The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-03
When William Mackie Watered
the Horse Mrs. Prussia
Emptied the Vial.
UNCONSCIOUS a WHOLE DAY
I've Taken Laudanum, Here's NY
Purse, She Said, and No Other
Explanation.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FnArcrgoo CALL

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALI
90S Broadway, Sept. ..
Mrs. Norma E. Prussia died this after
noon at the home of her mother from the
effect OF opium poisoning. The circum-
stances preceding her death ale so unus-
nal that there is considerable mystery re-
garding the reason and cause of her sui
eide.
Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Prussia, who
is q widow residing at 1904 Webster street,
was over in Alameda driving with Will
liam Mackie, real estate man of Encinal.
Mackie stopped at a saloon and watered
the horse as well as took drink himself
When he returned to the buggy he says
Mrs, Prussia said to him: "Tve taken laud-
anum. Here is my purse and WATCH"
Mackie saw plainly that she had taken
something, and he at once drove to DR..
Smith in Alameda. By that time the
woman was unconscious and DR.. Smith
called in DR.. Akers. There was no doubt
that the woman was poisoned and the
doctors treated her accordingly. They
worked over her ali night but with no
apparent result and while still unconscious
she was brought to the home of her
mother, where she died this afternoon at
O'Clock without regaining her conscious
ness.
About an hour before her death Mrs.
Bishop, the mother of Mrs. Prussia, said
her daughter was suffering from fainting
tit, to which she was subject
''She has been q sufferer from these for
years" she said, land was Brought home
this morning in an unconscious condition.
do not know what brought it on, or any,
thing more than that l was awakened at 2
O'Clock this morning with the news.
The report that she poisoned herself
n c for ac I
have made thorough examination, and
have been unable to find any bottle or
paper that could have contained poison
No one saw her take any poison or any,
thing that would cause her TO be in such
condition. None OF US have any idea how
she came to be out with the gentleman, or
where they were when it happened
Mrs. Prussia was well-known music
teacher OF this city, being the daughter
of Mr.. and Mrs. Edgar Bishop of I165
Brush street. She lost her husband about
three years ago, and has had the two
children to care for since. She has had
very poor health. at one time it was
feared that she too would be taken off
with consumption, like her husband, but
she has been better of late.
DR.. Adams, who attended her after she
was brought home, saws; Il was called in
this morning about o'clock, and found
Mrs. Prussia in an insensible condition.
l made efforts to revive her with oxygen
gas, but to no avail, as she died about 4
o'clock this afternoon without havine
gained consciousness. 1t would be hard
10 say what the cause OF death really was
but IL will be fully developed at the in
quest, which will be held tomorrow.
Il found no indication whatever that the
lady had been injured in any manner. I
have attended her for some time She has
a son and daughter about 10 and II wears
of age respectively. Mr.. and Mrs. Prussia
formerly resided in Stockton and when he
was taken seriously i'll he went TO Pasa-
dena, where he died about three wears
ago"
Coroner Baldwin is satisfied that the
case is one of opium-poisoning. II have
inquired very fully into this case" he said
tonight, land / am satisfied that death is
the result of her taking laudanum, All
the three doctors who attended her agree
In their diagnosis of the case, and there is
not enough suspicion in my mind to war
rant holding an autopsy.
Mr.. Mackie, with whom she was drlv-
ing, tells very straight story, and have
no reason to doubt what he saws. The
woman undoubtedly took a big dose of
poison.
al have learned that she did not enjoy
good health, and her father-in-law has in.
formed me that she was of a very i'm
pulsive disposition, and he does not seem
TO think it remarkable that she should
have taken poison.
IAN inquest will be held tomorrow and
have no doubt that there will be testi-
mony enough to satisfy everybody that it
is a simple case of suicide. Mackie was in
attendance upon the woman until she
died and seems to be greatly affected, but
If there was love affair between them no.
body seems to have heard of it. He is a
single man."
Mrs. Appel, to whom Mackie drove Mrs.
Prussia after she had taken the fatal dose
of laudanum, said she knew neither of the
parties, but In course of conversation
acknowledged she had met Mr. Mackie
once. She was introduced to him, about
four months ago, by a gentleman whose
name she forgets, but Mackie only saw
her once when he wanted her to insure
her property and furniture in his Office.
"Some one rang the bell about half past
10 last night and shouted, Mrs. Appel !
Open the door quick = 81 opened the door,
and Mr.. Mackie asked where my niece
was, that he wanted help, as he had a LADY
friend in the buggy and she's dead 1
got my niece out of bed, and they went
out and brought the woman in and laid
her on the hall floor. We saw that she
was pretty bad, and my niece said that a
doctor must be obtained. Mackie went
for DR.. Smith, and afterward l got fright
ened and went too. The doctor came, and
Mackie went TO Oakland and brought the
woman's mother. They took her away
about o. clock this morning."
Mrs. Appel is very much put out at the
occurrence. She says she cannot under
sand why Mackie, who is a stranger to
her, should drive so far out of his road to
bring the BODY of a strange woman into
her house. She is more than angry, as
she points out that he could have obtained
medical assistance ten minutes after the
occurrence.