Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-28
r. w. Emerson Thinks Dead
Omaha Doctor Did Not
Commit Suicide.
WAS DOCTORS TENANT
First Thought He Had suieided But
Story Of Former ottumwa Man In.
duces the Coroner to Hold An In.
quest Over Remains.

Omaha, May 27.-The discovery of a
new witness in the case of Dr. George
S. Mason, who died Thursday evening
at his home as the result of pistol
wound, thought for time to have been
self inflicted, has convinced the cor
oner that an inquest is necessary, and
a coroners jury is now engaged in TAX
ing the evidence of various witnesses
and in inspecting the apartments
where the fatal shot was fired
The new witness is Ralph w. Emer.
son, formerly of Ottumwa Iowa, local
manager of the Baker-Vawter com-
pany, with offices in the United States
National bank building. He was in
the Mason home at the time the doctor
returned at 6:15 Thursday evening and
was the last person to see him alive.
Emerson Tells His Story.
| In an interview Mr. Emerson says:l
| II have been occupying suite of rooms
in the Mason home since April 1 and
have been taking my meals about
block away on Harney street. A few
| minutes after 6 o'clock on the evening
of Thursday | was in the bath room
of the Doctors house, 2509 Farnam
| street, washing. my hands preparatory
| to going to dinner, and having finished
walked down the hall toward the head
| of the stairs. Just as i reached the
! staircase met DIR. Mason coming up.
Ill observed that his. walk was unsteady,
4 that his face was flushed and that his
eyes had kind of wild look in them.
i ] passed the time OF day with him. say
4 Ing Good evening DOCTOR and he re-
1 piled pleasantly and passed on
heard him close the door of his room,
| but did not hear him lock it,
Then / went out of the house and
started to walk to my boarding house.
Just as l was turning the corner from
Farnam upon Twenty-sixth street met
| a boy about twelve years old whom I
had often seen in the neighborhood.
He called to me and asked what was
the matter with DR.. Mason. l said
that thought there was nothing SER
ious the matter with him.
"'Well.' said he, the man that just
brought him up in buggy had to help
| him out and he told me the doctor had
heart failure.
"'That may be- | replied, but peo.
| pie often get over that
Then l went to dinner and after
i ward down town to my office. During
the evening met a friend of mine
whom had known in Maine and stay
ed down town with him all night.
knew nothing of DR.. Nason's death un-
til yesterday morning, when read an
account of it in a newspaper.
i $50 far as know, DR.. Mason had no
cause for committing suicide. He al
ways got along nicely with. his wife
and they seemed to be perfectly con-
genial"
Mrs. Mason Talks.
Mrs. Mason has recovered somewhat
4 from the first shock occasioned by her
husbands violent death. II did not
hear my husband enter" said she, "and
i the first I knew of his being in the
4 house was when heard him speak to
\ Mr.. Emerson upstairs. I didn't hear
Mr.. Emerson go out. The next sound
heard was muffled explosion, which
II afterwards learned was the report
of the pistol. l then went to the foot
of the stairs and called to my husband.
I called several times, and asthere was
no answer l went up and tried to open
the door. 1t was locked on the inside.
Then became frightened and beat on
the panels with my fists and shouted
as loud as could, and as all was quiet
inside / knew something was wrong
J and ran to get somebody to break the
J door in. l found hammer and with
that pounded on the door until it gave
way. The rest you know. They told
me afterward that ] tainted"