Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-04
PLENTY OF D~IPSONANIACS
Ward in Mount Pleasant Hospital is Likely
TO Be 0vsrurOwdsd sOon.
LITTLE LIGHT ON THE POTTER CASE
Indications that Death was Due to
ChIoral or Laudanum, q which
the Deceased was
Addicted.
Trom = staf corresponaent.l

Trom a stan Correspondent
DIES MONIES, Aug. 3.-(special)-Tho
opening Of the dipsomaniac ward in the
Iowa State hospital At Mount Pleasant
and the sending Of more than two dozen
persons there from different parts Of the
state the hrst two weeks has aroused the
prchibitionists and It is proposed by them
hat they shall make the most Of the mat
ter. The d-Ipsomaniac ward was estab-
lished by reason OF the. arguments pre-
scented by the prohibitionists. The state
agent OF the Anti-saloon league was be-
fore the legislature and personally urged
the passage of the bill and the state agent
Of the women's Christian Temperance
union lobbied all winter to secure this de-
parture from custom. A prominent young
lawyer OF Croston has been Bent to the
dipsomaniac ward. a prominent minister Of
Iowa City has been sent there for treat.
ment. a wealthy business man OF Correc-
t~ionviile has gone to be treated for the
cocaine appetite and Judge Dyer Of Story
county has already sent four or Ave per-
sons to the hospital. It Is predicted that
before the year is over the dipsomaniac
ward will be filled to Overlooking and that
It VIII cause a great deal OF trouble. The
members OF the Board Of Control were IN
favor Of having the hospital disconnected
from the insane hospitals and wanted to
utilize the states empty buildings at
Knoxville for that purpose. but the KNOX
willie people objected so strongly thai this
was not lone.
Inquest over A. N. Potter.
The inquest over the late A. NJ. Potter
OF waverly was commenced today. Not
much now was developed In the case. II
appears he had been in the city all week,
having come here originally to be present
at the republican state convention, al
though he was a democrat. The physl- /
clans hold that he died from morphine or
choral poisoning and the ~eoroner's Jury
adjourned to await the result Of chemical
discrimination Of the stomach. This morn
Ing It was learned that Potter bought
laudanum Friday night at McKay's drug
store and the empty bottle was found con-
cealed under the window IN the xoor he
occupied at the Kirkwood.
Potter YVES the head Of the RED Cross
fraternal society. which was transferred
to the Bankers Union OF the World at
Omaha, but which was in part reorean-
lied afterWard owing to the objections Of
some OF the members. Scott. who had
been with Potter the night before the |
fatal dose was taken, did mot sufhclentIy
aDCtNcT inc ol0UI8 OF NmOrD|IUA to
tell HIS story clearly until to-day. He did
not have q very good recollection Of what
had transpired, but there is no suspicion
attaching to him Of any crime.
Inspecting PossOmce sites.
Frank B. wheaton. special agent Of the
Treasury department. has been in the state
the past week making Inspection Of post
once sites offered the government in the
various cities of the state MT. Wheaton
has been In Muscatine and CsntSrvilie. At
Muscatine there were several sites consid-
cred for the new postofhce, bat II is prob
able that the old site will be used. In
Centerville II was practically decided that
the building is to be located facing the
public park. in the very center Of the CITY.
and a committee. headed by ex-Goyerhor
Drake. will raise money to purchase the
same. Mr.. Wheaton will visit Marshall
town, ottumwa and Atlantic on this trip.
Another inspector viii be sent to Des
Moines to determine on the site for tho
postonice here. Only one site has been
formally offered. but others are under con-
sideration.
Soldiers widow
The use Of opium for nineteen years IL
responsible for the recurrence OF en- attack
Of insanity upon Mrs. Mary Abbott, q mem
Der OF the woman's department Of the SOL
diers home at Marahailtown. The case
Is a sad one. the patient being an ex-
celient woman, well educated and refined. |
Mrs.. Abbott IL 81 years OF are ana came 70
the home from Red Oak. being q soldiers
widow. She became addicted to the
use OF opium. and for nineteen !
years continued the habit. She finally |
went insane and was sent to the asylum |
At k~ankakee, III. she was discharged from
the institution as cured on September is. |
1893, and came TO the home shortly after
ward. Several weeks ago Mrs. Abbott was
taken III and WAS sent to the hospital. she
has gradually grown worse and the old
mental trouble returned. II has become
necessary to guard her continually and she
has become such q charge that she cannot
be cared for properly at the home. Efforts
were made to have her taken back into
the kankakee asylum, but q Telegram to
the sheFih's omee stated. that the institution
would not accept her.
Discover Tusk Of lIastodon.
HARLAN. Ia. Aug. s.-(special)-on
Wednesday Of this week while the forces
Of Webb & Mcneil. contractors for the
Great Western, were at work on the cut
along South Fifth street near Dow & Sand
hang elevator II was noticed that pieces
OF what was supposed to be a large root
we're being thrown into the dump wagon
from the large elevating machines. ON
looking closer It was discovered to be IN
the nature Of Detrined substance. but stiil
closer investigation led 20 the conclusion
that Il vas = portion of the tusk Of :
mastodon. Mr.. Mcneil At once set 10 work
20 unearth the remainder Of the tusk ana
now has at his camp In south Harlan 4
piece Of ivory resembling In shape the arc !
OF q circle and measuring over six feet on /
the outside from end 70 end and about
four feet straight across from end to end.