Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-01-11
EDWARDS SHOT HIMSELF AND
DRANK POISON.
BROTHER-lN-LAW RELEASED
Suspected Relative Cleared by An.
nouncement of Coroner That Sup
posed Murdered Man Came to
Death by His Own Hand-ReVolver
and laudanum Bottle Found.

New nave NOull., Jan . SuANIAN
by means OF both bullet and poison is
the explanation given by Coroner Mix
OF the death Of Charles \. Edwards
at the Abigail Hitler homestead here
last Tuesday night This finding is
contained in a preliminary report to-
States Attorney Williams and isl
based in part on the discovery Of NOR
phine in Edwards body by Medical
Examiner Bartlett and the surgeons
who performed the autopsy. The
fnding is supported by some portions
Of evidence taken at the inquest
which has extended through five days
and which is not yet completed.
The theory Of suicide appears not
to have been held by the coroner UNI
til Saturday, when detectives UNI
earthed in shrubbery near the Hitler
house a 22-calibre revolver and
half-pint bottle containing a quantity
of laudanum Until that time, and
in the absence of a report on the
chemical analysis of the viscera, the
weight of evidence taken by Coroner
Mix was that Edwards had been muir,
dered.
The first action taken by Coroner
Mix yesterday, after reaching his con
clusion in the case, was to order the
release from surveillance Of A. Max
ey Hitler, brother-in.law Of Edwards,
who on Thursday evening was put in
charge of a policeman, The coro-
ner's brief report does not dispel the
mystery of Edwards death. and until
a complete finding is ready, probably
no public solution can be found as to
why Edwards, as the coroner de-
scmbes his action, at o'clock
Wednesday morning last, clad in his
underclothes, left his chamber and
descended to the basement, lighted
the gas, unbolted and opened a rear
door, twice discharged revolver at
himself one bullet going into the
ear; then, failing to kill himself,
threw the weapon away, drank lauda-
mum and tossed the bottle after the
pistol, ana with blood flowing from
the wound in his head dragged him
self back to his chamber got into
bed, drew the bed clothes over his
shoulders and after placing a hand.
kerchief under his head to staunch
the flow of blood, lapsed into uncon-
seriousness, death coming six hours
later"
Detectives Find Revolver.
The coroner's finding came late in
the afternoon, after he had had con
ferences with States Attorney Will
Jams, Medical Examiner Bartlett and
Charles Hitler, brother of A. Maxey
Hitler. The pistol and bottle were
discovered Saturday by detectives,
who were using a rake on deep lit
ter of leaves under a lot of shrub
berry. The pistol which was exhib-
tied was bright in its niclded parts
almost to newness, although the bar.
rel and chambers were slightly rusty
from being out in the rain last week,
Coroner Mix, discussing his find
ing, said:
"The laudanim and revolver were
found two days ago so feet from the
rear of the dining room, just a good
throw from the back door. They
were in the same direction from the
house The laudanum was in half,
pint bottle, in which an inch of the
fluid remained. Another revolver
was found but its chambers were
filled with dust and II had not been
discharged recently. The handker.
chief found under Edwards cheek
was wadded and all indications show
that he hal pressed 1t close to his
ear Another handkerchief was
found near the rear door which had
on it the initial e. Blood stains
from outside the rear dining room
door up the stairs, form a trail and
stop at the landing In my opinion
the man shot himself first and then
took the poison. After taking the
poison he threw both revolver and
bottle away and pulled himself up
stairs. Under certain conditions
either the pistol wound or the dose OF
poison would have killed a man, brit
in this case it is my belief that one
acted with the other in causing the
death OF Edwards"
Inquest Evidence Startling.
Some of the inquest evidence is IN
derstood to be startling almost be
yond belief, the coroner himself adj
hitting this. For this reason 1t is
not expected that States Attorney
Williams will allow the evidence 10
be opened for publication,
In discussing some facts obtained,
on which the suicide theory was con.
frmed, Coroner Mix says that one
bullet went wild, being imbeided in
the door, while the other made the
wound.
The hand rail on the stairs, and
also the wall, show bloody hand
marks, as If Edwards had first put
~ Z -