The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-21
WANTED TO DIE.
81 Wish / Was Buried
With My Boy"
Mrs. Helen Wagner Expressed a Dis.
like for Life After Divorce
From Her Husband.

There was evidence enough yesterday in
the inquest on the remains of Mrs. Helen
Wagner that she took opium to end her
life.
Mrs. Wagner obtained q divorce from
DR.. Henry Wagner OF SOC Suffer street
about two months ago. Then she moved
to 400 Oak street, where she was found in
a dying candition Sunday morning. Ply
sicians were instantly SUNNI oned, but the
woman had taken so much opium or NOR
phia that nothing could stay death.
1t was given out she died from acct
dentally taking an overdose of the drug,
but the following letter to the Coroner
started searching official investiga ton
yesterday:
SAN FRANCISCO November 20, 1898.
Coroner H1tghes-DEAR SIR: Before holding
an inquest over the body OF the late Mrs.
Helen Wagner, VINO died yesterday from an
overdose of morphine. 1t should be your duty
to investigate II this lady has tax en- the poison
by accident or with suicidal Intent, and by so
investigating you will find this lady was driven
TO suicide through the treatment OF her by her
former and lately divorced husband, DR.. I'll.
wagner, and his parents The divorce was
gained by fraud and false statements TO Mrs.
Wagner. To Mrs. Kreutzmann, wife OF DIR.
kreufZmann, 913 Suffer street; also Mrs.
Caroline Roster, president OF the German Fair
and Union So, p Works, 316 Tenth street. Mrs
Wagner has stated before that she wanted to
commit suicide. This case has surely very
sensa ional background. Yours,
Z. S.-Mrs. Wagner has certainly used this
drug enough to know how much was dangerous.
There was nothing in the room where
Mrs. Wagner died to indicate she had
taken poison no bottle. package or
tumbler out of (which opium was drunk.
This seems so strange to the Coroner,
when considered in connection with the
fact of about ten grains of morphia having
been found in the stomach, that he is in
clined to believe every vestige of evidence
pointing to suicide was destroyed by
friends.
Within the last year DR.. Won Hoffman
testified he was her physician and that she
took opium to alleviate pain suffered from
hip disease.
Charles Darlington, the chemist, said he
made An analysis of the stomach and
found large quantities of morphia in it.
Mrs. Kreutzman 0f 1014 Suffer street.
who had known Mrs. Wagner for years.
testified that the deceased was divorced
from Dr. Wagner recently, attn ough friends
had stated that the separation was mutual
and friendly.
Since the divorce Mrs. Wagner fretted
and had desp0Ddent moods. While at
Monterey she wrote to Mrs. KreutZman:
81 wish / was dead and buried with my
bOy."
This SOD was born four wears ago and
Mrs. Wagner was passionate fond of the
child.
about two weeks ago." said ths wit
ness, Mrs. Wagner told me she suffered
over parting with her husband. 1t made
said to me: Pm tired of living this way I;
/ wish / was buried with my boy"
Unusual interest was taken In the case
by friends. DR.. Wagner had an attorney
to represent his interests. and Captain
Lees, one of his patients. watched the in
ques, proceedings from beginning to END.
The examlna alton was continued until
next Tuesday morning. by which time
Quantitative analysis of the stomach will
be made.