The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1907-05-26
TRIES TO POISON
CnELAN POSTMASTER
Sensational Affair At Up-fsiver Town
-isenhart Fires on Intruder
Poison in Food.

ing sensation.
Excitement is running high, and
the postmaster there, who seems to
have been singled out for extermina-
tion, has already had to defend his
home by the use of shot gun.
According to recent dispatch
from that place what appears to
have been a systematic attempt to
poison Postmaster w. NJ Isenhart
and wife. extending over a long per-
iod of time, reached a dramatic cul-
mination about / o'clock Tuesday
morning when Mr.. Isenhart fired
three shots at an intruder who was
tampering with cupboard on the
back porch of his residence. Evi-
IDENTIFY none of the shots took effect.
Mr.. and Mrs. Isenhart live in rooms
at the rear of the postoffice On their
back porch is a cupboard in which
they had been in the habit of keep
ing food. Apparently several inef.
fectual attempts had been made by
some miscreant to poison them Be.
ing satisfied that their lives were il
danger, Mr.. Isenhart arranged signals
to warn him when any one was tam
pering with his cupboard. Tuesday
morning about l O'Clock he was
awakened by the working of the sig
nal. He arose and secured his shot
gun, but the prowler evidently heard
him and left. Mr. Isenhart watched,
and in a short time the man return
board, but while in deep shadow,
Mr.. Isenhart fired three times
through a screen door. The post
master was at first convinced that his
first shot took effect, but later chang
ed his mind, as no reports of any SER
iously injured persons have come to
light
Suspects Saloon Sympathizers.
Mr.. Isenhart said:
There is no doubt in my mind
that saloon sympathizers have been
seeking my life.
In the summer of 1905 publish
ed an article in the Chelan Leader,
calling attention to the manner in
which the saloons at this place were
being conducted and, believe, called
the matter to the attention of the
council. In September of that year
my horse, which was kept in a stable
not far from the rear of the postof-
flee, was taken suddenly sick and
died within three minutes.
Il continued my fight against the
saloons and after the municipal elec-
tion in December, 1905, had one of
the saloonkeepers arrested for giving
whisky to the election judges while
on duty.
No new developments occurred,
however, until last winter, when Max
Weidener was 50 badly frozen while
on protracted spree. The part I
took in that affair is well known. On
two occasions, between the middle of
February and the last of March, po-
tatoes left in the cupboard on the
back porch tasted so bad that we
could not eat them.
} Milk Was Poisoned.
The evening of April 13 last we
used milk from a can left in the out
side cupboard. Next morning the milk
tasted so bitter that we could not
use it. We called in DR.. Mitchell
He made an examination of the milk
and said it contained about one
fourth OF -teaspoonful of 3trychnine
enough to kill all the people in
town. The doctor placed a grain of
the substance taken from the milk
in piece of meat and gave it to a
| cat. The o~inal died within three
minutes. of, the milk were al
SO made "a Efepatchea by DR.. Mccoy
and at the Washington State college.
Both pronounced the substance it
contained pure strychnine.
Il was row thoroughly convinced
that my life was being sought and
began to watch for the miscreant. l
fixed an alarm to warn me when any
one was ta~lDering with the cup
board. Fool was still placed there
as before. but none was eaten.
Last Sunday evening at 8 o'clock
Mrs. Isenhart and went to church.
Parties whom we suspicioned saw us
go. Returning at o'clock, Mrs. Isen-
hart noticed that the cupboard door
had been opened during our absence.
Next morning DR.. Mitchell was again
called in. and found that two plates
of food left in the cupboard had been
sprinkled with strychnine.
Il then renewed my vigilance.
which rocu1fod IN Tho choo&fr- T,,a.