The Mankato free press., 1899-12-08
INQUEST HELD.
Mitchell Tells His Story on the
Stand.
John Mohler's Death Seems to Have
Been Due to an Accidental Fall
Down Stairs.

The inquest over the remains OF the
late JohnMohler was held Mondayfore-
noon at John Klein & Co 8 undertak-
ing rooms. Nothing new was brought
out by the testimony, which tended
strongly to show that Mohler's death
was due to accident and can be laid to
his own excessive drinking. The Nicol-
let county authorities are still investi-
eating the matter, but it is not thought
now that anything will come of it.
The following jury was assummoned by
Coroner Kennedy: B. D. Pay, j. B..
Richards, Chas. Wagon. E. F. Soaring.
Adolph Paegel and Geo. H Clark.
Henry w. Mitchell was the first wit
ness sworn, and was very thoroughly
examined by County Attorney Hughes
He works around at different places,
and was two weeks at Thos. Maher's
six and half miles from Mankato, in
the town of Belgrade. He had known
Mohler by sight for twelve or fifteen
years. Serve Tonner was also at
Maher's, and the four were husking
corn and patching it. Mitchell went to
work for Maher Monday, Nov
18th, and the accident happened the
following Wednesday morning. The
stairway was somewhat steep and led
to the sleeping rooms on the second
floor Mohler slept with Maher Mon
day night and with Mitchell Tuesday
night. On Tuesday night Tonner slept
with Maher. Monday evening Maher
andMohler drove to the city and brought
back four gallon keg of beer, which
was not tapped until Tuesday at 6 p.
m. During Tuesday evening Maher.
Tonner and Mitchell drank lightly of
the beer, and Mohler drank heavily,
At Ills p. m. Mitchell and Mohler
went to bed, the other two having re-
tired fifteen minutes previously. Two
thirds of the beer had been drunk and
Mohler seemed to be pretty full but did
not stagger. Maher had taken two or
three tea cups of beer, Tonner and
Mitchell five or six each, and Mohler
the remainder. There was no trouble
of any kind. In the morning there was
no beer left in the keg, and Mohler
must have gotten up and finished it.
drinking twelve quarts in all. Mohler
partly undressed and slept on the
further side of the bed. Mitchell
awoke between 4:30 and 5 a. m. and
found that Mohler was not there. He
heard groan, went to the door, which
was three inches open, and heard
Mohler groaning down stairs. He
called Maher and Tonner and they
went down and found Mohler badly
hurt. Mohler was lying at the foot of
the stairs on his right shoulder and his
head against the door casing. One leg
was curled up under him and the other
was on the second step from the foot of
the stairway. There was much blood
on Mohler's head and on the floor. He
was taken into the kitchen and placed
in rocking chair and washed off, and
a fire was built. He did not say any
thing. After half an hour the team
was hitched up and he was taken to the
city, the intention being to take him
to the hospital He was taken to DIR.
Hiels cher's Office first, and from there
to the city hall on the doctors advice.
Thomas Maher was sworn, but his
testimony did not differ from Mitchells
He said that Mohler was good worker.
Mohler had proposed that the beer be
purchased and had tapped the keg.
When witness went to bed Tuesday
night, the keg was still half full.
Mohler was singing after he went to
bed, Witness thought that Mohler
must have fallen down the stairs ac-
cidentally, although no one was awak-
ened by the fall. He denied the re
port that he had tod the police on the
morning of the accident that he would
come back to the city hall and tell them
more about the matter. He had
driven to DIR. Davis house, and as
he had to come to the city
again in the afternoon he did
not stop at the city hall again in the
morning to ask as to Mohler's condi.
tion. There were no accommodations
for sick man in his house, and that
was why the injured man was brought
to the city. 1t was thought that his
shoulder or collar bone might be broken
and that he was stunned. He could not
use his right arm and his shoulder
seemed to pain him.
Chief Bruels was called ard testified
to receiving Mohler at the city hall.
The jury brought in the following
verdict: THAT the death of said John
Mohler was caused by his falling down
stairs at the house of Thomas Maher in
the town of Belgrade, county of Nicol-
let. state of Minnesota, ,some time be
tween midnight and FIVE o'clock on the
morning of Nov. 10Th, $780,"
An original pension of Sc month
was recently granted to Oliver R. Root,
of this city.