Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-29
AFFAIRS AT SOUTH OMAHA
Circumstances Surrounding Death o.
Michael Shields Being Investigated
THERE ARE INDICATIONS OF SUICIDE
tiOn of Death Dealing Wires Had
Been scraPed On, Evidently
with Shields Knife.

Investigations made yesterday afternoon
and last night by Coroner Bradley into the
sudden death OF Michael Shields, points
more TO suicide than TO an accidental
death At first IL was supposed that Shields
had gone TO the converter at the top Of
the hog house for the purpose Of adjusting
some wires, and that by accident he
touched live wires and was eleetrocuted.
As all Of the wires entering this converter
are heavily insulated II looked rather Pc
culiRr that an accident should happen
When the coroner went over the Armour
plant 10 investigate be found conditions
which give rise TO the suicide theory. Two
heavily charged wires were found to have
had the insulation scrHped on, close TO the
peint where the wires enter the converter.
In looking through the effects OF Shields
a heavy jack knife was found in one of his
pockets On the. largest blade there WIS
evidence Of the blade being used TO scrEpe
q heavily insulated wire.
II is thus presumed that Shields delibsr-
Etely crossed the bridge between the build
ings and seraped the insulation from the
wires and then grasped them.
II is said about the plant that Shields
had been drinking some Of late and was
really not in condition TO attend TO his
duties all Of the time. Rumor also has
II that he committed suicide because he
WIS not able TO meet certain obligations.
This is denied by friends. who assert that
Shields viii be properly taken care Of and
that he has no debts which should have
worried him After looking into the ease
Coroner Bradley decided that he would hold
an inquest. The jury was called and there
VIII be q hearing at Brewers undertaking
rooms Al 2 o'clock this afternoon.
Another Sanitary rde
Yesterday afternoon Sanitary Inspector
Jones sent a notice through the mail IN
Thor. J~0rgenson, T~wenty-hfth and n
streets. directing him to at once remove
the refuse he had deposited in the street
and 10 provide himself with 8 suitable gar
bage can II was reported at the health
cfhce that J~orgenson has beer in the habit
lately Of dumping refuse from his bar into
the street The recent cold snap has pre-
vented tins stun from reaching the sewer
and therefore the complaint. The health
cncers propose TO have Nj. Jorgenson clear
up the street IN front o; his place where hs
has dumped garbage.
UEiRE Lead
Dealers All over the city are complHininI
about the influx OF bogus nickels. Thss,
coins are mostly made Of lead and win NO
stand a days wear. Al the banks numbers
were thrown out yesterday. The attention
Of the secret service men has been Gale.
TO the large plumber Of bad nickels new il
circulation.
=. Keeper HomHn LOBesone.
The Emergency hospital IL without a pa.
tient and consequently J. D. HomEn, IN
head nurse, Is lonesome. So far this yea.
only three cases Of smallpox have been sen
10 the hospital here. The case which cam
from the south has been the cause Of con
I Siderable Investigation and the Euthoritis
a. Montgomery, Ala are writing here 10
: mort iniOrmAtl0n On The EuhiecL- II