The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-18
BY WHOSE HANDo
Coroner Hughes Making
an Investigation.
A Mystery Surrounding the Death
of Henry Weisse, the Sup
posed Suicide.

The Coroner held an inquest yesterday
on the body OF Henry Weisse, the waiter
who died at his residence, II Henderson
avenue, ON Wednesday night, and whose
supposed suicide was noted in yesterdays
CALL. The evidence introduced was OF
such an unexpected character that Coro-
ner Hughes refused to believe that 1t was
a case of suicide, and he accordingly re-
ported the matter to the Police Depart
ment, and Detective Hogan was detailed
by Chief Crowley last night to work up
the case and ascertain, if possible. whether
or not Weisse came TO his death by foul
means.
Mrs. Weisse told her story In matter
or fact way and such one as is seldom
heard by Coroner's jury. Her husband
had tried to end his life on Monday last.
she said. by taking Trough on Rats" and
though she saw him mix Dg the tatal dose
she made no effort to prevent him from
taking it. because she was quite willing
for him to die. A few moments after he
had swallowed the potion lie repented OF
his folly aud by eating quantity OF soap
he vomited until The poison was thrown
Off his stomach. After this Mrs. Weisse
saw little OF her husband, and ON Wednes-
day, with her 14-year-old daughter, went
to party at one of the downtown halls
to follow her usual vocation of selling
bOutonnieres to the dancers and so was
away rom home when her husband died.
But her bereavement did not seem TO be
any source of sadness to her and the
widow of a day appeared more as if she
were the recipient OF some cheering news
than of message OF sorrow.
But the testimony of c. l.. Darlington,
chemist who had Analysed Welsse'S ston-
ach, was the particularly surprising part
n no 0u dom 10 nj
had been to find between thirty and forty
grains IT opium, pro badly administered in
the shape OF laudaDum, and the quantity
WAS enough for the purpose of a dozen
suicides. This was IN such direct contra
diction OF the widows testimony that ner
Eus band had taken Rough on r is. which is
practically arsenic, that Coroner Hughes
decided 10 order an investigation.
Mrs. Weisse gave as her reason for the
lack of affection for her husband his
treatment of her. He had done no work
for three years and contributed nothing
toward her support during that time, and
had also been habitually drunk, and was
cruel to her, often threatening her life, and
she had grown entirely Indifferent as 10
what became of him.
Enelie Weisse, schoolgirl by day and a
fiower-girl by night. gave the Coroner
some additional information about the
life and death OF her unlamented father.
She said that she bought 10 cents worth OF
bromide for her father on Tuesday, but
that this was the only medicine that she
knew of his taking. She told the same
story as her mother. about Weisse's cruelty
aud general worthlessneSs, and agreed
with her mother that they were better off
without him.
1t was ascertained by a CALL reporter
that about month ago Weisse. attempted
to buy some Rough on Rats at VOLTS drug
store, a short distance from where he
lived, but the druggist refused to sell it to
him, and he had not visited the drugstore
since that. There is no other drugstore
within fifteen blocks, and if Weisse pro-
cured the opium himself he must have OBJ
tanned it downtown.
Mrs. Weisse being absent when her
husband died, she and her daughter were
met at the car on their return and told OF
the event, and both seemed very much
surprised and the daughter wept bitterly.
Mrs. Weisse refused TO believe the news,
and said she would not be convinced until
she saw her husband dead.
The neighbors corrOhorate the stories
about Weisse being an idle drupkard, and
all agree that the widow and the daughter
are better off with him dead. but none of
them think for moment that they were
in any direct way responsible for his
death. However. the CorOner's jury will
not agree to a verdict of suicide until 1t
has further evidence, and the inquest Will
be resumed on Monday.