The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-04-26
How Three Sisters Died.


Within the brief period of thirty minutes
three elderly ladies, sisters, and two of them
mothers died in the same house, in the
presence of their husbands and physicians
in strage manner on Saturday night
Mrs. Sarah Watson, widow of Captain John
Watson, mariner, who died about eight
years ago, has of late years lived with her
sister, Mrs. Robert M. Winsmore, the wife
of a retired mariner, at 800 Wharton street.
The family had tea at $50 ON Saturday even
ing, Miss Annie Howell, saleslady at Fourth
and Wharton streets, being of the party.
The servant was Bessie MCGEE, who has been
in the employ of the family for several
years. neighbor was also present and
she went away at $40, Mrs. Watson
seeing her to the door. Directly the
family retired to their rooms, Mrs.
the third story. In a short time she
was heard moving about uneasily, and Mrs.
Winsmore proceeded to her apartment to
ascertain the cause Finding her sister i'll
and suffering, a messenger was sent to sum-
mon the family physician, DIR. ii. ID. Ben
ner, of OIL South Third street, and although
he made haste, DR.. William Macpherson, of
347 Wharton street. who had also been sum-
moned, arrived first. He found Mrs. Wat
son unconscious and apparently dying.
When DR.. Benner reached her bedside, two
minutes afterward. she was dead. Mrs.
Wipsmore was SO overcome by the event
that she sank away and was Immediately
bereft of her senses. Being taken TO her
room, in the rear of the third story, she
was placed on her bed. In ten minutes she
was dead.
THE THIRD SISTER STRICKEN DOWN.
In the meantime Mrs Elizabeth Smith,
wife of Captain Smith of 1885 South
Fourth street, had been summoned and had
arrived in the house. AS soon as she realized
the distressing fact OF the death of her two
sisters she swooned away and was uncon.
scious from that instant, and within twelve
or fifteen minutes had breathed her last.
The two physicians had decided to bleed
Mrs Smith, she being large. heshy and OF
.apoplectic habit, bat before the proper blood
vessels could be opened it was too late.
Drs. Benner and Macpherson, shocked at
the sudden and triple deaths were at first
puzzled as 10 what cause to attribute the
death of Mrs. Watson, but as to the other
TWO ladies they decided that shock produced
nervous prostration, and both being elderly
ladies and Of full habit-Mrs. Smith weight
being 235 pounds-they were unable TO
rally and resist the exhaustlng effects of the
visitation. They were inclined to the belief,
in the first moments of their deliberations,
that apoplexy had struck down Mrs. Smith.
Further investigation and thought con-
firmed them in the decision that the shock,
acting upon the nervous system of Mrs.
Smith and Mrs. Winsmore, was really the
immediate cause of their death.
THE ooRoNER's AUTOPSY.
Coroner Janney was informed of the cir
cumstances at once, and in the afternoon, in
company with DIR. Joseph 8. Neff, his physi-
clan, visited the house for the purpose of
making an autopsy. The officials spent the
laff m q u q nrfa
nation of the remains of the three sisters,
Drs. Benner and Macpherson being in at
tendance. The result was not so sansfacto-
rily determined late last evening as to justi-
fly the Coroner and his physicians in decid-
ing the exact cause of death, although the
opinions of DIR. Macpherson and DIR. Benner
were thought to be sustained. A day for
the inquest has not yet been named.
THE FAMILY HISTORY.
The maiden name of the three sisters was
Davis The eldest. Cynthia, married Rob