Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-27

u
Schofield boarded during her two
months residence in this city, is posi-
tive that Garity's claim to have seen.
Miss Schofield in conversation with two
men at Fourth and Locust streets is
untenable. She said
Mabel was not the kind of a girl to
stop on the street corners and talk to
men. as Clarity says she did. She did
not belong to church, but was very
religious girl. When we all lived at
Macksburg she was very regular at
tendant at the Congregational church,
and In order to attend had to go four
miles into the country. Since she has
been here she has lived at my house all
the time. She went to her work at 8
a. m. and returned just before supper
time each night. and during thar time
she hardly went out evenings, except
to church on Sunday nights, and she
always went away with her brother
and returned with him. They attended
Plymouth church. Two or three times
she went to meetings of the Rebekah
lodge, of which she was member
with my nieces, who We're also mem
bers. and once she went with them and
their gentlemen friends and with Dr.
Childs, of Macksburg, to attend a the
atrical performance. My nfeces were
constantly in her company on these oc-
casions and know that she did not meet
persons residing here and form ac-
quaintances with them. submit to you
| if Mabel had any opportunity of form
ing acquaintances that we would not
know of or that if girl who was as
religiously inclined as she was and who
never missed saying her prayers every
night before she retired is the kind of
a girl that would hold street corner
conversations Or would have secret ac-
Iauaintanees. We know that theories
of that kind that have been advanced
are without foundation
II am as positive that she could not
have committed suicide, unless she sud-
denly lost her reason. She complained
to me of feeling weak at times, and one
time / remember especially, that was
when she stood IN the doorway there
indicating door from the dining room
and complained of feeling so weak
am fearful that she fell off the bridge
in attempting to reach Highland Park
to visit with her brother. or that she
was enticed away by some person who
overheard her say that she had quit
working for Mrs. Hoolihan and would
look for work somewhere else, under
promise of work, and was foully dealt
with"
A number of physicians were inter
viewed yesterday with reference to the
theory advanced by DIR. Schooler that
death might have resulted from syncope
caused by fright attending a fall from
the bridge, in which he offered that kind
of death as an explanation of why all,
the symptoms of drowning We're miss
| ing. Drs. Shope and Mccarthy, who as
sisted in the post-mortem. We're of that
opinion, and Drs. Rood, Walton, Hama
| awlt and several others said that deaths
of the character described by DIR.
Schooler are of frequent occurrence.
Medical works which We're examined in
the libraries of DIR. Schooler, DR.. Nc
Carthy andl DIR. Walton disclosed the
fact that deaths of this kind are fire.
quently recorded and that they are par
ticularly noticeable in connection with
supposed drowning cases. The death is
produced by paralysis starting at the
heart and spreading quickly to all
parts, which is produced by intense
fright. 1t leaves absolutely no trace.
Persons who stammer. those with slug
gish circulations and those with weak
constitutions or heart trouble are par
ticuiarly subject to syncope. but cases
are not confined wholly TO people with
these ailments.
Many have discredited this theory be-
cause cookie burrs and Spanish needles
We're found in the young woman
clothing, but its adherents point out
that the sidewalks along Bluff street
leading to the Belt Line bridge and the
entertainments of the street car track
are covered With burrs of this kind, and
that it was very probable that ii she
took either route to the bridge she
would get them in her clothing.