The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-10
MAY HOLD No INQUEST
ALTHOUGH THE CORONER IS SAT-
ISEIED DEATH WAS DUE TO
POISONING
POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING

While the Suicide Theory Is Scout
ed by Wefs' Friends. Coroner
Nelson Thinks Otherwise and
VIII Not Hold nm Inquest Until
cIutIed-Rody Taken to Manl&nto.
An autopsy conducted yesterday on
the body of John A. Weis, the young
man who died at the city hospital I'M
der suspicious circumstances Sunday
night established the fact that death
was due to opium poisoning. No other
light. however, has been thrown on the
case The police are still pursuing an
Investigation and young W els friends
are interesting themselves in the mat
ter, but there have practically been
no developments beyond those publish
ed in The C o b of yesterday.
The autopsy showed concluSively
that Weis did not die from natural
causes. The different organs were
normal in condition, and, Deputy Coro-
rer L. \. Nelson says, showed WeiS 10
have been an unusually healthy man.
Strong indications OF opium poisoning
were found, however, but it could not
be discovered to a certainty just what
drug WeiS had taken. Deputy Coroner
Nelson says he thinks it was morphine.
The stomach was removed from Weis'
body and viii be subjected to a close
analysis Little may be learned from
the examination though, as the treat
ment given WeiS in an effort to save
his life practically cieansed the stom-
ach. 1t Will be several days before
the analysis can be made.
Those who knew Weis ridicule the
theory of suicide. He may, they think,
have been the victim of an accident,
but not destruction He was al
ways cheerful young fellow, full of
fun and good humor, aud so far as
can be learned had no business or
other troubles that would lead him to
take his life.
HIS ACCOUNTS STRAIGHT.
Hitler Hoffman, by whom Wefs was
employed, says so far as he can dis
cover the young mans accounts are
straight. He says Weis has sometimes
oVerdrawn his account, but that in
each instance the matter has been
rectified when Weis received his salary.
The last settlement was two weeks
ago, when Hoffman says Weis was SIT
oVerdraWn. This amount was taken
out of his salary and so far as he
knows, Mr. Hoffman says, everything
was straight at this time He says
previous to last Saturday to the extent
OF S1l. and also drew So Saturday in
addition to not accounting for 81 paid
by customer, making total of about
$l9- This amount, however, Mr. Hoff-
man says, is covered by the amount Of
salary, which he says Weis had COM
ing to him.
Mr.. Hoffman is somewhat concerned
over the apparent discrepancy in the
number of stoves he thought he had
In stock and the bookkeeping records
n hasty comparison, he SAYS. shows
several stoves missing, or rather not
accounted for, amounting in value to
perhaps $3.50 He makes no charges
against WeiS, however as yet saving
that he may have been mistaken in
the number of stoves contained in the
stock. Mr. Hoffman says he personal
ly saw every stove that left the store
was about the store every day him
self, and can hardly understand how
any of the stock could be missing. ex-
cept that he might have made a mis-
take in his own memoranda.
FRIEND OF THE FAMILY.
In the interest of Weis' family, R. G.
Hare, of AIankato, came to the city
yesterday to take charge of the BODY.
He says he has known Weis a number
of years, and wholly diseredits the sui
eide theory. He says from what he
could learn by careful inquiry the
young man had no business difficulties.
and that even if he had this would have
been no cause for him to end his life.
as Weis parents are comfortably sit
uated and would have, without cues
ton, helped the young man out of anv
trouble into which he might have fail
len. Mr.. Hare has no hesitancy in de-
clarlng the belief that Weis was "dop-
ed or poisoned by some one, either by