The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-13
WORK
Composer Edward Irving Darling's
Dying Accusations.
HE SAYS HE WAS POISONED
His wife and DR.. Spranger Are
Charged With Filling Him Full
of Drugs to Hasten
His Departure.

New York, May 1.-THE dying dec
isration of Edward Irving Darling.
the composer. has been fled with other
documents In the district attorneys
office In the case In which Flora Adams
Earring. mother OF Edward Irving
Darling. accuses Doctor Spranger of
having poisoned her son. Soon after
the death OF Darling. Doctor Spranger
married his widow. They are now I'm
California.
The affidavit made by Edward Irv-
ing Darling was written partly by him
self In the presence OF witnesses a few
hours before his death. In the state
ment he tells how. in December, 1883.
he met with an accident when attempt
ing to save property for a firm he was
with In Detroit. DR.. o. Belts was the
surgeon and Doctor Spranger the ply
sician who attended him. He declared
that the intimacy between Doctor
spranger and Mrs. Darling. his wife.
began during his illness. Concerning
this intimacy. Darling alleges:
Prior to her acquaintance with DIR.
spranger we had lived happily. From
that date she was different woman"
Darling said that this was In the
spring OF 1892. and up to that time his
health was perfect. Early in March he
had a severe attack OF what was called
cholera morbus He did not recover.
but kept attending to business. DIR.
Spranger. he said. frequently gave him
medicines which seemed to afford him
temporary relief. but ultimately left
him In a worse condition.
June 1. 1892. Miss Clayton came to
my house TO write The viking We
continued at the work until July 4.
when my wife came into absolute pos
session OF an estate yielding an income
OF about $4,000 annually. We left for
Washington June 5, and went to the
Ebbitt house. The second day after
our arrival I had a most violent at
tack. We returned to Detroit July is.
l was too i'll to sit up, and had to lie
In my sleeping apartment all the way.
and have been regarded as dying
man ever since The variety and
quantity OF drugs he Doctor Spranger)
poured into me was sufficient to justi-
fy CHASING me as an annex to his
laboratory. He gave no prescriptions.
only medicine. 1 failed rapidly. The
effect produced was a constant state or
irritation OF the stomach My mother
is a witness that she saw my wife pour
the contents of yellow powder into
tne OecanteT tndt sat at my bcuciuc-
The statement continues with the as
sertion that Darling found his wife had
a private letter box. He also discov-
cred that his wife and DIR. Spranger
were circulating the report that he
was drinking himself TO death. 1t
dawned on him that he was not being
treated. and he refused to
take any more medicine. He began TO
recover after that. He left for New
York. Concluding. the statement de-
clared:
I'm November / was improved, but
II any man suffered the torments OF the
damned, was crushed. hurt. humilia-
ted and crucified. 1 was at that time
by Mrs. Darling. She decided to close
the house. 1 left for New York As
soon as 1 left she filed a bill for abso-
lutte divorce for drunkenness, non-sup-
port, cruelty and desertion, which she
expected 10 obtain. with alimony.
through default. On Jan. IS she Joined
me I'm New York. came to my rooms Of
her own accord and lived with me as
devoted wife until March /. 1 had i'm
proved in health. We were at work on
The viking The day she left was
.aken seriously i'll and have failed
slowly but surely. I am dying without
nome or hurry"