The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-10-15
Marriage Licenses.
Death of o. w. Stebbins.

@. z. Shattuck received dispatch Saturday
morning stating that his son-in-law, o. w. Steb-
bins, OF Montgomery, Ala, was dead. Mr..
Shattuck had been planning to leave this week
for Montgomery to visit Mr.. and Mrs. Stebbins,
and the news of the formers death came as
great shock. as it was not known that he was
sick. Mr. Shattuck Immediately left for Mont
gomery, arriving there Monday.
Mr.. Stebbins' death caused great excitement
in Montgomery, the report at once becoming
general that he died of yellow fever and with
out any sort of an Investigation the authorities
seized the body and buried it, burning the bed
clothing, etc. An investigation after this was
done revealed the fact that the cause of his
death was ''choera morbus accompanied by
disease of the liver" The Montgomery papers
published long accounts, under flaming head
lines, Of the case From the Advertiser we take
the hefollowing:
reporter interviewed the three physicians
who attended the deceased at different times
during his illness. and all three, Doctors Pear
son, Steiner and jackson, believed that Mr..
Stebbins did not die from yellow fever
After his death, however, and an account OF
the yellowish dscoloration OF the deceased, DR..
Jackson reported to the Board Of Health that
post mortem examination ought to be had. The
rumors which sprang up showed the wisdom OF
such proceeding 1t was, and is, the policy
| of the board to deal openly and honestly with
the public and not keep them in doubt
that might happen to be circulated M
| Saturday afternoon DR.. Sanders, the State
health oflcer and yellow fever expert was tele.
graphed to, and Immediately came, arriving
| here on late train
In company with the Board he went at once
| to the home OF the Stebbins family and made
| advisable to postpone holding the autopsy until
| daylight. Precautionary measures were taken
and the corpse left until yesterday morning.
| At an early hour the physicians held the post
mortem examination, concluding about noon,
| and then after dinner reconvened for the pur-
pose Of examining certain organs taken from
| the dead man. Skilled microscopists were sum-
moned to make this important test. The re-
suit has already been stated, and the public Is
| satisfied.
Mr.. O. W. StebDins as all his friends know,
had been suffering from O liver complaint for
yellowish cast Of his skin and the discoioration
| Of his eye balls tfl
Last Thursday night, one week ago, he went
| home, 322 Clay street. and with his family ate
canned salmon for supper The next morning
Mr.. and Mrs. Stebbins and their children we're
all sick.
Stebbins and his wife having partaken more
heartily of the salmon suffered an attack of
cholera morbus. In the husbands s case 1t was
more acute, by reason OF the condition OF his
! system.
Mrs Stebbins only remained in bed few
days, simple purgatives having relieved her,
but these medicines had no effect upon Mr.
Stebbins. Finally becoming alarmed, the first
physician was called in on Wednesday, six days
after StebbinS was taken sick.
The patient was very nervous and apparently
alarmed because of the locked condition OF his
bowels, and when the medicines prescribed
failed to act, he sent for another physician and
then another. They succeeded in finding an ef-
fective purgative, but it was then too late.
II saw at once that the patients liver was
engorged and knew from other symptoms that
Stebbins was a chronic sufferer from liver
trouble. concluded, too, that he had ptomaine
poison in his system"
The above statement came from one OF the
attending physicians, and was agreed TO by
others, and they also subscribed to another
statement as follows: 'Stebbins had jaundce,
and after death, OF course the discoloration was
more pronounced because the recession OF
blood made the contrast very strong"
Mr.. Stebbins has been q letter carrier in the
city for the past two years, and so far as IS
known has never been out OF Montgomery IN
that time, aud II was impossible for him 10
have come in contact with yellow fever.
The funeral occurred yesterday at noon, but
for precautionary reasons was unattended by
friends who sympathlze with the bereaved
family.
Mr.. Stebbins was we'll known and highly re-
spected in Owosso, having resided here for sew
eral years. He had been employed for two
years past as one of the government mail car
riers. His age was "a years. The heartfelt
sympathy of the community will go out TO Mrs
Stebbins in her affiiction. Mr.. Shattuck, ac
companied by Mrs. Stebbins and the children
| orr,,,ad a., nxyoooo thio uaorpioo