The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-04-19
POISON IN COFFEE
Six Danville BoarderS Are Suddenl,
Taken Very III.
FATAL TO ONE OF THEM
From the Effects of the Arsenic
Said to He Spite Work.

DANvrLLE, Ill, April 16.-James Gas
kill, man about 70 years old, from
| Saltwater, MINI, who is staying In
Danville for treatment for cancer, died
last night from arsenical poisoning.
Five young men, named II. e. Owens
p. A. Zorio, Dolph Murray, James
violently sick from the same cause.
These persons were al boarders at the
esta blishment of G.. L. Pickett, on
Hazel street, of this city. The trouble
commenced at the supper ia BILE last
evening. Every person that drank
coffee experienced a raw burning sen.
sation down the throat and into the
stomach. To quench the fire they
drank more coffee. They were soon
compelled by The violent pains 10 leave
the table and Immediately commenced
pnrging Some of them vomited every
ten or fifteen minutes during the night.
Those at the supper table who took tea
or milk in preference to coffee were
not effected. Mrs. Sarah Pickett, wife
f the landlord, being a little late to
take her place at the table, had only
taken two swallows of the coffee when
her meal was interrupted by the un-
usual action of the boarders. But even
the two swallows were enough to cause
her to have violent pains
A post norton examination of Gas
kill disclosed the fact that he had died
from arsenical poisoning. d. j. M. Guy
said the action of the arsenic was Wis
ible TO the naked eye. The package of
coffee was purchased in the afternoon
by the landlord at the store of William
Deplait, where it was ground. The
coffee was prepared for the evening
meal by Landlord Ruckett and his wife
1t cannot be conceived that they had
any motive for poisoning any of their
boarders. Mrs Pickett is a great
coffee drinker and the fact that she
was late at the table is probably all
that saved her. Old man Gaskill has
but limited means, and it is not be-
lieved that his wife, who accompanied
him to Dansville, had anything to do
with the affair.
The theory that receives the most
approval Is that some woman who had
access to the kitchen and a spite against
one of the boarders, and took this
fuip
boarding house is a two story fame,
wi'hon any carpets. 1t is patronized
only by persons of limited means.
The physician, DIR. Guy, was not
called in until after midnight and but
few moments before the death of Mr..
Gaskille. He fund all the sufferers in
bed complaining of violent pains and
burning sensations in the throat and
vomiting every few minutes. He saved
the con ents of the coffee pot and the
unused caffee and will make an ANALYSIS
Of It tomorrow.
Il .ndiord Pickett few weeks ago
fouod package of arsenical rat poison
and placed it out of the way of the
children above the kitchen door. An
examination disclosed tn fact that the
box mad been recently used, and it is
believed that it was placed in the coffee
by the guilty party. No arrests have
been made, and nothing will be done In
this direction until after the coroner,s
jury returns its verdict.
Mrs. Gaskill left today with the
remains of her husband for their home
In Minnesota. The contents of his
stomach have been preserved for chem
ical analysis.
SALTWATER, MINI April lG DIR.
K. M. Giskill, who was poisoned at
Dansvllle. H., was a resident of Sontb
Saltwater for many years, where he
practiced medicine. He had been af.
hicted with a cancer on his face for
i've years and was in Dansville for
treatment. He came to Minnesota in
1855, locating in Marine, this county.
he was senator In 1878 and 1872 AZ
was for many years member of the
board of prison inspectors. He was
surgeon In the Forty-hfth Illinois repi.