The daily gazette., 1882-10-03
WHO POISONED NELSON
STARTLING DEATH OF A PRis-
ONER IN THE CITY HALL.
A VERY MYSTERIOUS CASE.
A Man Arrested for Drunkenness Says He
Has Been Poisoned, is Not Believed.
and Dies in Eleven Hours.

man who was very drunk and somewhat
disorderly attracted considerable amusement
on Market street between Sixth aud Seventh
yesterday afternoon. He had the appear
| ance of tramp and he staggered about and
muttered disjointed sentences in u maudlin
way. Officer Cathcart arrested him and
took him to the hall. He was given a hear
ing at o'clock, and was fined 81 and costs.
At the hearing he made people smile by de-
clariDg that he had been poisoned. No one
believed him, and he was sent back to the
cell because he had no money to pay his
ine. He ate some supper, said he felt bet
ter and went to sleep. At o'clock this
morning when the key went to let
out the bummers ue stopped at
| cell No. /, where the prisoner was confined.
He lay on the floor with his coat under him
motionless and evidently asleep. The turn
key spoke to him and the man did not re-
spond. He opened the door went in and
shook him lightly. The man did not move.
He WAS ON his side with his face partly con
cealed. The turnkey turned him over. The
man was stiff aud stark. His limbs were
rigid and his eyes were CLASSY and staring.
The sight was one calculated to surprise the
turnkey, and second glance then served to
convince him of the staggering truth. The
man was dead. And this fact brought to
mind the recollection ofhis declaration made
eleven hours before that he had been
poisoned.
This discovery naturally caused good bit
of excitement around the hall. Word was
at once sent to the Coroner, who was prompt
In coming to the hall. He viewed the body
and made all examination of the dead
prisoners effects. In the pockets he found
piece of tobacco and an old letter,
crumpled and torn. The letter the Coroner
still has in his possession. The body was
then moved to the morgue at undertaken
Palmer's establishment ,and an examination
will be made.
MYSTERIOUS CASE.
The case is a peculiar one. The man
gave his name as John Nelson, and he is
evidently stranger in the town. He said
he was an Englshman. He was dressed
much in the manner of tramp, land had
the appearance of man who had been on
drunk for several days. In stature he
was small, he looked to he between 25 and
30 years of age, and he had no beard,
although he had not been shaved for nearly
week. When the man was first brought
in he was put in No. 4 cell and kept until
the hearing. When special officer Lang
took him out to have his trial he seemed to
be stupid and had been asleep. On his way
to the court room he asked for drink OF
water which was given to him, and in the
dock the man was regarded as an ordinary
drunk, and very ordinarily he had evidently
been.
The charge was that of being drunk and
disorderly, and when Mayor Wales asked
Nelson If he had anything to say, he blurted
out, "Pm not as drunk as l seem to be, was
poisoned, and that's what's the matter"
The man said this earnestly and not like
one who was telling it to shield himself, but
no one guessed that it was the truth. The
Mayor answered, 81 guess 1t was Front
street pizen which you had," and then the
crowd laughed and the man was fined dollar
and costs and led back to his cell. In the
corridor he asked how much the fine was,
saying he hadn't heard it, and then got Mr..
Lang to give him another glass of water.
81 thought" said Mr.. Lang, "that he was
just supplied with the liquor he had drank
dying out In him, and he did not say a word
to me about having had poison given him.
He ate some supper, and when | asked him
how he felt, he said he was better. He laid
down then and slept till 2 O'Clock with the
exception of short intervals when the turn
key or myself would go into see him.
About that hour drunken man was brought
in and was put next to No. cell and made
such noise that we thought he was dis
turbing the man in No. 4, SO we moved
Nelson to No. /, which is close to the office
He said he felt better and alter getting a
drink of water he laid down on his coat and
that is the last we heard of him, and we did
not see him until he WAS found deado
WHO POISONED HIM?
Whether the man gave his true name when
he said it was John Nelson, where he came
from or whether he was in Wilmington cam
not be aseertained. The letter which the
Coroner found on him could not be seen to-
day, the Coroner having taken it with him
to Delaware City whittier he had been
called on business. This will probably re-
veal his identity.
That the man was poisoned seems highly
probable, in view of his declaration and his
death some time afterwards. The fact that
he was poorly dressed would seem to dis
prove the theory that he had been drugged
for his money, and he said nothing about
baving been robbed. There are known a
certain gang of thieves in this city who
frequent Front street places who recently
have been known to drug people i'll order to
stupefy them and rob them, aud with this
object In view deal out even more potent
poison than that sold over the bar of these
dens The eyes of the authorities should be
directed toward these WORTHLESS.
A post-mortem examination of the dead
mans body will be made this evening or to-
morrow, in order to ascertain, if possible, the
ar abSappn nf