The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-04-25
MYSTERIOUS DEATH
OF MRS. HYATT AT MARSHAL
WILLIE, o., MARCH 80.
The Case Solved by q COrOner's Jury at Dalton,
on Friday Morning, April 19th-Dr. VIM.
Hyatt, the Husband OF the Deceased,
Administers stryehnIne-SO
Say the Jury.
From the orYIIIe Crescent. !

On the 7th Of April the body Of Mrs. RebeCca
Hyatt was exhumed from the grave In the Dalton
cemetery, after being buried six days, and post
nlOrtem examination made Of the corpse The
stomach was put into the hands Of the Coroner Of
Wayne county, and by him taken 10 Prof Nor.
ley, Professor Of Chemistry In Western Reserve
College and professor Of Chemistry and Toxlcol-
ogy In the Cleveland Medical College, for anal.
ysis.
Mrs, Hyatts decease and severe illness during
the few hours previous to her death, caused con.
siderable excitement in the community In which
she resided, and among her near relations
aroused considerable suspicion, causing primarI.
ly the investigation Of the case which has now
come to close 80 far as the jurisdiction Of the
Coroner goes.
The most important evidence given was that
Of the Chemist which Is as follows
Prof Morley; / reside In Hudson, o. am pro.
fessor Of Chemistry in Western Reserve College
and professor Of Chemistry and ToxicOlogy in the
Cleveland Medical College, The Coroner Of
Wayne county brought me stomach to analyze
the stomach Of Mrs, Hyatt. l Rnalyzed II.
kept 1t in place where no one had access to II
but myself There was nothing unnatural in the
exterior Of the stomach. It was tightly tied at
both orihces. 1t contained no liquid. The inner
surface was in spots Of pinkiSh red color. cut
the stomach in pieces and applied process Of
extracting strychnine If prescott. In this process
there Is always some loss Of strychnine If present
l found One.eighth of grain Of strychnine, equal
to Onesixth Of grain Of sulphate Of strychnine
That 1t was strychnine proved by several tests
have no means OF telling how much strychnine
was in the stomach at any time any more than
any other intelligent person,
That dose Of strychnine of one or two grains
was administered would be fatal. Symptoms
would show themselves after administration Of
strychnia in from very few minutes 10 several
hours-would depend upon readiness Of stomach
so absorb The symptoms would be convulsons
in which the head is thrown back and rigid.
First symptoms would be convulsive twitchlng
of the same character, lasting from one to
five minutes followed by an Interval of rest and
then by another spasm-repeated spasms and in.
tervals Of rest until death. These symptoms are
well marked as Characteristic of strychnine. 1t
would be possible to have strychnia injected into
the stomach after death as found 1t.
DR.. j. H. stOll testified:
Finding strychnine in the stomach of the de.
ceased and finding the conditions which here.
tofore found would say that Mrs. Hyatt died
from the effects Of strychnire.
Mary Wilson testified;
reside four miles from Marshalville, Baugh.
man township. Mrs. Hyatt died on the SOth Of
March, Was at her home on that day. Went
there between and Soclock p, m. just dropped
in. found Mrs. Hyatt in bed. sat on the bed
sdei her eyes were closed; was told not to talk to
her and she was not to talk to me. No person
to- Al. NJ
around the house-his daughter and several
other girls; Mrs. Powell came In; she sat on the
bed beside me; Mrs. Hyatt had spasm in a very
few minutes; threw up her arms and screamed !:
what ails me2' What ails me?" Mrs. Powell
told her nothing ails you, you have pain in
your head" She told her to be quiet or she would
make her head worse. Mrs. II. said nothing ails
my head-I have no pain In my head" Her
mind seemed to be clear during this spasm. She
queted then. Mrs. Powell and stepped out of
the bed room door. We went back and she went
into another spasm in five minutes. We went in
before she had the spasn. 1t was the same as the
other she trembled and said "Tel Hyatt to
come" Mrs. Powell sent for Hyatt. She went
into three spasms before he came. He came In q
few minutes He went to the Office and got
something for her; he gave her something to
smell and something In a teacup. He told his
daughter to tell Mrs. Weimer TO came over she
had another spasm before Mrs. W. come-about
the same as the others. Mrs. Weimer said what
is the matter?" The doctor said, "be STILL" in a
low tone. Mrs. W. called again "what is the mat
teri" and the doctor shook his head Mrs. W.
asked no more questions. Mrs, Powell came in
after l did. During spasms Mrs. H. kept calling
out "am ! going 10 die?" she said twill l get
well?' DR.. Hyatt answered, yes Do not know
how many spasms she had; was in the kitchen
when she died. They rubbed Mrs. H. with
whisky-the Doctor and some of the women
Others were there. Mr.. and Mrs Martin, came
in short time before Mrs. HIS DEATH Mrs
Stoll, Ella Hoffman, Mrs. Weimer, Mrs. Biddle,
and Mrs. Hyatt. The Doctors daughter was in
the kitchen-back and forth, she went to the
drug store for liquor. Mrs. H. died at seventeen
minutes OF o'clock. From the time the Doctor
came he was around the house until she was
dead.
Further evidence was taken of considerable
importance, that Of the greatest moment being
the evidence of Miss May Hyatt who was kept
on the witness stand two hours, and from her
much light was thrown on the case, but lateness
of issue and lask Of space compels US to omit
QuOLluB luG luIbuCA GNluSnCGs luG CdbS WAS
given to the jury at II o'clock p. m. Thursday,
and verdict rendered on Friday morning at
9l5, to the effect that Mrs Rebecca Hyatt came
to her death from the effects of poisoning by
strychnine, administered by the hand of her
husband, DR.. VIM. Hyatt,
When Mrs. Hyatt died, her husband pro-
nounced her disease case Of congestve chills,
but the evidence adduced and examination
made certainly refute that declaration. The
case will now go to higher court for further
trial.
At this writing we have not yet learned OF the
arrest Of the Doctor.