The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-04-22
MAY DEVELOP
INTO A SENSATION OF EVEN
GREATER PROPORTION
Than Now Appears on the Facs of the
Evidences Thus Far Adduced by
the Coroner-That Big
Minerva Case


Minerva Case.
Coroner 7. @. McQ rate and ex Coroner
John II. Openhoimer left Monday morn
ing for Minerva TO continue their inves-
tigation irto the clrcum stances and facts
surrounding the death of Miss Vssta
Ellen Walker, which occurred early Tues
day m rning, April 6. The Nsws-Dsmo-
crat mentioned the case Saturday giving
the news that the body of the young
woman had b,eu exhumed end that it
was palpabls that death resulted from q
criminal operation. The case is one
whiJh has driven Minerva peupls to a
high state Of excitement. The parties
mentioned are well known, and there are
other matters entering iDto the case
which cause the oltizIns to talk without
stint, though jnst how much tangible
evidence the citizens have, will be deter
mined later, as the coroner proceeds.
About ten days ago Coroner MCQuate
received an anonymous letter from Mi
nervs, asserting that case there required
his attention and that some parties had
succeeded in fooling the public and Gov
ering up crime. The coroner paid lit
tie attention to the letter, but few hours
later received word from a reputable
citizen that an investigation ought to be
made. The coroner, accompanied by
Mr.. .Openbeimer, arrived in Minerva last
Thursday night and began quiet iuves-
tigation. After satisfying himself that
there WAS some question as to the cause
Of the death Of Miss Walker, who died at
the home Of Abraham Haines, in Mi
nerv8, the coroner drove to Rochester and
there found ex-Mayor Walker, father
Of the girl, who told him to proceed,
that he was not Satisfied as to the cir
circumstances surrounding the death.
The coroner fecurei help and visited
Heim's graveyard, where the girl had
been buried beside her mother. The
grave openers were soon at work, the
scant light from lanterns making the
scene q weird one. After some time the
coffin was taken out, and a rude plat
form was constructed at the reir Of the
little church. The body was laid on the
platform, and the physicians who had
been taken along, Drs. Hunter and Todd,
of Minerva, and DR.. Casey, of Rochester,
held postmortem examination. Every
organ was examined and later the physi-
clans gave their testimony, under oath,
to the coroner. Every organ was n good
condition and the physicians were unani-
nous in their evidence that the remote
cause Of death was abortion and the i'm
mediate cause local hemorrhsge,
On Friday, Corouer McQuate began
taking testimony. 1t was learned that |
DR.. J. NJ. Crawford had been the only |
physician who had attended the youTg |
woman and hau given out the death as
result Cf iuflsm nation of the bowels.
Coroner McQuate was called into DR..
Crawfords office by the doctor, who had
evideD tly heard of the result of the pest
examination.
Now, " said DR.. Crawford, what do
you think l ought to do. Ought 1 to give
my evidence to you or would | better
wait and give it to the grand jury
The loves s'igation at that time had
not included any grand jury mention, as
Ii was not in shape to determine whether
It would ever be aired by grand jury.
Later the testimony of DIR. Crawford was
taken. His testimony will be interest
ing, because Of the fact that he alone
attended the girl professionally prior to
her death. In response to Coroner Mo-
Quats's Inquiries, DR.. Crawford said:
~ am prsoticipg physician, in Mi
lerva. have been here fifteen years
ibis spring. Was acquainted with Vesta
Ellen Walker. Have known her for s
jwenty years, or ever since she was
Turing the past four or five years. She )
las had nervous spells at times, some {
kind of heart affection. Whenever she '
would get these attacks, she VIC uld remain '
n oomatose state for as long as twenty S
our hours. On Sunday, April 4, about c
2 O'Clock | met Douglass Haines on the {
Ereet. He sid: Il want you to come r
own to our house. He said Vesta was t
ick He said he did not know what I
Eas wrong with her. l called at the /
ouse about 12 clock, and found Vesta a
n bed. On examination l found she s
vas sick at her stomach and vomiting. {
Ter pulse was 800, and temperature a
Ugh" b
oung woman, as to her condition and Y
he noticeable symptoms. DR.. Crawford b
Ontinues and says the girl said she i
idn't know what allied her. He left a
ledicine. II called again about 0 il
clock the same evening. Mrs. Haines, Il
IT,, was there. found Vesta 10 better, o
ut vomiting had ceased. l told her r
here must be something else wrong, but
be denied it ~ DR.. Crawford says he +,
,ft medicine and directions TO relieve a
ar stomach and bowels, and that she q
hould be kept quiet. t
81 came the next morning, Monday, o
Q continues, "and found she had been v
o during the night to get drink. 1 b
bought her not SO well, and so informed r
he family, and told them that they had o