The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-02
MEYERS CALLS IT MURDER
Testimony of Neighbor Before Coro.
ner Beck Causes a Sensation.
But DR.. A. C. Smith Ridicules the Idea of Foul
Plsy-Says Death Was Due to Exhaustion
Oyygen-Mrs. Smith Talks Candidiy.

from the 1rOnb QOOE Ol iittio iouf-ioou
cottage. on one or the quiet back streets Of
North Indianapolis, two streamers OF
black Grape fluttered TO the wind. About
the gate and on the fence leaned O dozen
or more curiously inclined men. with seri-
Gus faces, conversng In low whispers as
they eyed the house with strange chances
of awe. In the little spare room of the
cottage white sheets were drawn over the
faces of Moses Smith and his son Oliver.
while in an adjoining room the wife and
mother was PROSTATE. As pale as the
corpse of her husband and son, she was
surrounded by crowd of neigh boring
women, each one apparently avoiding O
word or look that would indicate to her
the dark thoughts and suspicious that
were being given speech by the mofDld
grOup9 OF men outside.
Last evening Mrs. Smith consented to
talk about the affair and again related oil
that she claims to know of IL. She talked
without hesitation and In q quiet, calm
way. She said: Il am the second wife of
Moses Smith. and Oliver is our son. My
married life has been perfectly happy. and
have never had word with my husband.
Notwithstanding the stories told by persons
who are llldisposed toward me. Last Sat
urday afternoon l spent in Indianapolis.
and left the city at $50 O'Clock with my
stepson, Marion Smith. We came home
and was about the house and store until
olosing-up time. when my husband said be
wouId 60 to the drug store for q bottle or
witch hazel. lie was injured Q
few weeks ago by q runaway and
was using this medicine on his leg.
We all retired before 10 O'Clock. Oliver
has been in the habit of sleeping on q
lounge in the kitchen, but just before we
went to bed he remarked that the lounge
was too short for him, and that he would
sleep with bis father: L occupied the
lounge that night, and before l slept l
turned down the gas slightly and also
lowered the light OF the lamp at the head
Of the other bed. l then fell asleep, and
remember no more until came to myself
yesterday morning. We had no trouble of
any kind Saturday night and never have
had.
my husband has been afflicted for long
time with Q kind OF epilepsy and heart
trouble, and has often told me that would
get up some morning and find him dead.
When / retired Saturday night did not
notice that the gas WAS escaping. but one
night two or three weeks ago we had 20 get
ND and open the doors on account Of the
suffocating pressure in the ROOM"
DR.. A. G. Smith. of North Indianapolis,
who was called In Sunday TO revive Mrs.
Smith. ia indignant that the reports OF
Sunday and yesterday were given circula.
tion. ut is absurd" said he; amy man
with common sense ought to know that
those people died from suffOCatlOn by car
bonic gas, generated from the lighted lamp.
The oxygen was consumed first In the room
where the mon lay, hence. they were first
afflicted" The Doctors idea 10 that Mrs.
Smith awoke half suffocated, and made her
way into the room whore her husband and
son lay. She probably placed her hand on
the face of the son, and, finding him cold
in death, swooned away aud was overcome
by the deadly atmosphere.
Mrs. Smith says that the fact of her hus.
band being found with his clothes on is not
strange, as he frequently lay down with
bis trousers and vest on, and especially did
so when he had O considerable amount or
money about him.
Wort Yancy. the man who is looked upon
with suspicion in the smith neigh borhood.
Is said to have absented himself from the
vicinity of the stricken home yesterday, q
fact which caused considerable talk among
the gossips.
Yesterday morning Chief Detective
Splann detailed detectives Kinney and
Richards to investigate the rumors afioat
in North Indianapolis and the officers
spent the day in familiarizing themselves
with the general character of the persons
under suspicion. One of the first 70 hint
at foul play among the neighbore of the
Smiths was William Myers. OF the county
treasurer's Office. who has been lifelong
friend of Moses Smith. MI Myers testified
before the coroner yesterday ana stated
that several weeks ago the elder Smith
told him that be did not recognize Mrs.
Smith as his wife and intended leaving her
as soon as he could settle mp his business.
He also made known to Myers that he was
aware of the manner in which the name of
his wife was being coupled with that of
Yancy, but that he was not afraid they
would do him bodily harm. The witness
was confident that Moses Smith and has
son were murdered. Yesterday Yancy was
interviewed by the detectives and
explained to them that there was no ground
whatever for the rumors of or intimacy
between himself and Mrs. Smith. He said
they were the result of busy bodies bent OF
making tronble.
Mrs Smith is sold to be q devout mem
Der of the Methodist Church and O promi-
nent worker In the Ladies' Relief Corps
was connected with the Knights of Honor.
in which order he carried q thousand dol
lar policy on mis- life. payable at his death
to his wife.