The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-04-18
POISON IN COFFEE
Six DanviIle Boarders Are Suddenly
Taken Very i'll.
FATAL TO ONE OF THEM
.Jamea Gaskin of saltwater, MIMI. DIES
From the Effects of the Arsenic
Said to he Spite Work.

DANvILE, Ill, April l6.-James Gas
kill. man about 20 years old, from
Saltwater, Mimi, who Is staying In
Danville for treatment for cancer, died
last night from. arseuical poisoning.
Five Young men, named H. f. Owens,
P. A. Zorro, Dolph Murray, James
Makemsou and Walter Miller were also
violently sick from the sane cau>e.
These persons were all boarders at the
est blishment of c.. L. Pickett, on
Hazel street, of this city. The trouble
commenced at the snpper table last
evening. Every person that drank
coffee experienced 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 to leave
tue 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
at the landlord, being little late to
take her place at the table, had only
taken two swallows of the coffee when
her meal was interrupted by the uu-
usual action Of the boarders. But even
the two swallows we're 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
ib'e to the naked eye. The package Of
coffee was purchased in the afternoon
bv the landlord at the store Of William
Deplait, where it was ground. The
coffee was prepared for the evening
meal by Landlord Pickett and his wife,
It 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 1t 10 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 10 that some woman who had
access to the kitchen and spite against
one of the boarders, and took this
means of gratifying the revenge. The
boarding house Is a two story fame,
without any carpets. 1t is patronized
only by persons of limited means.
The physician, DR.. Guy, was not
called in until after midnight and but i
few moments before the death of Mr.,
Gaskille. He found all the sufferers In
bed complaining of violent pains and
burning sensations in the throat and
vomiting every few minutes. He saved
the contents of the coffee pot and the
unused coffee and will make an analysis
of it tomorrow.
Landlord Pickett few weeks ago
found package of arsenical rat poison
and placed it out of the way of the
children above the kitchen door. An
examination disclosed the 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 win 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, Mimi April 16.-Dr, J,
r. M. Gaskill, who was poisoned. at
Dansville. Ill.,, was . resident Of South
saltwater for many years, where he
practiced medicine. He had been II.
atcted with cancer on his face for
ave years and was in D1nsvllle for
treatment. He came to Minnesota ID
1855, locating in Marine, this county.
He was senator in 1878 and 1872 as.
was for many years member of the
board Of prison Inspectors. He was
surgeon in the Forty-afth Illinois regi-
ment.