St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-14
The Death of w. c. Wheeler
Creating Great Local
Whispering.
Every Indication of Poisoning
in the Agonies Of
Death.
What Eye Witnesses Have to
Say Of the Strange
Affair.
Apparently No Investigation
Was Made, But One
May Be.

81 am poisoned! A doctor, quick"
A considerable portion of the Eighth
ward if very much torn up over the
sudden death of w. G. Wheeler, last
week, and the whisper is going busily
about:
"Was he poisOned?"
1t does not appear that any special
investigation was made. and yet the
death was under the most mysterious
and suspicious circumstances. Mr..
Wheeler Was a prominent member of
the Odd Fellows, and it is probable the
order will, even at this late date, make
a searching investigation. 1t is
also intimated the insurance companies
are worked up over it, as Wheeler
carried policies aggregating nearly
$4,000. The affair has made such stir
in the vicinity of Twenty-ninth street
that GLOBE reporter was detailed to
look the matter UP, and the result of
his Investigations would go to show that,
while heart disease was ascrSbed as the
cause of the death, there was every APP
pearance of poisoning, and it was evil
dent that Wheeler himself, while the
death agony was upon him, believed he
had been poisoned. 1t is very common
to attribute sudden death TO heart dis
ease without much investigation, and
that may have been the case in this in
stance. The facts, as nearly as they
can be learned, are as fOllOWS:
On Friday morning Mr.. Wheeler
came down stairs and took a powder
prescribed by DR.. Nelson for an affec-
ton of the eyes. Some time afternoon
he suddenly declared he felt very ill
and sat down in an arm chair. In this
attitude deathly sickness came over
him, and he attempted to stand up; but
his feet had suddenly become numb
and without feeling, and he fell forward
with a fearful shrek, alighting full
length on his face and shrieking out:
''I'm poisoned! doctor. qulckw
The cry brought in several neighbors,
including Owen Kinnard, who lived
across the way, and Mrs. Van Leu
wen, who keeps store on the adjOin-
ing corner. Mr.. Kinnard raised the
head of the recumbent man and an at
tempt was made to give him water, but
he foamed at the the sight of it and
again demanded doctor. He attempt
ed to speak and seemed very anxious to
say something, but all that could be
understood were the concluding words:
do you hear?" repeated twice. Ply
sicians were telephOned in every direc-
ton, but before any could arrive the
sufferer expired in horrible agony. He
went into commissions and writhed
and jerked with cOntOrtions, which
are characteristic of strychnia poison
ing. Mr.. Kinnard is a strong man, but
even he could do nothing toward quiet
inn hn HrInr until
finally come one terrible CONFUSION
which turned his face dark-liver color
and all was over. DR.. Barnum was the
first doctor to arrive after death. and
made superficial examination, beliey-
ing apopleXy to have been the cause.
DR.. Lindley also came, but said it was
not appopleXy, but probably heart dis
ease. No autopsy was held nor was any
investigation made, but without sending
the body to the mOrgue or without an
INCEST the trouble was pronounced heart
disease and so certified to the health
department. The body was inferred
with the rites of Odd Fellowship and
the matter ended, except for the whis-
pers that have gone about the neighbor
hood since.
To a GLOBE reporter Mrs. Van
Leeuwen very freely admitted her sus-
plClOIS anu uOuDlos DnC 10
of physician herself, and declares the
suffering and cOntOrtions of the dying
man were different from any case of
heart disease of which she knew or
heard. She thought it singular that
some investigation had not been made
on the powder he took when examined.
Mr.. Kinnard was very cautious and
confined himself to giving a descrip-
ton of the death, which he said was
terrible. "Of course am no DOCTOR"
he said, ''but l never heard of such.
spasms and. contortions in connection
with heart disease. His agony must
have been terrible"
People in the neighborhood are very
reluctant to even converse on the sub
ject in the presence of reporter, but
among themselves there has been very
much gossip during the week and the
general intimatIon that something
ought to be done about it.