Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-18
GIRL PRESENT AT
DEATH OF father
Mrs. Johnston Denies She is
Alone When Her Husbands
Fatal Attack Comes on.
No POISON IN THE HOUSE
Wife Had Removed it From Barn
and Thrown it in the
Vault.

Mrs. Mary Johnston is amazed at the
stories that have been put in circula-
ton concerning the death of her hus-
band, Joseph Johnston. since she left
Reynolds a few weeks ago to visit
her brother in Nebraska. She return
ed TO her home in the village yester-
day, accompanied by her daughter
Mrs. Johnston points TO one circum-
stance as indicating, as she claims, the
attempt of certain people in the village
to bring her under suspicion. 1t was
stated after the death of her husband
that she had sent her daughter on an
errand to the depot while Mr. Johnston
was seated at the breakfast table on
the morning of his sudden death and
that she was not present when he was
seized with the fatal commissions. This
is emphatically denied by Mrs John
ston. She states that the girl did go
on a mission for her before breakfast.
but that she was back in the house
before the morning meal was begun.
and that she was seated at the table
with her father when he became i'll
She Throws Poison Away.
The strychnine that Mrs. Johnston
does not seek to conceal had been on
the premises was bought by her hus
band himself, as she says the village
druggist will testify. He got it to de
stroy the rats that were infesting the
barn. The poison was not taken in
the house, but was kept in the barn
and some time before the death of her
husband Mrs Johnston says that she
threw it into the vault. There was
no strychnine in the house, Mrs. John
ston declares, that she knew of, when
her husband died.
What appears to give Mrs. Johnston
more annoyance than the limitations
that her husband did not die of nat
ural causes. for she is content to await
time to vindicate her. is the report
that she had deceived him in his bus
mess transactions, some claiming
when she left Reynolds after his death
she took with her not less than $40,
600. which she had been boarding for
years. There was the further report
that she owned a farm in Nebraska
that she had acquired without his
knowledge. Mrs. Johnston denies that
she owns any property whatever in
Nebraska: neither did she take any
considerable sum with her when she
went away from the village some
weeks ago.
BOrrOws to support Husband.
On the contrary. she states she is
poor woman; that Mr.. Johnston had
not worked for ten years or more, and
during that time there had been no
income, but gradually their property
had been dissipated by their living
expenses. Mr.. Johnston was constant
ly under the care of physicians, and
there were frequent consultations with
specialists. and trips taken in the hope
of benefitting his health, he having
been a confirmed invalid on account OF
rheumatism and other ailments. Fin
ally Mrs. Johnston claims, ii was nee
essary to borrow money on their home
in the village, and today there is 4
mortgage on the property of $4,000.
Any money that she borrowed she says
was shared with her husband. to whom
she was devotedly attached, and whom
she cared for like a child during the
closing years of his life.