The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-06-30
Husband Says that Death
Came Accidentally, But
Coroner is not Certain.
A SENSATION IN DEATH
JOHN VOORHEES,, WHO WANTED
TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE, LOCK-
ED UP IN POLICE STATION IN
CONNECTION WITH CASE.

Mrs. Mary Bertram, wife of Otto
Bertram, died from an overdose of
chloroform at her home In Centerville
yesterday afternoon. Surrounding the
case there are some circumstances of
a decidedly sensational nature. In the
first place, Coroner Markley is lead
to believe that the woman committed
suicide and did not die accidentally
as claimed, while taking the chloro-
form to ease the pain caused by
cramps in her stomach.
The second sensational feature to
the case is that John Voorhees, a res
ident of Centerville, sometimes en-
ployed in Bertram's grocery, is now
in the city Jail In this city, locked up
because the police feared that he
would commit suicide as he threaten
ed to do several times yesterday af-
ternoon. The two affairs are connect
ed and it Is generally reported at Cen
terville and to sucn an extent that
the local police authorities and Cor
oner Markley are lead to believe that
ii is true, that Mrs. Bertram land
Voorhees, were on friendly terms and
that Bertram finding it out causeo
trouble, whereupon, Mrs. Bertranf
took her own life and Voorhees, in
tended to but was prevented.
Mrs. Bertram's Death.
Mrg Bertram went home from their
grocery store at about one o'clock
yesterday afternoon oayIng that she
was sick with cramps in her stomach.
Her husband followed her shortly af-
terward and when he arrived home
ing great pain.
I. seems that he did not take great
interest in his Wife's ailment. how
ever, and went into the bed room and
fell asleep. Two hours later at four
o'clock he awakened. went into the
adjoining room and found his wife ly-
Ing on the floor face downward. dead.
JIe called Dr. Cable out the doctor
found her to be beyond medical aid.
Or. Gable found two ounce bottle
Lying under the couch which had
been filed with chlorororm.
The news that Mrs. Bertram had
met her death by taking an overdose
of chloroform to ease her pain, did
not satisfy Centervflle people and
they summoned Coroner Markley. Su-
perintendent Bailey of the local po-
lice department also took a hand in
the case and he sent Officers McMan-
us and Little to Centerville.
Voorhees, Strange Actions.
They found on arriving at Center
willie, that Voorhees, had acted unusual
1y strange yesterday afternoon. AL
most at the same time that Mrs. Ber-
tram went home sick from the grocery
Voorhees, went into the butcher shop
of II. Il. Nickels and showed him a
revolver saying at the same time that
there would be h--ll to pay. Nickels
talked with Voorhees, in an effort to
find out what he meant. He got no
satisfactory replies only that Voor-
hees was greatly worked up about
something and was looking for some
cartridges in order to load his revol-
yer and commit suicide Nickels
got Voorhees, to give up his gun.
After doing this Voorhees, left the
butcher shop and little later took a
car for Richmond, In this city he
became intoxicated, returned to Cen
terville and went again to the butch
er shop of Nickels. He had secured
five cartridges and wanted Nickels to
load the revolver for him. This
Nickels refused to do. Voorhees,
then wanted Nickels to put just one
cartridge in the gun and let him have
it. On being refused this request
he again left the shop. He went to
a nearby drug store and begged the
clerk, Clyde Lundy to let him have
some morphine and whiskeys Lun-
dy would not do this. whereupon
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