in his face, thought
| 1t her duty to awaken him. One effort In
| that direction satisfied her as to the real
state of affairs, and she Immediately gave
| the alarm to Messrs. H. A. Lacy and
| Friend Palmer, who happened to be in the
cemetery at the time. The police and Cor
oner Austin were at once notified, and visit
| ed the spot. The body was searched and
the vaiuables, together with the hat, taken
charge of by the Coroner. The means used
to produce death, if there were any such,
have not yet transpirld, and it viii lie
necessary to analyze the stomach to ascer-
! tain if it was by poison Not thing was
| found upon or near the body to indicate
suicide. Several physicians, who have
made an external examination of the body,
all state that death was caused by the rup-
ture of an internal blood vessel, OF by ID
| dose of morphine OF laulanum. Had any
violent poison been administered the mus
cles Of the body and limbs would have
been contracted and the grass about the
body would have indicated struggle. -
Such was not the case, however, and hence
! the supposition is forced upon all that
death was not only easy but that it was pro
duced by some cause which gradually took
away the senses and left the body in an at
titude of repose. DIR. Aruor, the family
physician of Mr. Granger, the Major 5
father in law, was summoned to hold a posi-
moItem examination, pending which The
inquest was adjourned until Monday after
| noon. or
The deceased was Major of the lst Mich.
igan cavalry during the war, and is highly
! spoken Of as an officer and soldier.