The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-05-31

in the manner of their deaths
he had reason to suspect that they had
been poisoned The reason he had for
suspecting the domestic was because she
had been acting strangely and appeared
to be deeply in love with him. She often
made advances to him during the two
years she was employed in his family,
and he thought if she was responsible for
their deaths il was because she wished to
get them out of the way in order that she
could marry him. He said that he would
like for the coroner to hold an autopsy on
the remains of his mother, she having
died at o'clock Tuesday night.
For the sake of his relatives he re-
quested that the matter be kept as quiet
as possible until he was satisfied that he
had sufficient grounds for his belief
Acting under his instruction, the coroner
took Drs Carey and Grinsteiner into his
confidence, and after binding them to Sc
cresy, they held a consultation and decided
10 hold the autopsy.
Had Bought Rough Rats.
The coroner had, in the meantime. been
making an investigation, and upon In
quiry in the neghborhood. had learned
that the girl had purchased u cent box
of "Rough on Rats" at Borst's drug lstore,
few doors from Koester's house.
They were confronted by serious OBJ
stacle. however. A number of the rela-
tives had gathered at the house and it was
impossible to hold the autopsy without
their knowledge. Mr. Koesters was con-
suited in the matter and he informed the
physicians that the best time to do the
work would be at an early hour yesterday
morning.
About o'clock Thursday morning the
coroner and the two physicians called at
the family residence, which is over the
furniture store at the above number.
When they arrived they were met at the
door by Koesters, who informed them
that two of his relatives were upstairs,
and they insisted, in spite OF his protests,
in sitting up with the corpse. On the pre-
tense of taking them TO the Spencer house
70 get cigar the men were gotten out of
the house and the autopsy was held, the
stomach being removed.
1t was taken to the Office Of DR.. Essen
beIss and he was instructed 10 make q
chemical analysis. He began work i'm
me1istely and about noon yesterday in
formed Coroner Beck that he had found
arsenic in the stomach in sufficient GUAM
titles to cause death. The coroner there
upon called the attention of the police to
the case and yesterday afternoon they be-
gan an investigation.
The Police at Work.
II was about 2:30 o'clock Thursday
afternoon when Capt. Splan and Coroner
Beck called at the residence The girl
was at work in the kitchen, which is in
the rear of the store, and when the Off
GERS entered the house she turned deathly
pale and started to leave the room. Capt.
Splan asked her where her sleeping
room was and she replied by pointing up
stairs. She showed him to the room and
started to leave, but was stopped by the
officer, who requested her to remain.
saying that ne wished to speak to her.
The coroner asked her what she had done
with the stuff she purchased at the drug
store and she said it was in the closet and
upon being requested to get it did co.
She said she had purchased it three weeks
ago to poison bedbugs. The coroner then
asked her what she had done with the
Rough on Rats" she had purchased at
Borsts drug store on Monday morn
ing She denied emphatically that
she had made any such purchase end
said there were no rats in the house and
that she would have no other reason for
buying it. By this time she had gained
her composure and answered the ques-
tions asked by the coroner and Capt.
Splan with stolid indifference.
The men were not satisfied. however,
and she was asked to change her clothing
| by Capt. Splan, after which she accompa-
MED the two officers to the drug store
where she had purchased the poison.
|