St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-14
POsToFFICE INSPECTOR WOODS
GRAPHIC STORY ABOUT c. A..
PETERsoN,S TAKING OFF.
JUST AS THE CAPTAIN CALLED
SPASM, FOLLOWED BY TWO
MORE.
WAS DEAD IN A FEW MINUTES.
His Books Showed That There Was
u Shortage of $3So-Supp0sed
to BE "a Suicide.

Capt. James D. Wood, one of the
postoffice inspectors for this district,
tells a rather graphic story about the
DEATH probably by suicide, of Post
master c. A. Peterson, at Thompson,
Mimi, right in the presence of the in
spector a few days ago. The G o b e
contained very brief Geographic &C
count of the affair at the time, but
none of the details have thus far been
published here.
Thompson is a little town located
on the st. Paul & Duluth road, half
way between here and Duluth. In
March last the postoffice was robbed Of
$92 that had been received in the
money order department, and the post
master allowed his account with this
department to run behind ever since,
the officials at Washington having re-
fused to release him from responsible
ity to make good the amount stolen.
They thought he was negligent in hav-
Ing allowed so much money to remain
In the office.
His shortage kept piling up until he
was known to be 1892 behind, and a
short time ago Capt. Wood was ad-
Vised to proceed to Thompson, make
an investigation and insist on Peter
sons paying up his arrears. One week
ago this morning Capt. Wood stepped
Off the train at Thompson at sos
O'Clock. The postofffce is adjoining the
depot and of course Peterson saw him
coming, and knew what the visit
meant, knowing Capt Wood from a
previous visit
Capt. Wood entered the office, and
rot seeing Peterson around, sat down
Inc assistant postmaster brought in
the mail and began distributing it,
1ema1klng that the postmaster must
nave gone out somewhere. Just seven
minutes after Capt. Wood had entered
the Office the postmaster came in and
nodded to him. The inspector started
to draw from his pocket his commits
sion, but Peterson told him it was not
necessary to produce his commission
as ne knew who he was. The inspec-
Tor told Peterson NE wanted to exam
Inc his books, and the latter placed
the books on the desk in front of his
visitor. He then went on distributing
the mail and delivering it to those
VINO entered the office, talking as
cheerfully as though he were in the
best of spirits.
After the mail had been disposed Of
ana all had gone out except the post
a chair little to one side The in
spector's attention was attracted by
the heavy manner in which Peterson
dropped into the chair. and, looking
up, he saw the right leg and arm of
the latter convulse. Capt Wood walk
ed over and asked him what was the
matter, and he said it was simply an
attack of sciatic rheumatism that it
wouldn't amount to anything, and ne
would be all right in a few seconds.
suddenly the spell passed away. and he
seemed all right again.
Capt. Wood thought nothing serious
of the matter and returned to work
on the books. A few moments later
me felt sudden start, as though some
thing had fallen, and looking at Pc
terson, saw that his arms and legs
Were rigid as stakes. He rushed over
to him, and advised him to permit a
doctor to be summoned, but he de-
chned, saying that he would be all
right, and there was no doctor in the
town. The spell passed off as quickly
as had the other, and the inspector
again returned to work on his books.
But 4 few seconds later another
spell came on, and [ tell you 1 didn't
wait to ask him about calling a doctor
this time" said Capt Wood in telling
the story to a o b e reporter Il
just rushed out of the door and yelled
like Comanche."
The assistant postmaster the depot
agent and several others ran in and
began rubbing him. That spell too
passed away and he told them to lay
him on the floor so he would rest easier.
They laid him down, but his head was
too low, and he directed them to place
stick of wood under his head. The
first stick was too large and he ordered
them to get a thinner one Just as
they got his head on the smaller stick
another SpaSm came on. Those pres
ent rubbed him vigorously for a min
ute or more until stopped by Capt
Wood with the remark that it was use
less to rub, for the man was dead.
They then felt Of his pulse, but there
was no fiutter there, and the upturned
eyes had lost their fire-the spark had
fled. 1t was now just forty minutes
since the inspector had stepped from
the train.
OF course the impression was that
Peterson had committed suicide, and
telegram was at once sent to Dr.
Allen, of Cloquet, the deputy coroner
of the county. When Dr. Allen arrived
few hours later and the manner in
which Peterson acted before his death
was described to him. he said there was
but one poison that would cause the
symptoms indicated, and that was
strychnine taken in just the right GUAM
tity. 1t was the opinion of the doctor
however, that the man had not died
from the effects Of poison, but more
likely from what he had told Capt
Wood, a sudden attack of sciatc rheu-
natism aggravated by the excitement
attending the coming of the inspector
AS Capt. Wood said he did not care
whether an inquest was held or not
none was held, the friends of the dead
man being opposed to one.
On completing the examination of
the books. of the Office Capt. Wood
found a shortage of $3.50 in Peterson's
accounts with the department He
also discovered that he had made an
effort to secure loan from one or two
banks to pay UP this shortage, but
failed in his attempt. Under all the
circumstances, and Peterson's absence
after the arrival of the inspector, he
thinks it entirely probable that he took
poison, but he must have had it in
his possession, as there is no drugstore
in the town.
Last spring, when the money was
stolen from Peterson, the latter ap-
pealed to the employees Of the ST. Pau
postoffice for subscription to helI
him out, which, Of course, was not
responded to. Capt. Wood thinks he
must have been somewhat off men
tally.
POLICE COURT NEWS.