Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-11-29
Strychnine Found In Vital Or
gans of Man Who Died Sud-
denly at Reynolds
CASE SOMEWHAT MYSTERIOUS
Citizen Named Johnston Whose Death
Was Surrounded by Suspicious Cir.
cumstances May Have Been Poison.
ed-coroner's Verdict Not Vet Ron.
dered.
Special to Times-Republi


Davenport, Nov. 29.-Strychnine was
found in all the organs except the
brain of the late Joseph Johnston, who
died under peculiar circumstances one
home in Reynolds. The report Of
ChemistFrank Nader, of Davenport,
who was given various organs taken
from the mans body when it was ex-
humed recently by order OF Coroner L.
v. Eckhart. for the purpose of making
an analysis to determine whether or
not the man died Of strychnine poison
ing, stated that traces of the poison
were In evidence In every organ taken
from the man with the exception Of
the brain. The report was sumbitted to
the coroner's jury Saturday at Rey-
holds. when it reconvened after an adj
iournment Of eleven days. The poison
was most distinct in the stomach and
the small intestines.
There had been doubt expressed as
to whether or not 1t could be proven
that the poison entered the mans sys-
tern while he was alive or If 1t had
been used in the embalming fluid used
in preserving the remains. This
doubt was removed by the examina-
ton Of sample of the fluid by the
chemist who reported that the fluid
was positively free of any kind Of
poison. Undertaken Freytag. who em-
balmed the body, testified before the
jury that he was satisfied that the
fluid contained no poisonous sub
stance.
The report of Drs w. H. Ludewig
and c. T. Foster, Of Rock Island. who
conducted the autopsy, was read be-
fore the jury, the report stating the
condition of the body when disinter-
red. The jury adjourned after hear
ing the reports to meet next Wednes-
day and report it's findings.
The relatives Of the deceased, an
aged man of 20 years, are highly
aroused over the affair and feel that
they will succeed in proving that the
mans death was caused criminially. 1t
was they who caused the body to be
exhumed, as they suspected that he
died under mysterious circumstances.
1t is said that he died one morning
immediately after drinking q cup Of
coffee while at breakfast with his
wife.
Shortly after the mans death the
wife, in company with her adopted
daughter, left this section Of the coun-
try and after a trip south went to
Nebraska, where they were visiting
Mrs Johnston's brother. 1t was re-
ported that the widow had secured
title to her husbands property, and
left the home place with something
like $1,000. This the widow, who re-
Gently returned home, vehemently de-
MES. She claims that she had no
money Of any considerable omount,
and that all that was possessed by Mr..
Johnston was spent in paying his doc
tor bills, the old man having been in
disposed for some time previous to
his death with rheumatism.
The stychnine had been on the
place the widow freely admits, but she
says that it was used in exterminat1ng
rats that had been infesting the place.
She claims that bottle of the poison
was in the woodshed about the time
of her husbands death, and that she
had thrown it into vault. The coro-
ner instituted thorough search for
the bottle and its contents, but was
unable to locate it.
It is also said that the evening prev
ious to the mans death he had as IL
guest at supper a neighbor, and that
compliant was made by Mr.. Johnston
Of the taste of his coffee. He asked his
guest if he had detected a bitter taste
in his coffee, to which he replied in
the negative. Johnston asked his
friend to taste the coffee that he had
been drinking, but the latter declined,
saying that his coffee was all right
Johnston, it is said, did not drink all
of the coffee.
There are many conjectures as to
what the jury's verdict will be. Many
are of the belief that 1t will be to the
effect that the mans death was due to
stychnine, administered to him with
murderous intent. Others are of the
opinion that the Jury won't be able to
find such verdict as the evidence Is
purely circumstantial, and that it may
be that the mans death is a case of
suicide. No arrest has been made in
the matter, although there is plenty
Of time to apprehend any who may be
suspected, as officers are said to be
guarding the case closely.