The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-13
NEWARK MAS0NS MYSTIFlED
JAMES IT, TIN UOTTEN'S S7RiNGE
NTOKILS ND ALDDLN DEIIM
The Nnn who Said that Brothcr Mason had
Twice stabbed him Dying Hcfrrc mm inNcs-
tignting Committee -Suspicions Of Poison.

nnd A. NJ. IN Richard J. Wardoll's rcsd n'' at
2l2 Jefferson street. Newark caused mu'h cA-
oitcmont in Newark Yesterday. MI VAN llou-
ten had given tho lla-ou- Of that city n great
deal OF trouble for q ycnr past ana his olt-re-
pcatcd assertion that an unknown brother
Mason had made several attempts 10 take his
life led to mutn gossip and speculation. The
Grand Master of New Jersey was informed Of
Van lIOut'n's charges. AMI they wcre discussed
I'm tho various D. l.es. Van Houten first at
tractcd notice carly IN April last, when he said
that two men followed him from u meeting Of
Pythagoras Lodge. and that ono of the mon.
after giving him a Masonic grip OF distress.
stabbed him in the neck. The wound seemed
slight. but he recovered slowly Tho Masons
secuted his story of the stabbng. and Mr.. War
dell preferred charges against him in the lodge
OF conduct unlcc0ming a Mason. ono Sunday
evening" threc weeks later. he was found in his
garden. at 25l Bank street. Newark with Il car
pontcr's scratch awl sticking in the back Of his
neck He said that two mon had attacked him.
and that one Of them was the same man who
had stabbed him in the street IIc averred that
his left side. arm and lex were paralyzcd. and
he kept his bed until ten days ago. Pythagoras
Lodge appointed u committee To invest cato the
case. and three mcmtcrs were named 10 a't ns
counsel for him. lie was summoned before the
committee; but his physician. Or. Brundage
gave certificate that he was unabeto leave his
bed. The committee and the minority Of the
that he had stabbed himself.
On Tuesday evening the committee met In
Nardeil's house t1 lin III their business. having
taken n mass OF testimony in secret At
o'clock Van Houten unexpectedly appeared.
His left arm was IN sling He said that he
asked Tor water Mr. Wardcli handed him a
glassiul. ana he drank little Shortly before
10 o'clock he SAID hr was III. and lie lay down
on the sofa Ton minutes later he was seized
with cunNulsiuu. and after writing in pain
for half an hour he died. Dr. j. W. smith ana
the committeeman wore the only persons pros
Hltlfnn :
according TO NafdcllS story. looking Mt her
ddead husban! on, why did you come here
last nisht that man was forcing powder
she then asked IL Van Houten had drank any
water. and Oh being answered In the aflrma-
tive. she exclaimed; There. there. there.
County Physician Hewitt found two neatly
folded paIcis, containing white and a red
another luver 'hut had contained a powder rc-
sembling sirychnua These the County Physi-
Cian ftaHrN 81 tor chemical analysis, ana then
permitted the oily 20 be removed TO Van liou-
Atiio'r5' K yesterday County Physician How.
lit held p0st-Wortem "Naiuinution. H. wis
assisted by Drs. Gross. baldwin, Bruudugc. and
u. \. Smith An -uUuy careful and thor
mystery that las SURROUNDED the DaSe since
Van lluuten was ir-' stabbed IL April guam
tity Of blood wa- found fr ssing on the brain,
ana thr con 'l.i.n II ,h,. Sl44Fi .'rd showed
been shamnils !n tAAi respect; The wound i4
the heck WIS ou.Y half an inch In depth. AMI
don don of iie oma ws i ken away away ~ the the
County lbysi ian for analysis. lie would not
cnce Of pos %, or whether the blood on Van
Hout ms brain might have produced mid
Iythagoras Lodge were present. AS Mr.. War
dell entered the hall the three daughters OF the
dead man shoes their fists at him as he turned
his back, and their back eyes glowed with ha-
tired. They refused g. shake hands with him,
prosecuted their father Mrs. Van Houien was
historical.