Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-16
NEW THEORY IN
VILLAGE MYSTERY
Metal Poisoning Might Have
Caused Death Of Joseph
Johnston.
SPOON STANDS IN SALTPETER
Over Night, and the Medicine is Drunk
Shortly Before the Con-
vulsions.


dead man yesterday advanced n new
theory in the Johnston mystery at Rey-
nolds. Mr.. Weaver and Mr.. Johnston
married sisters. Mrs. Weaver is dead.
Weaver lives in the village. He came
to the Johnston premises shortly after
the arrival of Constable Eckhart. Sher.
if Heider and Constable Snow. who
were searching for the strychnine bot
tie that Mrs. Johnston stated that sh,
had thrown into u vault after the
death of her husband.
Joe took sight of medicine" Wea-
yer said: HE took saltpeter for his
kidneys. He would place it in u glass
and allow it TO dissolve in water. He
usually took dose before retiring AT
night. The night before his death he
prepared his customary dose in his
bedroom. but did not drink il. falling
to sleep and leaving the glass on the
stand alongside his bed. In the morn
ing he drank the medicine. Now the
spoon remain in the saltpeter over
night. and. il might be possible. that
metal poisoning from the spoon had
something to do with his death. This
IS just n theory that came to my
mind"
Did Not Give Death Certificate.
DIR. Moore. who was called TO attend
Mr.. Johnston. has been misquoted in
some OF the printed stories. In the
cities there is a law requiring eel
tificate of death from the attending
physician. and where there is not a
physician present, there must be an
inquest, but this law does not now
apply to the rural districts. although
il did formerly. DR.. Moore did not
hesitate to say that there were unmis-
taxable symptoms OF poisoning. The
poison might have been taken through
mistake, and as he could not afford TO
make any serious blunder in the viii
lage where he was practicing. he re
ported in his return to the state board
Of health that death was caused by
commissions. II the state board want
ed further particulars. OF course he
would be compelled to give them.
The people of the village speak
of the Johnston mystery in modified
tones. Most of them believe that he
did not come to his death from natural,
causes. but they do not wish TO be
drawn into the case. Mrs. Johnston
was for years a leader in the Metho
dist church. and enjoyed the conf
dence and respect of the people
among whom she and her husband haC
lived for so many years.
Division of the Property.
While of late the home life of the
couple was said TO have been pleasant
neighbors tell of a difference years
ago after giving up the farm. The
husband drank more than his wife
thought he should. and occasionally
would get intoxicated. His failure to
reform caused n quarrel and an agree
ment to divide the property. The cou-
pie came to- Rock Island and a settle
ment was reached. Afterward they
returned to- Reynolds and lived hap
PLY. Johnston quit using liquor. his
neighbors say.
Mrs. Johnston is coming in for her
severest criticism owing TO her appar-
ent deception of her husband during
his helplessness, having. as 1t is charg-
ed gotten possession of all his money
and property. and leaving him at his
death practically without a dollar in
his own right. The husband had au-
thorized the wife to act for him in
all business transactions. as he was
not able to get about owing To his
rheumatism.
Does Not Remain Long After Funeral.
The funeral was held on Tuesday
The following Saturday Mrs. Johnston
went to Aledo to visit relatives. She
returned in a week. and had bills print
ed advertising a public auction of her
household goods. But for some reason
unknown TO the neighbors these were
recalled the house locked. the keys
turned over to Mrs. Al Exstrom.
neighbor. and Mrs. Johnston and her
daughter left the village, first going
to Oklahoma. and later to Nebraska
where Mrs. Johnston has a brother
and where she now is. IL is under
stood also that she owns a farm in
that state.
Mr.. Johnston had resided in the
county for a half century. He was
a member of the well-known family
of wealthy farmers of that name. For
n H.. eli In II