The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1900-11-23
THE HOUSE
OF DEATH.
|Coroner's Jury Visits
The Silva House.
SCENE OF THE POISONING
Evidence Will Be Sought as to the
Sale Of MethyIated Spirits
Here.

quest over the body of Joe Silva
did not bring to light any new
evidence. In fact the jury did nothing
but inspect the premises of old man Sill
va in whose house the. deadly liquor
which killed three men was found.
The jurymen are worked up over the
affair and was desirous of probing the
matter to the bottom. They want fur
ther evidence 50 that if there Is any
blame to be attached to any one they
will be in a position to condemn or
praise when they arrive at a verdict
The sale of methylated spirits by
drug stores in large quantities without
their being required to record such
sales will undoubtedly be severely crit
icised. The Board of Health may be
asked to take up the matter and place
methylated spirits upon the restricted
sale list as poison. If this is done the
question will undoubtedly be brought
before the legislature and law framed
to govern it's sale.
Shortly after 2 o'clock yesterday, the
jury and coroner were driven in car
riages to the residence of old man Sill
va on Punchbowl street nearly opposite
the Mormon church. They were met
by Portuguese Consul Canavarro and
Mr.. Osorio who has been appointed
temporary administrator of the dead
mans estate.
The latter unlocked the house and
the jury was allowed the freedom of
the interior. The house is ram
shackly residence containing two small
rooms. 1t sits well back from the
ho nd RI
the propagation of fine variety of
grapes. Well-trimmed shrubbery and
well laid out garden give evidence
that the old man was devoted to his
calling as a florist, when he was not
making wine.
The scene which met the gaze of the
jury when they peered into the now
famous kitchen was one of great disor-
der 1t was dirty place and indicated
that the owner had been a sloven about
his house although comparatively neat
| in the arrangement of his grape vines
and shrubbery. The kitchen utensils
were in disorder; old clothes were stuff
ed in corners, in boxes and a sour smell
pervaded the premises. 1t was eviden,
that searchers after the dead mans
gold had left nothing ,mdisturbed
Floor boards had been ripped up and
nailed down again, the trunk rified and
demi1ohns uncorked. A small vial OF
nitric acid was found but nothing fur
ther in the way of poison or drugs. The
demijohns were filled with sour wine
of which DIR. Shorey took several sam
| Piles. In the main room where the old
| man died. there was little furniture
the bedding even having been removed
| and placed in the cellar of neighbor-
| ing house. A couple of tables and a
battered screen was all there was to
be seen. In an alcove, especially con-
structed, reposed a cathedral In minia-
| ture with glass doors and sides. in
which was a cross and figure OF
Christ
Alongside the house was not-house
| in which it is alleged old Silva used to
| dispense his wines to women who
| came to him for liquor. 1t was empty
| save few struggling ferns.
The principal discovery was made
behind the hot-house. There is high
earth bank there upon which a Por-
| tuguese cottage rests Beneath this the
old man had burrowed into the bank
propped up the house by the use OF
planks and jacks and boarded up the
place so AS to form a room. 1t had a
small door secured by Yale lock. This
was opened by Deputy Sheriff Chill
lingworth. Within the gloomy interior
all was damp and muddy. Several
barrels were found, one almost full OF
sour wine. The others were empty. Ir
corner was wine press of rude con-
struction. 1t showed signs of disust
and was full of dust, old boxes, broker
wine glasses. rags and the bedding or
: which the old man had died.
1t was admitted by those who had
| averred Silva was in the habit of sell
ing his wines on the sly, that Silva ha6
not manufactured wine for at least two
years. The reason for this was that he
could sell his grapes for good prices
| much more than he could get by turn.
| ing them into wine.
Consul Canavarro asked the privilege
OF letting the wine out of the barrels
| as he feared that serious results nigh,
follow If others got into the place sur.
reptitiously and drank of it. This was
conceded wise plan and the Consu
| was directed to make use Of the pre-.
caution.
After the return of the jury to the
police station, it was decided to call ir
expert testimony on the present meth
oo or selling methylated spirits ant
the coroner was directed to summon &
drug clerk from each of the drug firms
III there Is remedy against the whole
sale and destructive sale Of the methy
lated spirits the jury will make its rec
concentrations to the Board of Health
The jury will meet on Monday mex