The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-11-29
Autopsy Made Yesterday Re-
veaied Water in Lungs
Evidence Going to Show Old
Man Ate mpted Hanging.
From Thursdays Daily.
From Thursdays Daily.
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i! We, the jury, find that Isaac (
I E. Wheeler came to his death :;
( by his own hand. !:

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That is the verdict of the coron
er's jury that listened to all the
evidence relating to the death of
Isaac E. Wheeler, whose dead body,
cut and slashed, was found in Ma
pie river last Saturday morning.
In view of the interest that was
exhibited in this case, The Free Press
publishes the testimony given at the
inquest, in full:
H. L. Cotton, the party with
whom Wheeler made the contract to
care for him during the remaining
titled that he lives about mile
from the Wheeler home and last saw
Wheeler alive at $3.50 p. m. the night
of the tragedy. Wheeler came to
the Cotton home early in the evening
and had supper with the Cottons.
He seemed to be in good spirits. Mr..
Cotton said he entered into the con-
tract to care for Wheeler two weeks
ago. The contract was made in a
I, lawyers office at Mapleton. Cotton
said he did not ask Wheeler to
make the contract and that it was
Wheeler's own proposition. Cotton
was to rent the Wheeler farm and
take care of Wheeler during his life
and at Wheeler's death the place
was to be given to them. Wheeler
wore leather coat, black fur cap
and fur overcoat that night at the
/, Cottons. His dog was with him.
! Cotton said Jim Quinn, the negro
and Harry Ward were at his home
!, that night and left about 8 o'clock
saying they were going to Harvey
| Wards. He said that he did not know
whether Wheeler was in the habit of
keeping any money in the house
or whether Wheeler had any money
on his person the night of his
death or at the time the contract
was made Wheeler told him he was
not in the habit of carrying money
with him. Wheeler told him that
he had drawn money at the bank
in Mapleton that day and had paid
several bills, Cotton did not know
how much.
Mrs. Ida Cotton testified that she
had known Wheeler for eleven years
and last saw him alive at $3.50 p. m
the night of his death. She was
positive about the time as Wheeler
called her attention to it and re-
marked it was late and he had to
90 home. Mrs. Cotton went to town
that afternoon and as she passed
Wheeler's house she left some jelly
and lard on his door step. Mrs
Cotton was accompanied to town by
Mrs. Avel As they drove to town
they met Wheeler in the road. He
was alone and was on his way
home He was in good spirits. Mrs
Cotton said she usually wrote Wheel
ers letters for him and that she
wrote letter to Verndale, MINI.
five or six weeks ago for him. Wheel
er had been in the habit of showing
his letters to her. She asked him
several times if he had received al
answer to his letter to Verndale
Wheeler said no, and remarked tina,
he supposed they had grown tireo
of answering his letters. Mrs. Cot
ton said that Wheeler received g
letter from Verndale, several days
before his death but did not show
it to her or tell her its contents
She did not see Wheeler from the
time he left the Cotton home unit
after his body was taken from thu
river. When the contract was drawn
Wheeler gave her key to his house
but she didn't have the key with hel
when she left the jelly on the doo
step. Mr.. Cotton paid jim Quinn To-
plastering Wheeler's house.
Mr. Cotton was recalled to the stanf
and testified that Wheeler gave Mrs
Cotton a key to the house after thu
contract was drawn. He said tina
the key had never left their posses
sion and that he didn't show tn
key to Quinn. Quinn did not know
they had key to Wheeler's house
Mr.. Ackerman's Testimony.
George Alderman testified that h
lives about one hundred and twent,
rods from the Wheeler house. ID
! was the first one to notice the fire an
ran to Wheeler's house, found pal
on the back porch and began t
throw water on the fire. He shoute
a number of times as he though
Wheeler was still in the house. ID
was Joined in a few Minutes by MI
James Howieson, who assisted hir
= in throwing water on the lire. ID
: noticed blood. on the back pore
when he was putting water on flr
but did not suspect that anythn
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