The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-03-27
FIFTH edition.,
A CHAPTER OF CASUALTIES.

OHAPTEN Ot UAUbALTlEbs
- -.
A Man Poisoned with Cobalt salt--A
Mystery About the Case-An Infans
suiothered--A Buby's Skull Fractur.
OLA Woman Falls Dead.
Last Saturday evening John Devine.
an employee of the Diamond state
Iron Company, visited z. James Belts
drug store at Sixth and Market streets,
and asked one OF the clerks for 10
cents worth OF Cobalt salt, an article
in demand, especially at this season
OF the year. for killing reaches and
other insects. The clerk knowing that
1t contained crude arsenic, asked the
prescription clerk II 1t was all right,
and upon receiving all affirmative an
swer weighed ounce OF tho drug and
gave iJ TO the man.
Previous to giving 1t to him he
placed tnree labels on the package, one
OF which could be seen any way Ii was
turned each bearing tho word poison"
and the regulation skull and cross.
bones. as q reminder OF the sequences
II the drug was taken internally. In
addition to these precautions he placed
another similar label inside the pack
age on the drug, where 1t could not
help being seen. As soon as DeVine
AoSOiNta biO PubhuRO iiC WGtb oub jos
fore the clerk could obtain his name,
therefore he made the following entry
In the poison book: '3-25-----
Cobalt, OF, 10 cents"
While the clerk was weighing the
drug DeNine remarked;
THAT looks very dark" when the
clerk replled; THAT ia Cobalt salt, il
that Is what you want"
Yes that's what 1 want-Cobalt
salt" he replied, and 1t was, after
being labeled and every precaution
1t Ia believed that after leaving tho
store DeVine went to his home on
Buttonwood street near b, In South
Wilmington. After eating his supper
and reading the paper he started to
go to bed about $50 O'Clock, but
turned and diracted his daughter to
mix some of the salt In water for
him to take. Upon finding it insolu-
BILE In the water, the girl tasted It and
remarked to her father that 1t did not
look right and had no taste. He, how.
ever, drank it, and must haye swal.
lowed the dregs.
In about an hour he commenced to
vomit and continued for some time,
but afterwards fell asleep. About
o'clock yesterday morning, the
daughter, who was very much wor-
ried about her father, went into his
room and found that he was breathing
worry heavily,and when she found it inns
possible to rouse him, sent for has
brother, Michael DeNine.
The son Mehael, Immediately tele
phoned for priest and tho family
physician. Dr. WIN. G. Pierce but bss
fere either arrived DeVine was dead.
DR.. Pierce, in speaking OF the case
last evening said:
81 was called this morning about
720 O'clock, and 1 reached the house
hurriedly in O coach. l met the daugh-
ter Ellen, at the door in tears, and she
said: oh, doctor, you have come too
late. said: What's the natter he
hasn't been sick She said: No, no
has poisoned himself
Il went up stairs and found that he
was dead. The family said he had
gone up to Belts drug store the even.
ing before to get new kind OF salt.
lie told them he wanted to take it be-
cause he wasn't feeling we'll. He had
been feeling stiff in tho legs.
| "He began preparations tor retiring
at the usual time. 1 suppose 1t was
between 1870 and Ii O'Clock when he
| took u teaspoonful. and they said he
had not been long In bed when he be-
gan to complain. He continued to
| q
and was In state OF collapse. They
sent for the priest and the doctor, but
both arrived too late"
The Coroner was notified and took
charge OF everything pertaining to the
CAGE and will hold an inquest this after.
noon. A post norton was held yes
| terday by Drs. Charles Il. Baird and A.
b. Harris, when arsenic was found In
the stomach and other organs.
There are those who think the poison
was taken with suicidal intent, but
this is denied by the family, who
claim that it was an accident. AS far
as Is known there was no cause for
| him TO take his life, and the only
theory that can DO advanced is, that
while complaining Of feeling bad,
some ono had told him OF Rochell or
| EPSON salts, and that he made mis-
take In the name. lie was 30 years of
age and leaves an unmarried daughter,
/ and two grandsons
Ha once owned several houses In
South Wilmington. lie rented thu
house In which lie liyed and about an
acre plot OF ground, which he had cul-
tlvated.
No blame whatever can be attached
to the clerk, as he usod every precau-
ton to prevent an accident. aud 1T
seems strange that neither the man or
his daughter saw the poison labels.
An INFANT sMofhEi.ED.
When Mr.. and Mrs. Michael Mctaf.
ferty, OF Rising Sun awoko yesterday
morning, they were surprised and
horriiled to find their l7-months' old
baby lying dead beside them. 1t seems
that some time during the night the