Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1903-06-04
THE DEATH OF WILLIAM HENTHORN


day nights. MI. aeutnOIu WAS
confined to his bed. Living In the
same house with him were his wife,
his daughter, Mrs. Bedford, Mr..
Bedford, a daughter and son OF
Mr.. Henthorn. He was lying on
some springs with something spread
over them. It was about FIVE weeks
since he was able to be up. He
asked me for some tobacco. and I
gave him some Dukes Mixture
which used to roll cigarettes
with. He complained of having no
tobacco.
A. Ruff. was we'll acquainted
with Mr.. Henthorn, aud family.
He was sick two or three months.
I stopped often to inquire. I was
never In to see him. Mrs. Hen
thorn said the room smelled pretty
bad, and they didn't want me to
90 In. I was there yesterday morn
Ing. I tried to help lay him out.
He was covered up with something
thrown over him. He had on an
old pair of drawers and an under.
shirt. I stripped one leg OF the
drawers off. The boys alnched. I
had to finch too. I could not stand
1t. The corruption under him and
the maggots on him were more
than I could stand. One of the
boys with me said that We could'n
do 1t and to report 1t to the
authorities. Mr.. Belford told me he
did not know when he died. He
coughed In the night and they
found him dead In the morning
No doctor attended him. We
thought we couldn't do the job
without some liquor. We got a
quart, but 1t didn't help US out.
There was a pretty fair bed in the
room In addition to the springs he
was lying on. His bowels had
moved; his drawers were full and
he was covered with maggots.
This testimony was corroberated
IN every particular by that of H.
Taylor and Harry Knapp neither
OF whom, however, adduced any
new evidence.
Walter Allen-I went to lay him
out. 1t was impossible. He lay
on pair of bed springs with, an
old quilt over them. Had or
shirt and the semblance Of drawers
or trousers. Ripped trouser leg
with a knife and should judge he
had lain in his own nastiness for
some time. The seat of the trou.
sers were full of 1t. The filth was
full Of maggots, The rest of the
house was clean. The floor
underneath and around the bed
springs was wet and damp. The
family was not much worried over
the death, not like I would be II 1t
had been one of my family. He
looked very emaciated. He could
hardly eat In the condition In
which he lay. I couldn't, and
threw up about every thing I had
eaten for three weeks.
Mrs. Rhodes-I was there Sun
day evening. wanted to 60 In 10
see Mr.. Henthorn. His daughter
objected saying 1t smelt so bad. I
said I didn't care for the smell.
They wouldn't let me 60 In. T
Suggested a minister and Mrs.
Henthorn asked him and he said
1t was no use: He was ready. They
said a doctor wouldn't be any use.
It was his daughter that said that.
Mr.. Bedford, himself, was then
called, and upon being told by the
coroner that he was not compelled
to say anything but that he might
make any statement he desired,
said: Mr. Henthorn came to me two
years ago in March. He had been
getting help from the county.
County has helped him some since.
He has done only twelve days work
In two years. County stopped
helping him when he came to me.
I notified them. to take him to the
poor house. He wouldn't 60. I
would get the stuff from the county
and Mrs. Henthorn would cook 1t.
Sometimes he would come to the
table and sometimes she would
take 1t to him. Understanding was
she was to take care of him. I of
ten would speak to him about a
doctor. He said a doctor would
do him no good. If I would get
medicine he would not take 1t.
Complained of being kicked by a
horse and of his head. I had been
working away AID probably did