The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-23
A POWERFUL DRINK.
Michael Collett Was
Embalmed While
Living.
MISTAKES ARSENIC FOR GIN.
Thought Embalming Fluid
Was the Juice of the
Juniper.
MISTAKES ARSENIC FOR GIN.


that once in every individuals life he
makes big mistake, and the maxim
came very near proving fatal yesterday
afternoon in the case of Michael Collett,
aged 81 years, late of Spencer, but now
residing with Fred j. Gendron at sc
Lake street He mistook embalming
fluid for gin, and drank large swallow
OF 1t, and the drink nearly killed him.
Collett came here from Spencer about
IL months ago, and secured job in the
lasting department of the shoe firm Of
B. A. Corbin & Son company. He
boarded with Gendron, and also courted
the sister of the man he boarded with
1t was said that he intended to marry
the girl.
The other day the father of his sweet
heart, Michael Gendron, died. after a
lingering Illness and yesterday the fu,
neral was held and his remains inferred
in their final abode.
For good reasons Collett did not at
tend the funeral services at the Sacred
Heart church. AS he had not been
feeling well during the morning hours,
he resorted to the frequent use of gin
" DEdC6 up MS shattered nerves.
After the house had been vacated and
everybody had gone to the church, Col
lett wandered into the room where the
corpse had lain after death. He noticed
bottle on an adjacent stand staring
him in the face. The bottle was nearly
full, and in color resembled the liquor
he had been drinking.
Selling the bottle with a quick grasp,
Collett deftly extracted the stopper, and
a fGiy tla hot to 1t
eral gulps of the deadly fluid before he
realized that he was not indulging in
his faycrite drink
The fluid contained a large percentage
of deadly arsenic, and it did it's work
quickly. He had hardly set the bottle
down before he was seized with gripping
pains and internal weakness. By an al
most supernatural effort he managed to
crawl to his bedroom, where he threw
himself On the bed.
When the family returned from the
obsequies they did not seem surprised
at the absence of Collett, as they
thought he had retired for a nap.
He did not come down to dinner, but
he was not missed until supper time
approached, when he failed to respond
to the familys calls Then the family
commenced to get alarmed.
Going to his room they called and
knocked on the door, but only faint
means responded to their knocks. At
last, realizing that something strange
had happened, they smashed down the
door and entered the room. Collett must
have locked the door when he stag
gered into his room.
Collett lay on the bed in stupid
q condition, nearly doubled in two with
pain. He had lain on the bed from
y about $50 in the morning until supper
4 time at night and the agony he suf-
fered was of the most intense kind. He
did not have the strength to rise from
his bed, and would have died within
calling of his sweetheart without any
body being aware of the fact, if the
family had not broken in the door of
his room when they did.
DIR. g. Fred Hart was sent for and
was soon on the scene with all the par
aphernalia needed for the occasion. A
stomach pump was put into commits
sion and verious antidotes given, but
at the time it did not appear that the
patient would pull through.
Rev. FIR. Joseph Legris, pastor of the
Sacred Heart church, was called and
Collett was given the last rites of the
Catholic church and received absolu-
ton. His death was momentarily ex-
pected, but DR. Hart succeeded in pull
ing him through, and today he is rest
ing comfortably with favorable chances
The thought of what might have hap
pened drove a chill into Miss Gendron's
heart, and it has also taught Collett
lesson he will not forget in a hurry.
DR.. Hart does not now anticipate Sc
rious results.
The two days fair of the, Episcopal
church began tonight with turkey
supper in the parish house. A unique
entertainment will be given tomorrow
night nv ten old maids
Safe Inspectors Dyson and Abbott of
Worcester were in town today and in
spected the new $4,000 Filmer school
house.
All the racks at Bates shoe factory
are filled with shoes, and the lasters
were compelled to stop work this after
noon on this account.
Fred j. Sinclair, proprietor of the
Joslin house, is receiving hearty con-
CALCULATIONS today, the reason being
the birth of a future matron of the
well-known hostelry.
The Pulaski band gave a concert at
the D. L. K. band fair in Music hall
Fletcher and Foster, male quartet of
Oxford were encored. A bass solo was
sung by Henry Sellig.
The Millbury high school basket ball
team played Nichols academy to a
standstill in Academy hall, Dudley, this
afternoon, defeating them by score
of "a to TO- The game, although one
sided, was full of excitement and
fought out to the bitter end. There
were several sensational plays. The
Dudley boys feel sore at their defeat,
as they had practiced hard to win the
game. The lineup:
M H. S.-24. N. A.-1O.
Rice, Observation-Disclosures. b, Knight
Brown, f.....................l b. Allen
Tucker, ......................c, Parren
Cunningham, b............1 b, Marsh
Wood, b ......,...........r I, Williams
Goals, Parren 8, Knight, Tucker 8,
Rice 2, Wood, Brown 2, Cunningham 2;