The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-12-16

| its intersection with Mahoning, died last Satur-
day night under rather peculiar circumstances.
The family consisted Of himself, his son Joseph
and hOuse-keeper, Mrs. Martha Boyle. Mr..
Kline followed his trade Of stonemason and his
son Joseph for some tine past has been a law
student with City Solicitor John @. Welty. Mr..
Kline was fist taken sick Friday, December Sd.
He felt III and was frequently attacked with
fits Of vomiting. On the following Monday DR. 4,
L. Walker was called, who found Mr.. Kline not
seriously i'll. The trouble seemed to have orig.
mated with cold In the head. Dr.. Walker Wis.
tied him until Thursday, when he found him so
much improved as to think any further visits un
necessary. Friday evening Mr.. Kline remarked
to Mrs. Boyle that II Saturday was pleasant day
he would take a walk. On Saturday morning
one Of the neighbors dropped In and asked as to
Kline's condition. Joe said his father had not
rested we'll during the night aud was sleeping.
About noon he called In again and found Mr..
Kline asleep In the afternoon he called the third
time and was told that he still slept. Becoming
alarmed Joe was sent to summon Dr. Walker.
When he arrived he found Mr.. KliBe In pro
found stupor, He endeavOred to get him to
swallow some water, but could not succeed his
breathing was slow and labored and respiration
short; the pupils Of the eyes were very much
contracted. He was bathed with cold water but
without avail. About $3.50 o'clock Saturday eve.
ming he died in an unconscious condition. The
neighbors had noticed Mr.. Ktlne's frequent fits
Of vomiting and the strange manner In which he
died The funeral was set for last Monday morn
ing, but at the instance Of a number of the
neighbors Councllmen Stabler and Rohrer had
the funeral postponed until post mortem exam
ination could be held and the suspicious circum
stances surrounding Mr.. Kline's death cleared
up. Accordingly Monday afternoon Coroner G
B, Cock, assisted by Drs. BGant and Phillips
made post mortem examination. The contents
Of the stomach were removed and will be sub
jected to a chemical analysis. The examination
showed that all Of the organs were in healthy
condition, but the lungs liver, kidney and brain
were all more or less congested. Death resulted
from paralyzation OF the nervous system and the
circulation. This was produced by some poison.
GUS narcotic, like morphine. This settles the
question regarding his DEATH as 1t clearly shows
that 1t did not result from natural causes The
analysis Of the coutenls OF the stomach will
throw more light upon the subject. Only one
question remains unanswered aud that is whose
hand administered the poison2 Tuesday morn
ing DR.. Cock began holding an inquest in the
Mayors Office and took the testimony OF quite q
number Of witnesses.
The housekeeper, Mrs, Marty Boyle, lestfed as
follows Have been Mr.. Klines house keeper
about seven months; did not attend him In his
last sickness; was sick myself; the day took
sick Joseph went into the kitchen to wash
ha xra tpr nd ha sol ha aft
himself and told me to go into the sitting room !;
he was there about Ave minutes and then walked
out to the barn Mr., Kline came and called me,
and l went into the yard when returned
to the kitchen took drink of coffee from the
coffee-pot and became sick Immediately, my
mouth, throat and stomach burning terribly /;
took pickles, tea and some other things but found
no relief think something was put into the coffee
pot do not think 1t was poison after taking tea
began vomiting 1t continued about an hour /;
the burning continued all night saw Mr.. Kline
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; knew he was
taking med icne prescribed by DR.. Walker; had
conversation with Mr. Kline Friday evening he
said II Saturday was pleasant day he would
take a walk; that was the last conversation ever
had with him; saw him Saturday morning but he
couldn't speak to me nothing could arouse him:
Joseph said he gave him his medicine he re.
msined in deep stupor until death l told Mr..
Kline Thursday morning that some one put
something in The coffee and not to drink 1t, but
throw 1t out. He said he had, and made fresh
coffee; Joseph had not been boarding at home for
two months. He and l could not get along to.
&c ther; never heard him make any threats in re.
gard to his father; Mr. Kline told me he threat.
ened to burn the house down over his head Fri.
day mOrnsng last saw Joseph up to the stove and
drop piece of paper in it picked 1t up and saw
the label ToIDer's Drugstore printed on 1t, and
then dropped 1t into the stove again.
The prescription clerk az Tonners drug store,
Mr. Jarmuth, testified that Joseph Kline bought
ten grains OF morphine Of him on Sunday, De.
cember 5th, and had 1t put up in two doses Of five
grains each. At first Mr.. Jarmuth refused to sell
1t to him, but Kline said DR.. Johnson had ordered
him to get 1t in that quantity and 1t was given to
him On the following Thursday Kline got four
grains more. One fourth Of a grain is an ordina.
ry dose and two grains are sufficient to kill an or.
dinary man. On Tuesday, December 7th Kline
bought half an ounce Of arsenic at Geiger's
drug store. DR.. johnson denies having ever or
dered Kline to purchase morphine,
| Mr.. Charles Schmidt, barber, testified that Joe
Kline came into the barber shop on Friday, De
cember 10th, and in conversation said his father
was not expected to live and that the doctors had
given him up.
Mr. Goldsmith, neighbor Of Kline's stated
that on Wednesday or Thursday Joe came to his
house and asked for piece Of bread saying thai
his father was i'll, and that he did not want tC
take some heef tea, which he had prepared fol-
him, but that he put hiG knee upon him and
forced 1t down.
The inquest was finished yesterday at noon
This morning Coroner Cock left for Hudson Ohio
where Professor Of Chemistry, Morley, Of thC
Western Reserve University, will analyze tht
contents Of the somaCh, which have been pre-
served, verdict will be given upon the Coro
ner's return. In conversation we learn younl
Kline sa-s he purchased the morphine for him
self and that he was accustomed to take as muct
as could be held on the point Of knife. Thl
statement Is thought to lbe direct ialsehood
Kline was arrested Monday night and lodged IL
jail, where he is at present