The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-22
DEATH IN A WINE CUP.
Mrs. Kate Charles Drinks Poisoned
C1aret and Dies Suddenly.

Mrs. Kate Charles Drinks Poisoned
C1aret and Dies Suddenly.
The lifeless body of Mrs. Kate Charles,
wife of Frank Charles, a locksmith living
at Ii Polk lane, between Pacific street and
Broadway, is at the Morgue. Death is
thought 10 have resulted from a small
draught of poisoned wine. Anyway, she
died yesterday morning, two hours after
| taking drink of California claret from a
bottle which her husband had purchased
| the night before.
| Charles himself consumed considerable
of the wine before retiring Wednesday
night. He woke up at an early hour
| yesterday morning, and feeling thirsty
drank some more. He now recalls that
| the beverage had bitter taste. Pains in
| his stomach followed and Charles became
| uncon scious.
When the butcher called at the house
shortly after 6 o'clock yesterday morning
he found Mrs. Charles lying on the floor.
| She was in spasms.
| Some neIghbors entered and everything
| possible was done for the unfortunate
| woman, but she died about two hours
| later.
This is the strange story that the hus-
band, who was taken to the Receiving
Hospital tells. An examination showed
that he was suffering from strychnia
poisoning. He will recover.
Il bought bottle of wine from a store
| at the corner of Green and Stockton streets
| last night" SAID Charles, land took it
home. had drink before going to bed,
between and 10 O'Clock. 1t made me feel
sick. l awakened shortly before day.
break, as | intended to 60 out on the San
| Bruno road to gather leaves for some
restaurants, and took another drink out of
| the bottle. had no sooner swallowed it
| than l fell on the floor and suffered from
| spasms.
"My wife was wakened by the ringing of
| the church bells. She asked what was the
matter with me, and told her had had
spasms. She said she wanted drink, and
she poured some of the wine out of the
bottle and drank It. She fell on the floor
in commissions and died i'll two or three
hours. 1t must have been the wine, as
she drank nothing else before that.
"We were married about two years ago.
My wife was sister of Attorney Denze,
| who used to practice in this City. worked
on ranch near Saratoga till about three
| weeks ago when | came to the City, and
| since then have been making a living by
supplying leaves TO restaurants"
The truthfulness of this story is discred-
tied by the police, and thorough investi-
cation will be made. There is no ques-
ton, so the detectives say, but that Mrs.
Charles was deliberately poisoned. AS to
| the motive, there is no knowing just now.
Charles, so far as is known, lived in do
mestic harmony with his wife. But his
| own statement to the authorities weighs
against him. and it will be necessary for
him to support it with more substantial
evidence before suspicion will be diverted.
He drank freely of the wine, he says, be-
fore going to bed, and again in the morn
ing when he awoke. His wife takes a
small quantity after arising in the morn
| ing and dies few hours later
Charles is a German by birth. He is
about so years of age. His wife was IS
| years.
| The detectives are working on the case,
but up to a late hour last night had Sc
cured no additional facts. An autopsy will
be held to-day. The wine has been placed
in the hands OF a chemist for analysis.
| The deceased woman was also known as
Katie Depaidie.