The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1906-04-10
A POISONOUS,ACT
TRIED TO KILL INMATES OF
HEPPNER BOARDING
HOUSE.
Number Of Boarders Ill, but Early
Discovery Prevents Fatal Re-
su1ts-Man Accused Had
Quarrelled With Land
lady.

Heppner, Or, April GA mys-
ferrous attempt at Wholesale pois-
toning. resulting in the illness of
several persons, through the placing
of oxalic acid in the coffee served
the boarders at the
boarding house conducted by Miss
Mary Bshrns, has caused great ex-
citement here. Early discovery of
the presence of the poison alone
prevented more serious consequent
ces. J. H. Bode, etepfather of Miss
Behrns, has been arrested for the
crime, though he strenuously de-
MES his guilt.
The poison was discovered by T.
R. Gaynor, w. S. Wharton, and
one or two other boarders who were
the first in to breakfast. They start
ed to drink their coffee and noticed
the peculiar taste it had. Mr.. Gay
nor, who had drunk part of his cup
began to feel sick. 1t was noted
that the cream as soon as put in
the coffee curdled,, and thinking it
might be sour, the landlady's at
tention was called, but investiga.
tion showed 1t to be all right.
= The coffee pot and teakettle were
then examined and the inside of
these vessels were foundto be black,
particularly the teakettle. The
boarders, thinking something must
be wrong, had the contents of both
coffee pot and teakettle analysed
which disclosed the fact that they
both contained large dose of oxal-
ic acid which might have caused
serious results had it not been dis.
covered in time.
J. II. Bode, a tailor, who is Miss
Benrns' stepfather, is under arrest
accu ed of the crime, although thej e
is only clrcumstantial. evidence a..
gainst him.
In a recent alteration with Miss
Behrns he is eaid to have threaten
ed to get even with her, and it is
alleged he also has grudge against
her noarders, claiming they broke
up his home. His wife, Miss Behrns'
mother, recently secured a divorce
from him on the grounds Of cruel
treatment, and charged that he re-
peatedly pointed a revolver at her
and threatened TO kill her. In ft
Of rage yesterday afternoon be went
into Miss Behrns' house and smash
ed dishes, broke up furniture and
poured carbolic acid on the piano,
running the instrument. Bode is a
tGerman and has been in the tailor.
ing business here for five or six
years. He uses oxalic acid to clean
clothes.
1t Is thought the poison was put
in the teakettle Wednesday night
while Mics Behrns and her brother
were at the theatre. The rear en-.
trance to the house could not be
locked and it would have ,bsen an
easy matter to get in undeteeted.
A neighbor who lives across the
alley Gays she saw some one come
out of the back door of the board
ling house between IL and II O.
clock but was not able to tell who
it was.
The doctors who analysed Ethe
water in the teakettle say there
was enough oxalic acid in it to XII
80 persons.
Bode declares that he is innocent
land can prove it. T. R. Gaynor
who got the worst dose, is the chic
mover in the prosecution.
New York, April 1.-Two weeks
ago Miss Johnstone Bennett, but g
short time since the idol of the Ri
alto and the star in a dozen high
class theatrical productions, was ar
emaciated, dying consumptive, de
SPARED of by many eminent physi
clans and hopelessly resigned tt
death.
Today she was seen at her coun
try home near. Bloomfield, New
jersey, lying in her bed reading {
novel, her face of regular contour
her eyes bright and apparently
speedily recovering from the dreat
disease, all through the wonderful
discovery and application of the Gu
rative properties of the Bermuda
onion by Mark Golinsky, scien
tist, who has made an exhaustive
study of tuberculosis.
Il have decided to live" sait
Miss Bennett. For while I pre-