St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-28
PROBING A MYSTERY.
Startling Developments Are
Promised in a Recent Case
Of Suicide.
A Housekeeper- Who Ended a
Dispute with Rough on
Rats.
Executive Clemeney Manifest
ed on Behalf Of a Young
Convict.
Still Tpvinop tn Obtain Twelve
Still Trying to Obtain Twelve
Unbiased Jurymen to Hear
Evidence.

1t is understood that proceedings will
shortly begin before the courts to clear
up mystery surrounding the suicide
OF the housekeeper for prominent
dentist in this city. The night of the
18th of September, 1888, Mrs. Jennie f.
Jernison, living as a housekeeper with
DR.. j. Hughes Johnson, corner of Fifth
and Oak streets, committed suicide by
taken large dose of though OIL Rats"
There was no unusal alarm as to the
circumstances that led to the rash act,
and inquiry was dismissed from the
public mind. The circumstances OF her
death were published i'll the papers the
following morning, and nothing more
was heard Or said about the matter,
especially since the end Of the woman
was accounted for by the attending
physicians. The woman in question
had been living with DIR. johnson as
a housekeeper. and with the help
of a servant girl cared for the
house, which was partly rented to
roomers. The morning of Sept. II a
contention arose over domestic affairs
between DR.. johnson and Mrs. Jerni-
sou, and she was thrown into
A VIOLENT FIT OF PASSION.
During the absence of DR.. johnson
she purchased from neighboring drug
store quantity of Rough OH Ra5s" ana
returned home, went to her room and
swallowed portion. This is alleged
to have occurred between l and 2
O'Clock in the afternoon. DR., johnson,
it is said, returned shortly after she had
fnt- fIn hut Il Il all n
physician until about $50 in the even
ing. DIR. Hewitt, the physician sum-
mOned, promptly responded to the call,
and found the woman writing in her
chamber from the effects of the poison.
He administered antidotes to her, and
noticing her apparent recovery, re-
turned to his home for the night. At 2
O'Clock, however, he was awakened ard
summoned to the bedside of the woman,
which he reached shortly after her
death.
What was done in professional and
official way can be learned from the
following letters from DR.. Hewitt to
Coroner Quinn.
ST. PAUL. Sept. IL, 1888. Dear DR.. Quinn:
l was called to see Mrs. James F. Jernison
last night. she had taken an indeterminate
quantity of Trough on Rats" She vomited
completely emptied and antldotes were
freely exhibited thydrated oxide of iron aud
dialiZed iron), but at 2 a. m. this morning
she died. The bearer is DR.. j. hughes john
son. in whose house the deceased had lived.
viii you please advise him. or me through
him, what steps TO take! am, sir. very re-
specially yours. &. A. HEWITT.
ST. PAUL. Sept. Is, 1ssS.-Dear Doctor
Quinn: made this morning an examination
of the stomach of Mrs, Jennie F. Jernison.
rrtn
scattered patches of intense Inflammation.
especially towards the pyiorus. The stomach
had been completely evacuated and no
powder remained if il. took with me DIR.
ii. j. O'Brien, who assisted i'll performing the
q. A. HEWITT.
Sept. Is Coroner Quinn filed, accom-
panied by the above letter, a coroner's
certificate with the clerk of the district
court, as follows:
CoRoNERs OFFICE, Sept. Is, 1S8S.-That
at corner Fifth and Oak streets, on the 18th
day of September, 1888, Mrs. JENNIE +.
Jernison, thirty -four years of age, by occupa-
ton housekeeper. died of suicide Rough
on Rats; lived with and worked for Dr..
johnson. dentist, and that it was unneces-
sary to hold all inquest.
[signedl j. A. QUINN.
The quietude that reighed about the
time of the death of Mrs. Jernison has
now been disturbed by the interest
taken in the case by persons who lived
in the same house as rOomerS. There
is afloat a nebula of suspicion and grave
charges have been made, aud although
there have been no legal steps taken to
unearth what seems to be a mystery,
there is a prospect of such proceedings
in the future. The servant girl living
with DR.. johnson figured centrally in
the causes which. it is alleged, have
been kept under cover. Love seems to
have generated bad motives, and the
case, with all its complications, when
properly brought to light, may reveal
something of startling nature.