Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-07-29
Harms Poisoning Case.


sudden death Of Miss Emma Harms,
in Union township, on the 10Th, Were
given quite fullyin the JOURNAL last
week, and the testimony before the
Coroner's Jury Yves promised. BY
favor of Jasper Nye, j. P, acting coro-
per. we are enabled to give the evil
dence in full, as follows:
HENRY BUNTING SWORN.
The deceased has lived with me II
weeks. Mr.. Jackson has been here
three times. There was nothing more
than friendly relations between the de-
ceased and Jackson, TO my knowledge.
Tie character Of the deceased was good.
heard noise which woke me up, last
night. / called three times and she
made no answer. My wife told me to
get UP and go to her and shake her. l
approached the bed, put my hand OH. her
shoulder aud shook her thinking to
arouse her. BY the light of the moon
discovered her mead thrown back and
Jerking all over violently, making
purcling noise in her throat. She final~
" aroused and said She believed she was
diving. ran down to Alex. Keaton's
and aroused BIN and ran back as soon
az I could and found her in another
spasm. She said to Mr.. Keaton: "Uncle
Alex, believe / am poisoned" She
had several spasms, and lived about 20
minutes AFTER woke. The deceased and
Il myself and wife were sleeping in the
q same room. Have poison in the house.
Can't tell that it has been disturbed. The
spasms were unlike any other l ever
saw. At one time heard her say she
would rather be dead than any mans
wife. This she spoke as if she meant it.
She was with me TO Knoxville last
Wednesday.
Mrs. Henry Bunting sworn. i beard
the deceased making noise, and told
Henry TO 20 and see what was the mat
ter. AS soon as she came easier Henry
gave her some water. but she could not
swallow il, seemed TO strangle her. She
50 i'd she was dying. This was half past
I2o'clock. She called for Henry. She
asked me to get hor some coffee and
said II believe am poisoned" asked
her how she could gel poisoned and she
made me no answer. She died Is minutes
before one o'c clock. I have heard her say
ct times, 81 wish / could die" Her
character was good. She spoke lightly
Of Jackson.
Mrs. Harms, mother ofdeceased sworn.
NY daughter was not subject to spasms
or fits OF any kind, nor moods OF des'
pondency. Always appeared as lively
~ any other young girl. To the best of
my knowledge nothing more than friend
~ relagtions between her and Mr. jack
son. No tendency to suicide in the
family on either side.
G. b. Jackson sworn. have been ac~
quainted with the deceased for the past
five years, and intimately acquainted
about three months. Was paying her a
visit on last evening. Stayed until half
past Ii o'clock. She appeared as well as
usual when left. told her that / was
not coming back again. She said she did
not think was treating her right, and
said the next time you hear from me /
will be dead. About three weeks ago
she told me she had nothing to live for.
No engagement existed between us. l
think her affections were strongly cen>
tered in me. We did not take drink
together or eat any candy that night.
DIR. 4. Williams, sworn. On making
post mortem examination of the body OF
Emma Harms, found the lungs engorged
with blood, upon the upper portion oil
the left lobe few tuberculous deposits,
from which blood flowed on passing the
scapell into them. The stomach We tied
ut both orifices aud removed it. The
Uteris / found unimpregnated, which
we removed and examined carefully.
The bowels presented healthy appear
anoe, also tho heart and liver. No uu-
usual discoloration about the body.
DR.. 8. v. Duncan sworn. Assisted
Dr., Willisms n making post roortem