The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-15
DEATH IN THE DRINK
BOLIC ACID, THINKING 1T
WHISKY
MEDICAL AID CAME TOO LATE
Saw Poison Label on Bottle Taken
From Pantry, but Was De-
ceived by Color of
Acid.

Henry Fortmeyer, an employee Of the
Standard Furnishing company, mistook
carboHc acid for whisky in thefesidence
of John Rolling, 623 John street, and died
three-quarters Of an hour later. Fort
meyer lived at 81 Lyton place. lie was
married and had four children, the young
est being but ten days old.
Fortmeyer, as driver for the Standard
Furnishing company. took load of ar
ticles to Rofling's residence, arriving there
about noon. He unloaded the articles,
and Mr.. Rolling, being an old man, asked
him to move a lounge up stairs. Fort
meyer readily agreed, and when he came
down Rolling asked him if he would not
accept a little drink for his kindness.
Fortmeyer assented, and Rolling went to
a pantry where he had a bottle of whisky
that had been given to him by his daugh-
ter nearly q year ago. In the pantry
was a bottle Of carbolic acid. The bottle
is ordinary pint beer bottle with a
patent stopper. This was the first bottle
that Rolling got his hands on, and~not pc
ing able to see what it was in the pantry
brought it outside the door, where Fort
meyer was waiting for him.
The bottle had three poison labels print
ed with red ink on it, so that from what
ever side it was looked at the poison"
sign could be readily seen. Fortmeyer
noticed the label before Rolling laid the
bottle down. Fortmeyer said:
well, L see you got the poison
Rolling laid the bottle down on the ia
bic and started back to the pantry to get
the whisky bottle AS he turned to come
out the door he was met by FOrtmeyer,
who was doubled up as if suffering great
pain.
Asked for Some Water.
That's awful strong whisky. Get me
yxyot TLoc H.
FOrtmeyer said after he had taken the
drink Rofiing looked al the bottle on the
table and saw that Fortmeyer opened It
and drank almost a cupful from the bot
tie. He ran out into his kitchen and
brought back a quart of milk which he
made Fortmeyer drink. Mrs. Rolling,
who was in another part of the house at
the time heard her husband calling her
and hurried down stairs. Rolling at once
started for q doctor. He called at the
residence Of three physicians, but all OF
them were absent. Mrs. Richardson. the
wife of one of the doctors, after she mad
been told of tne accident, told Rolling to
give Fortmeyer mustard and lukewarm
water. Rolling hurried back to his house
and gave the prescribed emetic Mrs
Richardson followed him, and by the time
she arrived FOrtmeyer had vomited once
Rolling started out again for a doctor
few seconds before Fortmeyer died.
From all circumstances it is plain taat
Fortmeyer's death was due to his belief
that despite the labels on the bottle it
contained whisky. Rolling states posi-
lively that FOrtmeyer, who was an utter
stranger TO him, spoke about the labels,
and that ne could not have but seen
them. He drank the contents without
using a glass. as Rolling brought the
glass when he returned with the whisky.
Both Mr.. aud Mrs. Rolling were nearly
Frustrated with grief overs what had oc-
CURED. When seen by The GIob e
yesterday afternoon Mr.. Rolling said:
Evidently an Accident.
'FWhen he told me that it was poison
had no idea that he would drink it and
went to get the whisky. Neither myself
or wife ever use whisky and have had the
bottle for long time. [ just wanted to
give him drink because he was kind
about taking the lounge up stairs"
Fortmeyer had been in the employ of
the Standard Furnishing company for the
past six years, and Manager Katz SAYS
that he was always sober and reliable.
He knew of no reason why ne should
want to kill himself, as his home life had
been pleasant. Fortmeyer's wife was
overcome with grief and is in serious
condition.
Coroner Miller held an autopsy over
FOrtmeyer's remains in the morgue last
night and found no other cause for his
death than carbOlc poisoning There will
be no coroner's inquest, as in the opinion
Of the coroner Fortmeyer's death was
purely accidental