The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-12-05
POVERTY AND DEATH
4 SAD CASE BROUGHT TO LIGHT
 YESTERDAY.

Woman Said to Have Been Poisoned at
 an Italian Boarding House Union
 Strest-Coroner Mix Investigating-Th
 Body in an Attic-The Husband Gets
 Drunk and IS Arrested-- He Threatened to
 Knl.
 A sad case of poverty, cruelty and death was revealed to the authorities yesterday and is now the subject of an investigation by the coroner. Early yesterday morning Medical Examiner White was informed that a woman had died at the notorious Italian boarding house at S1 Union street under very suspicious circumstances. He repaired to the place as soon as possible and climbing several unsteady stairways reached a vile, attic. There, upon an ill-smelling bed and in far corner lay the dead body of a woman scantily clad. Mrs. Ellen Mathews, who has rooms in the same house, told the med- ical examiner that the remains were those of Mrs. Patrick Linehan, who had been stopping at the house with her husband for some time past. She fur ther stated that the woman had been poisoned by hquor," meaning that she had taken liquor into which poison had been introduced. The husband also stated the same thing'and upon further inquiry told story to the effect that upon last Friday some strange men had put up at the house and in the evening had given Mrs. Linehan some liquor which made her terribly sick and from which she never recovered. The men disappeared the next day.
 pr. White informed Coroner Mix of the case and vigorous Investigation will be held this morning as a result. The medical examiner could not tell whether or not the woman had died from the effects of poison, but this will be determined by an autopsy and chemical analysis of the contents of the stomach, both of which will be made, provided the coroner's investigation warrants.
 A peculiar feature of the case was the arrest of the husband at o'clock last night He had been drinking some and in a fit of madness was searching for two Italians whom he said he was go- ing to kill The officer tried to pacify him, but was turned upon by the irate husband and struck squarely in the nose. Nothing could then be done ex- cept to arrest the man. Officer Doherty proceeded to do this, but Linehan re- sisted desperately. Officer Williams was called and finally the prisoner was landed at the lookup. Here he became insanely enraged and again pitched into Officer Doherty. It took three officers to hold him down. In the large run where drunken prisoners are generally placed the man fought like lion. He picked up large dipper and threw it at Patrolman Doherty's head, but it was quickly lodged. Finally he had to be placed in cell, but even then he thrashed around and vile epithets were followed by threats that he would break out in spite of them and go to his wife, who was dead
 Shortly before o'clock Ellen Mat hews, who is not unknown to the police, appeared at headquarters with little girl who she said was the daughter of the dead woman and the stepdaughter of Linehan, the mother having been twice married. She reiterated the state ment that Mrs. Linehan had been "poisoned by liquor'' She also stated that the woman's home was in Spring field and wanted her parents notified. The dead woman is about thirty-fiye years old. The husband is younger.
 Officer Dohertys hands wera badly bruised as a result of the fracas. He did meritorious work in handling the man.