The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-09-05
A TERRIBLE MISTAKE.
TWO SISTERS GIVEN A FATAL DRUG

fatal poisoning of two well known young
ladies' in Hoboken, N. J. c. A. IIolZ, a |
millionaire wine merchant, returned with |
his family to their home, No 270 Hudson
street, from the Catskills on Wednesday |
of last week. Two Of his daughters,
Gretchen Margaret, aged nineteen years,
and Ella, aged sixteen, were ndisposed,
and DR.. August Lowenthal, young ply
sician, to whom Gretchen was betrOthed,
summoned to attend them, and found
til EN- suffering from malaria. He wrote
prescriptions for four powders of ten
grains of quinine each, and had them
filled himself at the drug store of G. Am
Emde, reputed to be one of best druggists
in the country, at the corner of Wash
ington and Seventh streets. Each of the
girls took one of the powders at ten
o'clock at night. When DR.. Lowenthal
left for his home about one o'clock Tues
day morning Elias peculiar breathing
alarmed her family, and they aroused her
with difficulty. She began vomiting and
DR.. Lowenthal was summoned. He pro-
nounced her symptoms those of poison,
and DR.. Coward, of New York, was tele-
graphed for. Gretchen exhibited no I'M
| usual symptoms and assisted in working
over her sister, making the case more
| mysterious. She soon, however, began
to exhibit identical symptoms. The pow
der was examined and found to be NOR
phine, there being enough to kill several
men in each dose. The druggist was sent
| for and admitted that he had made a mis-
take. BY this time six physicians had
gathered at the bedides, doing all posi-
BILE to revive the victims without avail,
Miss Gretchen dying about eight O'Clock.
AT noon Miss Elias condition was very
critical, and the physicians had little
hope OF saying her. Mr.. IIoltz is a men,
Der of the firm of IIoltz & Koennecke at
No. $40 broadway, New York.
County Physician Converse and Acting
Chief of Police Edmondson held IA con-
sultation, at which it was decided to ar
rest Am Ende, the druggist, whose blum
der caused the death of Miss IIoltz. Pre-
vious to this search had been made,
but the druggist could not he found.
Rumors prevailed to the effect that he
committed suicide, and his most intimate
friends expressed themselves satisfied
that he could lot survive the disgrace.
Later Detective Gallagher proceeded to
Am Ende's residence, where he found
him in his private apartment, with his
arms on table and resting III his hands.
II have been expecting you,'' he said,
''and suppose you want to take me to the
station-h house. Well, so and call car
riage. l am ready
The detective suggested that they
would excite less attention by taking a
horse car, and the druggist retired to
procure his hat and coat. When he re-
turned to the aoom he abruptly asked
Gallagher:
What is the feeling down town.
The officer tried to cheer him by stating
that the public sympathized with him,
knowing that it was an accident on his
J
exclaimed:
"Oh, God! my heart is broken. Poor
Lowenthal How can | ever look at him
or Mr.. Holtz AGAIN." A minute or two
later he hurredly added: II may as we'll
tell you now. took one of those pow
ders to see what it's effect would be-"
Thoroughly alarmed. Gallagher hurried
to the store to summon the clerk. AS he
went down stairs he met Mr.. Heinrich
Sternberg, of the Staats Zeitung editorial
staff, an intimate friend of the druggist,
going up. While in the hallway Gala
CHER heard Mr. Sternberg call for help,
and running back, was told that Am
Ende had taken poison. He confessed
that he had swallowed dose of atrobia,
the alkaloid obtained from belladonna.
Physicians were hastily summoned, but
before their arrival Am Eude had become
unconscious. He had taken five grains
of the drug. the uSuul dose of which
ranges from 100 to / Ga of grain. On
Monday evening he is conscious, but very
low, and his recovery is considered ex-
tremely doubtful The house is in charge
of the police, and should he recover. his
removal to the station house will follow.
Crowds of sympathizing friends have
called at the lloltZ mansion with the ex-
ception of that of the Stevens family, the
finest in the city. Six physicians are
bringing to bear all their skin upon Miss
Ella, whose condition is considered almost
hopeless. The body of the eldest daugh
ter, Gretchen Margaret, has been pre-
pared for burial The parents are heart
broken over the sad affair, and have the
sympathy of the entire community.
Young Doctor Lowenthal, who unwit-
tingly administered the fatal drug, is
completely Frustrated, and his friends
have grave fears as to the ultimate result
of the shock he has received.
Nr. Am Ende is about forty five years
old, unmarried and a prosperous citizen.
He is we'll known in medical circles. and
is frequently quoted as an authority in
German text books, of which he has writ
ten several.