The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-07-25
WAS SHE POISONED?
MRS. MARY NAIsMlTH SUDDENLY
DIEs-LIrTLE ANNA HUNT,
Only Eleven Gears Old the First 90 Give
warnInE-PeeulIar freaks af Old
Ma NaIsmIth. the Maniac EIRs-
baad-The Cor oser's Jury
and Verdict.

Little Anna Hunt was the first TO
tell that there was dead woman In
the little room in the rear OF Ather-
tol's photograph gallery on Iron
avenue Tuesday evening. Strangers
found on entering that Mrs. Mary
Ann Naismith the wife 81 old man
Alex Naisnith the supposed harm
less maniac was lying dead near
where she had fallen early In the
day. \ hasIy examination warren
ted The supposition that all had not
been ~ in the regular order Of events
and Sheriff GENTRY took the aged
old man into custody and he II now
confined In the county Jail awaiting
the action Of the probate judge.
Coroner NJ. Jay Brown summoned
a jury at once and the examination
was begun lasting until I o'clock
yesterday afternoon. The evidence
revealed a strange life In the heart
Of thu city aud but few people even
| suspected that there was an aged
aud crazy hermit living within q
few doors of the post Office. But,
such il n fact, and the decreased had
lived alone with him for fifteen
years. Little Anna had only been
" 18th the family three weeks but she |
seemed we'll Informed as TO her
duties and the habits Of the crazy |
hermit. For three hours the old |
man kept the door locked aud for
babe the alarm being given. The
little girl had heard Mrs. Naismith
fall and had gone to her assistance,
after doing all she could she dis
covered the body had grown cold,
aud then sought help from strangers.
She told of the old mans rawlings
aud his fear Of strangers.
From r. IIambot n pretty good
history Of the family was learned.
Mrs. Naismith was considered
good trance medium aud WAS a
spiritualist. She had been subject
ia these spells" 10y which II II sup
passed death finally came. I.ambOt
was positive that IL he had been
called when she was first taken he
could have saved her life. He had
kept store in the front part Of the
building twelve years and during
that time was with the family every
day. Since then for two years he
ha-s vsste the woman nearly every
evening. he claims To- have loaned
on the property, paid taxes,
erected buildings etc, until the /
estate is indebted Ia him t3,UBI. He ,
has never had the scratch Of a pen,
and according To their religion
rlaims nothing of the kind was
n -
decreased making him Sc
rurc, will he found among her !
papers. The family came from ,
that old man Naismith lost his
reason through financial losses sus-
tanned before coming 10 America.
The property u valued nt about q
S5,nn. Fourteen years ago the old |
nan was brought In Salina from the ,
asylum at O-aw atomic and since
thea the drceasd had acted ~ guar
iian. He was afraid of strangers,
and only n few citizens knew that
he lived. '
r. \. Loomis the photographer In
.hargr of the gallery testified A. to
he habits Of the deceased being 4
hat uI hard working woman aud \
hat he had taken n flannel shirt
Tnr her To wash In the forenoon Of I
That while she was test
ug the color as Ia it, "fastnHsS" she
,rrama dizzy and at his request sat
Town, he then left aud knew moth 4
ng more until he heard Of her =,
lrath No traces Of poison were
ounh in the basins used, or In the
house, aud the jury rendered
;er,lict of death from natural causes.
fhr remains were turned over To v
". n NJ. ID. Berg for inierment. :