The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-24
THEIR DINNER A
POISONED MEAL
Four People Become Vio- 10
lently Ill
VISITED A SAD HOME.
In Which There Had Been Death
and Grief.
WERE in A CRITICAL CONDITION.
Mrs. August StilIe, Mrs. a. NJ. From
mer. Mr.. C. a. Ncidmeyer and
a CoIoreu Youth the Vic
tims-The Case as
Yet Aiys-
terry.
WERE in A CRITICAL CONDITION.

Mrs. August Stille, Mrs. Annie ".
Fromraer, Mr.. q. ~. Neidmeyer and a
colored youth, named Anderson Ford,
who was employed by Mrs. Frommer.
were mysteriously poisoned yesterday
afternoon by partakins OF their usual
dinner, and each one OF them became
violently Ill with fainting spells.
Mrs. F'rommer'S home is on Mitchell
street, in Henrco county, near Brook
road. The parties named above live In
the house with her, and were in the
best of health until they began to ear
dinner on yesterday. Mr.. Neidmeyer
was the first to feel the effects
OF the poison. and could not finish his
meal before he was SO Ill that he could
not sit up. By this time Mrs. Fromner
and Mrs. Stiile also became Ill. then
sollowed the colorcd youth, who ran
out into the yard screaming.
MEDICAL AID SUMMONED.
DR.. H. Wythe Davis WIS ltelsrhCneu
for, and when he arrived he found the
sufferers in serious condition he gave
the sufferers lime water. bread soda and
milk, but these failing to give any re-
lief, he resorted to some other Ine'itod OF
restoring; them. After diagnosing each
case separately, he deemed q consulta-
.sion necessary, and had Dr. Charles a.
Lebenherg called IN. The two pjlys!ici.lns
together carefully considered the case,
and agreed that morphine injections
would tend to counteract the effects OF
the poison and relieve the patients. Sew
erai injections of this restorative brought
them to a more comfortable condilion.
1T was about 5 o'cIt,cs yes-~raE.y s.4te.-
noon when DR.. Davis 1;ls tssapnoned
for but It was necessary for hiE1 to
make several visits to the home of Mrs.
F'roamer before the patients could be
gotten entirely out OF danger. liz Was
there at a late hour last night.
ALL VERY ILL
I called at the home Of Mrs. F-o,nrner
about O'Clock this morning. and found
the condition OF the patients about as
above related.
Mr. Neidmeyer was still very Ill and
suffering violent pains in the stomach.
Mrs. FronHer had retired but was III q
critical condition. Mrs. StiiIe was some
what better, but showed sigrS of having
suffered greatly. Her two little babies
were asleep in their little cot They did
not eat any of the poisoned food. Tne
coiored youth was stretched out on the
floor groaninS. ife was pitiable looking
sight.
When seen last night. DIR. LabenberE
stated that ne thought that arsenic must
have been the cause OF the poisoning. al
though he was not certain
WILL aN.aLYZE FOOD.
Dr. Davis has taken a part of each ar
ticie of the food and will analyze it TO-
day with the view of ascert:inin. the
direct cause of the poisoning He, TOO,
could not say definitely what caused the
poisoning, but was OF the opinion that it
could be attributed to. either the water or
sub-corrosive poisoning. The analysls OF
the poisoned food to-day, it Is thousnt,
will reveal the cause Of the mystery.
The dinner consisted of oeef-steah,
boiled notatoes. hot tea and bread,
SAD SIDE OF AFFAIR.
The case is indeed one OF the saddese
of its kind that has happened here Eor
sometime. Only short time ago Mrs.
F,ronmer's husband, Frederick 'FRONT.'
mer. died and left her alone IN tne wor'a.
She has since been keeping ooardiHs
house as a means of support. Her
niece. Mrs. Stille, also lost her husnand
q few weeks ago. Mrs. Stile Is pleas
ant lady. and is about twenty-eishs Years s
OF age. She had been living with Mrs.
Fromr1er for some time.
Mr.. Neidmeyer is a carpenter ny .taoe. ,,
ard is well known among the nui!ains
people of this city. He IS ABOUT Sky
five years of age.
So far as is known no one IS sus-
pected of having administered tne poison
Those who were questioned saia the9
knew OF no one who felt any enmity TO-
wards them The police were not noG-
6ed nf the case.