The evening times., 1900-04-30
AN INDIANA MYSTERY
hSstci8ns Puzzled Over Deaths In n
Farmer's Family


seemingly wholly inexplicable fatality in
the family Of John Davis. a prosperous
farmer. living near Liberty. Union county.
Some twelve years ago Mrs. Davis, at that
time about thirty-six years OF age and ap-
pareEtly in robust health, took 10 her bed
and gradually fell into a profound sleep.
from which il was impossible 10 arouse her
Every expedient was resorted tc by the
physicians OF Liberty without success. and
the best medical talent. both in this city
and Cincinnati. was consulted. but failed
to reach a satisfactory solution OF the
problem
Day after day Mrs. Davis grew weaker.
and at the end of the eighth day expired
as though she had simply died from ex-
haustion. The tests Of her pulse from
time TO time showed that death WAS grad
ually advancing upon her. but she could
not be aroused sufficiently 10 take nourish-
ment. and the artificial means resorted 20
proved unayalling as her system did not
assinilate the food that was artihciaIly
administered. Mr. Davis refused to per-
init an autopsy. and kept the body Of his
wife several days in the house before
burial. and for nearly a month afterward
the grave was guarded to prevent ghouls
from exhuming H.
Four years after the death Of the mother
daughter was affected in the same way.
and again the best medical talent OF the
State was completely bafied BY the strange
case. All Of the manifestations were the
same as those in the case OF the mother,
except that the daughter was not in as
perfect health and survived only six days
Her death was perfectly calm. and appar-
emily without pain. and from the time she
fell asleep tiu she died not complaint es-
capped her
The closest attention failed to discover
a moan or any evidence whatever OF suf-
fering, and she lay for six days as though
enjoying the most pleasant slUmbeT- So
gradual was her death that IL came i'm
perceptibly 10 those who were not study
ing her condition and testing her pulse
anC respiration TO note the steps Of her
approaching dissolution. She took no food
during the six days of her strange illness,
and every organ seemed TO be dormant
and utterly incapable OF responding 10 the
means that were invoked TO arouse it 10
action.
Mr. Davis would have protested against
an autopsy. but the death OF a second
member Of his family under such peculiar
circumstances led to a great deal OF talk,
and ne was informed OF the suspicious
which il had aroused. When the daughter
died the fathers action in respect 10 the
body OF his wife and his guarding Of the
gra, e were recalled. and there were the
grayest possible insinuaIiOas against him.
though there Was nothing whatever upon
which TO base them. except his s0licitu6e
for the protection OF his Wife's grave from
dssecratiOn and his refusal 10 permit an
autopsy.
Immediately after the death Of the
daughter a request was made by the at
tending physicians for permission 10 open
the body and examine the organs. This
was refused By the father. and the coroner
was then asked 10 take charge Of the case
and hold the autopsy under the Law which
requires such action when there is sus-
piciOn CT foul play. Mr.. Davis was still Oh
durate. but when il was represented TO
him that the people Of the neighbOrhOod
we're suspicious and excited. and that re-
sistance TO Law would be useless. he yield
ed. and the autopsy was held
But for all that was obtained By il the
worry Of the father might have been
spared. for nothing was found either 10
justify the suspicious against him or TO
eniighten the profession in respect TO the
nature OF the disease When the vital
organs were examined each presented a
perfectly normal condition, and their ex-
SAAAA4AAAAA1-A viii y microscope AatlEQ 10 re-
veal any want OF development or any cause
Tor the Iethargic condition that must have
existed and caused the death Of the daugh-
ter Determined 10 carry the investigation
10 the greatest possible extent. and SYM
patnizing somewhat in the suspicious Of
the people. the stomach and intestines
were submitted 10 all tests. but no evi-
dence whatever Of poison was found
There was nothing about the organs or
in them 10 solve the mystery and dill
gent enquiry was made with regard to the
mental and physical condition Of the girl
before she went into her unnatural sium-
ber- Her associates testified that she was
cheerful and lighthearJed. taking part in
the social life OF the neighborhOOd. attend
ing church regularly and performing her
duties about the home until the dsy on
which she lay down and spoke Of beiag
drOgsy. Those were the last words she
spoke. for she soon fell into a deep sleep.
from which she never awakened.
Another member Of the family. Asenith
5. Davis. died last week in exactly the
same way. He was about twenty-three
years old, in robust health, and had al
ways led an outdoor life. and seemed a
perfect type OF vigorous young manhood
He went 10 bed about O'Clock IL the
evening. and when called the next morning
did not respond Efforts TO wake him fail
ed TO make any impression upon him. and
he lay thus for six days and nights and
died. as had his mother and sister without
any evidence OF pain. At no time in his
illness WAS il possible 10 obtain any evi-
dence that he was conscious of WhSS was
going on around him. but his RESPIRATION
was as peaceful and quiet as a child's. and
when his eyeiids were raised they gradu-
ally fell back over his eyes as though
heavy with natural sleep When thus ex-
amined his eyes seemed 10 be glazed over
and it is believed they were sightless. for
there was no response to the light. and
when tested by the glare OF a lamp there
was no indication that TIE pupils received
tie rays
Physicians have tried to explain the phe-
nomena by saying that there is some in
herited defect in the organism Of the Da-
Wis family. possibly from the mother
side, that leads 10 exhaustion Of ell the
parts OF the body. and that death is the
result of a general collapse; but the mys-
terry exists in the person giving no evi-
denee Of the impending crisis until II is
completely upon him In the case of the
daughter no defect was found and while
the deaths are all unnatural. they are sup
posed 10 have resulted from natural eaus-
es but what these causes are the best
medical talent cannot tell
CURRENT HUMoR.