The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-12
SAM METzGER POISONED.
SOME ONE SEEMS TO HAVE GIVEN
HIM A STRONG OPIATB
He Says Himself He Was Sand
bagged by Thugs on UnIversity
Avenue Near His Home.

Samuel 7. MetZger, an eighteen-year-
old boy, living at 424 University avenue,
who was found unconscious in a vacant
lot on University avenue, near Mack
Ubin street, Monday night, claims to
have been the victim of q highway
robbery possessing some rather De
culiar features. According to the boys
story he was rendered unconscious by
a blow from a sandbag or some other
weapon, while his mother says DR..
BoXell, who was summoned to attend
the lad, diagnosed the case as one of
probable laudanum poisoning. Young
Metzger says he was robbed Of Sc in
money.
All that the boys parents know Of
his experience beyond what he tells is
that his mother gave him S. after sup
per Monday evening to pay a bill at
place several blocks beyond the Metz
ger home on University avenue, and
that he was brought home shortly af-
ter IL o'clock by two men, who said
they had found him unconscious in the
vacant lot. The rest Of the story Is
supplied by young Metzger. He says
he went to a saloon at University ave-
nue. and Mackubin street after leaving
his home and drank a glass of Excel
siOr water. He declares this is all he
had to drink. He says he stayed about
the saloon a few minutes and then
left the place with a young acquain-
lance. Metzger says he walked with
his friend back towards his home to
Arundel street and University avenue,
when he left his companion and start
ed back toward the house where he was
to leave the money. This he says was
about 10 o'clock. AS he passed the
vacant lot, which Is about 100 feet east
Of the saloon, but on the opposite side
90 Cfy AH4{ Il
was suddenly dealt blow on the head.
He remembers nothing more, he says,
until he was carried home an hour
later.
Mrs. Metzger says she thought her
son was under the influence of liquor
when she noted his appearance and
summoned DR.. Boxell. The physician
Informed her that the boy was undoubtt-
edly suffering from some kind Of poi
soning, probably laudanum. Mrs. Metz
ger says DR.. Boxell worked over her
son until 9 o'clock yesterday morning
and told her that the boy had narrow
ly escaped death, as the symptoms and
the contents Of the boys stomach show
ed that he had imbibed a large dose of
whatever poison he had taken.
Metzger is employed by the North
western Newspaper union. He did not
go to work yesterday. He said last
evening that his head was still sore,
though there are no marks to show
where he was struck. and that he ex-
perienced a queer feeling in his chest.
The boy had a small amount of change
In his pocket beside the Sc. The change
was not taken. The police learned Of
the case and made an investigation.
officer Stutz says he learned that young
Metzger drank beer IN the saloon.
Lieut. Hanft says the boys story is
not borne out by the investigation.
DR.. Boxel1 says that, in his opinion,
young Metzger was undoubtedly suf-
fering from some form of opium pol
son. He says there was no indication
of liquor either from the boys appear
ance nor was liquor found in the con-
tents of his stomach. DR.. Boxer says
the poison was likely laudanum and
that the boy had taken a large dose,
sufficient in his opinion, to produce
death, had not assistance been speedily
rendered. If, as Metzger says, all he
had to drink after he left home was
the glass of Excelsior water, which he
drank about $50 o'clock, Dr.. Boxell
says he does not understand why the
poison did not take effect sooner. Young
Metzger's story, however, gives the
case a more inexp1icable phase, as he
says he was rendered unconscious by
a. blow instead of falling into a stupor.