Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-30
Wife TELLS
HER STORY
Mrs. Johnston, of Rey-
holds, Testifies at Hus-
bands Inquest.
IGNORANT OF CAUSE
Tells of Poverty. But Admits
She is Bargaining for
a Farm.
IGNORANT OF CAUSE

The inquest over Joseph Johnston.
whose death has been found on chem
ical examination OF his stomach to
have been caused by strychnine. was
resumed at Reynolds ar IL O'Clock this
morning The inquest was adjourned
from the hose house TO Gauley's hall to
accommodate the crowd. probably two
hundred men and women having gath
cred to hear the testimony. States At
torney II. a. Weld was delegated by
Coroner Eckhart to conduct the exam
nation. Mr.. Weld is assisted by j. X.
Scott. who succeeds him in the Office
OF states attorney next week. Deputy
Sheriff f. E. Reynolds is present also
Mrs. Mary Johnston, the widow of
the deceased. was the first witness
placed on the stand. She said: Il am
ca years of age. Mr.. Johnston and
were married IS years ago. We lived
together all those years. / do not re-
call the date of the death of my hus-
band. II was about S O'Clock in the
morning He had had rheumatism for
Is years. Six years ago he had para
lytic stroke. He was never himself
from that time. For nine years | cared
for him as if he were an infant. He
was not even able to put on his shoes.
He had been drinking heavily for a
year.
Would Buy Whisky.
He would go ~ Sherrard and
buy whisky He would hide the
whisky in the barn. The night before
his death he returned about S o'clock
That night. just before going TO bed,
he told me that he had decided TO
abandon his trip TO California. In the
morning when | came down stairs ut 6
o'clock / saw him asleep when / pass
cd his room. He was lying on his
back with his mouth open. | did not
call him then. Later, when | returned
from milking the cows. | found my
husband on his knees saying his pray
ers. | put on his shoes for him. He
then took the saltpetre that he mixed in
a tumbler the night before. While we
were standing in the bathroom. Mabel.
our daughter. asked us if she could go
on an errand. We gave our consent.
went down in the basement to skim
the milk and do other chores When
Joe got dressed he came down stairs
breakfast was not ready. | hurriedly
prepared the meal. AS Joe was seat
ing himself al the table Mabel came in
from her errand. | poured out three
cups of coffee. one for each of us. Joe
had eaten a big piece of beef. When
| raised to pour another cup of coffee
for myself. suddenly Joe moved back
in his chair, bracing himself against
the table. | asked him what the trou-
BILE was.
Taken with Weak spell.
He said he had been taken
with another of his weak spells. /
grew alarmed. He was shaking and
his eyes were closed partially as
though he were suffering acutely. II
went to- him. and he placed his arm
around my neck. ] assisted him into
the sitting room. 4 am afraid. Mary.
said Joe. that I took too much of that
stuff that mixed in the tumbler.
Those were the last words that he
spoke to me. Mabel went for DIR.
Moore. Whether Joe went TO the barn
before breakfast while was in the
basement doing my work, / do not
know. He had been in the habit of
going TO the barn before breakfast and
taking a drink of whisky from the bot
tie that he kept there. The night be-
fore he took two pills. They did not
do him any good. and he threw the
box. containing the pills. in the coal
scuttle. He had been taking saltpetre
several weeks. He had bought sec
ond package. Only once did we have
ahnf IN, h.
small bottle that was bought last July. |
After that more was bought by Joe to |
Kill rats in the barn. After Joe died |
found bottle in the barn. l threw it |
away. / did not even open it. IL was
wrapped in paper.
1T is not so that / threw out the |
coffee from the cup from which Joe |
drank. He had poured about half the |
of his cup into saucer. The |
coffee from the cup and saucer was |
in the slop jar by Mabel. Joe |
offered thanks before we began break |
fast. As he was saying thanks Mabel |
came in. Joe had been worried about |
Mabel's long stay.
Knew He Was Poor.
Joe shortly before his death. drove |
into the country for the purpose. he
said. of buying cattle. He told me he
had contracted To buy one bunch and |
asked me TO borrow $500 at Waits |
bank. ! got the 500. but he was angry
because | did not secure the sum re-
/ was empowered by my
husband to- sign his name to all docu-
ments- IL is not so that he thought he
had money in the bank. He knew as