Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-09-11

HOUSE HOlSOneO-GESdJ agony
Before Death Relieved Her.
LOUISVILLE, KY, September To-
Mrs. Eugenia Sheriff., against whose
name never breath Of scandal had
been raised, died In house OF shame
this afternoon In very tragic manner.
As she gasped her last breath Mrs. Min
ME Austin, the keeper OF the asslgna-
tion house, was writhing in the agony
Of death in an adjoining room. An hour
afterward she, too, was corpse. On q
pallet in this room lay Lloyd Austin,
Mrs. Austin's eleven-year-old son, who
was also very III, but not fatally so.
The death Of the TWO women was un-
der most mysterious circumstances.
Coroner Berry, when called In, pro-
nounced them undOubted cases or ch0l-
era, and so instructed his jury. When
his theory became known, the house, a
large three-story brick, on Second, near
Market, was quickly depopulated. Peo-
pie ran for their lives. Scarlet women
even left their jewels on their dressing
case. Even the neighbors were aroused,
and also deserted their houses. Had
the theory proved true, the square
where the tragedy took place would,
tonight, be the lones0meSt place In
Jefferson county.
Mrs. Sherrill's husband left on one OF
his trips several days ago. Last night
at o'clock Mrs. Sheriff. told the fam
lily that lives In the same house she does
that she was going out TO spend the
night with friend on East Chestnut
street. Mrs. Sheriff. has been In tho
habit Of spending nights with this wom-
an friend, and nothing was thought OK
IL. She went straight TO the assigna-
tion house on Second street, and here,
Il turns out, she always went when vls-
itlng that friend. There she met sever
al prominent men, one OF them n
city official, as was her
habit. They drank beer aud
ate some fee cream. After a time they
retired. 1t is claimed that Mrs. Sher-
rill slept In u room alone. They woke
up this morning feeling all right, all
except the little boy, who said his
stomach hurt him. He did not eat any
breakfast. Mrs. Austin and Mrs. Sher-
rllI ate heartily OF coffee and batter
nakes. But before they left tho taoio
they. too, began 20 feel Ill. Their pains
rapidly increased, and soon both were
vomiting and purging. A woman on
the third floor heard the screams and
ran down. The Austin woman was
lying down. Mrs. Sheriff. was stagger-
ing about the room.
"Take me out OF this place." she
cried.
'.You are too Sick" said the visitor.
"No, no." screamed the agoDlzed wo-
man. 81 will be ruined. cannot COB
sick here"
"You will 10 all right 10 short
time" said the visitor. as she carried
Mrs. Sheriff. over to a bed and laid her
on II. Mrs. Sheriff. resisted with all
her feeble strength, and begged plte-
ously To be taken out OF the house or
shame.
Both women imagined they had tho
cholera, and Mrs. Sheriff. believing sho
was going TO die, was wild In her pleas
10 be taken out, even II II was 10 DO
laid on the street.
Drs. Corrlgan aud Brennon were sent
for. BY this time the boy was some
better. The physicians went 20 work
with a will, but Mrs. Sheriff. and Mrs.
Austin steadily grew worse. However,
the boy continued 70 show signs OF i'm.
proyement, and his life will be saved.
Mrs. Austin died at 10 o'clock Ia tho
greatest agony, Just before she passed
away she was vomiting blood. Mrs.
Sheriff. died an hour later. Until her
last breath she begged TO be taken out
OF the house. Coroner Berry WAS called
Immediately. Then IL was he pro-
nounced the symptoms those OF Asiatic
cholera. Drs. Corrigau and Brennan
declared death had been the result OK
poisoning which was probably ia The
Ice cream, but might have been Ia the
coffee or meal. While tho jury was
hearing the evidence. the stomacbs OF
the dead women were taken out and ex-
smined. From the lining OF the stom-
achs IL was seen that death had been
caused By some powerful poison. The
verdict OF the jury was postponed until
after chemical examination was made
OF the bowels. The jnrymen will meet
again next Monday.
One theory is that the women wero
poisoned by some one who wanted them
10 die. Both OF their lives were insured.
However, little credence II placed tn
those rumors. A box Of "Rough on Rats"
was found In the house, aud this leads
10 the theory that this was the poison
that was used. Ed. Sheriff., the hus-
band OF the unfortunate woman, is well
known here, and has many frienes
through the State, being promlnent
drummer. He travels through the
western portion OF Kentucky Tor
Ayery's plow factory. lie IS now Ia
Bowling Green, where . telegram was
sent calling him home.
Mrs. Sheriff. was scarcely out OF ner
honeymoon, she and Sheriff. having
been married but short time ago. ohe
was born and raised ia Meade county'
the daughter OF very respectable Iain-
iIy. She Is q niece Of DR.. PnseT, tns
snperinteudent OF Anchorage Asylum
Her maiden name was Eugenia hxci4f-
land. She was beautiful. and naa just
come into all the charms of womenh ,o1. ,,.
being only twenty-five years o'u. ons
bore a good reputation, and no" sns
came 70 90 10 the Austin WOMAN : mouse
which is notorious, Is q MYSTERY -
claimed that she vent alone, ana oeeu-
nIed a room alone, bat this y not De-
Iieved II Is known that she ha1 been
,aea,I,y ner about toun for some time.
Minnie Adstin was divorced yO'a.e' a.,e
Her husband left her zen yon.
Soon after she opened an 1919 ,'.sa 80.
house on Second street, ana ne' .nce
making living 10 tnat way ''''