The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-04
WHO GAVE Elm POISON?
Heeb's Death Apparently Caused
by Arsenie-Queer Story
About a Bartender.

County Physician Converse will hold an
autopsy this afternoon to determine what
caused the death of John Heeb, thirty-one
years old, of No. % York street, who died
in the City Hospital early yesterday
morning in terrible agony and who in an
ante-mortem statement declared that a
saloon keeper in New York had given him
rat poison. 1t is thought that he died
Of arsenical poisoning, but the fact has
not yet been determined
Heeb was taken to the City Hospital at
lis o'clock yesterday morning by John
Mccormack, who lived in the same house
with him. He had been suffering all the
evening. The moment the doctors exam
ined him they saw that he was suffer-
ing from some form of poisoning. They
worked over him until 4:3O O'Clock, when
he died. They tried every means known
to save his life, but they all failed.
Heeb was a shoe salesman. He came
originally from Rhinebeck, New York. He
been on a spree for two weeks, drink
ing very heavily. Saturday morning he
went to his work in New York at 8
o'clock. On his way he dropped into 9
saloon for a drink. Later in his ante
iAiO4 al i~
positively at the southeast corner o
Cortlandt and Washington streets.
Heeb ordered gin. He noticed that tn
bartender selected a bottle from the bacl
bar, which differed in shape from its fell
lows. When the drink was served he
gulped it down and hurried to business
wondering, however, at the peculiar flavor
of the liquor.
An hour later he was seized with VIC
lent abdominal pains and intense nausea.
Unable to work, he started for home.
Passing through Cortlandt street on his
way to the ferry, Heeb paid a second
visit to the saloon-not for gin this time,
but in search of information. He had
grown suspicious as to the nature of that
drink which marked the beginning of his
agony. A man who described himsel as
proprietor was in charge, and according
to Heeb's ante-morten statement this is
the conversation that ensued between
them:13
Where is the man who served me a
drink of gin an hour ago." asked Heeb.
Out to breakfast, was the reply.
Then tell me what you keep in that
bother" asked Heeb, pointing out the
DCttAO AlA az IGN oSSA Z fSos
THAT" replied the s-aloonkeeper. You
dom want any. 1t is white arsenic. I
keep it to kill rats" Heeb hurriedly ex-
planned what had happened. and was
rushing out in search of a physician when
the man behind the bar SAID
"Don't let it worry you. The stuff will
kill a rat like lightning, but 4 man could
drink a quart Of It without danger. 1t
will only shake you mp for an hour or so.
Go home and take a sleep"
Heeb foolishly acted upon his advice,
and only explained his condition to friends
after a day of agony in his room hen
John Mccormack, a fellow boarded, as
sisted the sufferer 20 the City Hospital.
His statement was communicated to
Chief McCullagh of the New York police,
and two Central Office detectives were
detailed to look for the bartender. No
arrest was made.
The Trenton House is at the southeast
corner of Cortlandt and Washington
streets. James w. Kelly, the proprietor,
insists that Heeb did not get the fatal
dose in his place.
There never was a drop of rat poison
in my place. Kelly said last night.
Some other Cortlandt street saloon is
responsible for this tragedy and I sin
cerely hope that the police will locate
it,"
The Central Office detectives began a
systematic investigation of the case this
poorninC