Rock Island Argus., 1904-12-01
Johnston Inquest is Ad-
iourned Till Mon
day.
FURTHER TESTIMONY
Four Additional Witnesses to
be Summoned---Yester-
days Proceedings.

States Attorney ~. \. Weid--Thc
circumstances and testimony indicate
81 strong suspicion that JOscph John
sfOn was a victim Of foul play. II l
were 10 continue as prosecuting attoT-
ney. from the evidence at hand. would
insist At least on a grand jury investi-
CATION
r r.. Stafford. Of counsel for Mrs.
JOhnstOn-"The whole day was de-
voted TO trying to establish Il motive
for the murder Of Mr.. Johnston. There
is not q scintilla of proof against the
widow. I believe she told the truth IN
every statement she made. I believe
that sae has been wrOn2ed woman. -
Adjournment OF the inquest over the
bOdy OF Joseph Johnston was taken
~ f:%O yesterday afternoon until II
O'Clock Monday morning OF next week.
when Coroner J.. y EckLart states
thai he expects TO have Witnesses il
addition 10 those who were heard
yesterday. In the meantime II. ID.
ElakcIaO-r. who tools = stcnOSTapiI;c
draft Of the testimony of the witncsz-
Cs. will write his notes. and have the
several statements ready for the sig
natures Of those vino made them.
NOT in years iias REYNOLDS and the
surrounding country been so stirred
as II has been over the circumstances
attending the death OF Johnston. For
80 years me and his vile had lived
amOrg them. When Johnston had ac-
Cumulated competency he sold the
farln and rer-oved 10 the village 10
spend his declining days in the en-
jGy-acu, o. the fruits Of the frusality
az RS yo,nzer years. His health had
been miserable for IS years. He suf
fcred from rheumatism principally.
and had made preparations to pass
the winter in California. Ills wife and
the daughter Mabie were TO accom-
pany him. One morning in September
the village was shocked TO learn that
ne had died.
Trarins. the Fatal Dose
The analysis conducted by Chemist
Nader having borne out the suspic-
ions of relatives who were instrument
tai in the beginning OF the inquiry
by the coroner that death was not
due To natural causes. and ttat
sirychninc had produced the convul-
sions in one az when he passed away.
the investigation by the jury yesLer-
LAY proceeded with view TO gaining
light as to- how- Johnston came 10 take
the poison whether Intentionally. hav-
ing wcaried Of his infrmitics. whether
by mistake or whether IL was placed
in his medicine or food for the purpose
OF getting him ont OF the way.
Two small bottles containing strych-
nine were produced by Constable
Charles II. Snow. He found them in
the vault. NJ. c Crandall. the druggist
of the village. could not identify either
bottle. rs the labels had been removed.
However. he referred To his record.
and stated hat on May - and June
ID he sold sJrychrinC to- Mr.. Johnston.
The first tine he bought 10 grains
and ON the second visit he procured 10
grains Mr. CTandall said that he
aimed always 70 note when purchase
Of strychnine was made. entering the
name OF the person TO whom the sale
was made. Whether Mr.. Johnston
had purchased strychninC n any other
date he could not say positively. rs
his records showed only two purchases
by him.
Getting Rats Out Of Way.
The bottle found by Constable Snow
were OF different size. One was short
and square and the other longer and
conc-shapei. The latter was wrap
ped In blue paper. Mr.. Crandan said
that during the summer Mrs Johnston
had visited his store and inquired as
To the quickest means of killing rats.
The rats were making way with her
young chickens. Mr.. CTandall was not
positive. but he thought that he made
her the answer that strychnine was
the most effective poison. He could
not recall whether he sold any strych-
nine To Mrs. Johnston. His records
did not show a sale. Mrs. Johnston
was recalled - the stand She iden-
titled the cOne-shaped bottle as OF the
same size a the one she found in
the barn and threw into the vault.
She never saw the other bottle. She
could account for three bottles that
she threw into the vault. They were
all OF the same shape. Two of them
she knew had contained sirychnine.
for she had used some of the poison
ON the rats. mixing il in molasses. as
directed Nv Nr. CrandaU Two of
The bottles had been Kept ON tie
shelf AZ different times near To the
medicine tha; her husband was taking
But the bottle With TIE blEe abel had
never been in t'ie house. That was
left in the barn by her husband. ana
the day after his death she found H.