The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-07-18
MRS. MAGILL'S
BODY EXHUMED
FOR ANALYSIS
State VIII Learn the Cause
of Death of Illinois
Bankers Wife
TRAGEDY AT GRAVE
Former Sweetheart of Ac-
cused Husband Takes.
Strychnine
MIXUP OVER LETTERS
Prosecution Says Notes Tell
ing of Intended Suicide
Were Forged
MIXUP OVER LETTERS
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL


CLINTON, Ill, July 1.-THE
body of Mrs. pet" Magill, first
wife of Fred H. Magill, the mil
lionsire banker under arrest in
Los Angeles, charged with her
murder, was exhumed tonight.
Guards were placed in the GENE
terry and no one except officials
was admitted. Assistant State
Attorney Mitchell, who is in
charge of the case against Ma
gill, said that the stomach would
be sent to Chicago for an analysis.
Another sensational develop
ment tonight was an attempt
made by Mrs. Myrtle Parrett, an
old sweetheart of Fred Magill, to
commit suicide by taking strych-
nine on the grave of Mrs. Pet MagiIl.
She was found by the officials who had
come TO exhume the body and physi-
clans were hurried TO the scene. 1t
is expected that she will die
Assistant State Attorney Mitchell
decided today to quash the verdict Of
the coroner's jury that Mrs. Magill
committed suicide" and new jury will
be impaneled TO investigate the case.
simultaneously with this decision
Mitchell announced for the first time
that the state had in its possession the
letters alleged to have been written
BY Mrs. MagilI just before her death
and it was said that at least one of
these had been discovered to be a
forgery.
RELATIVES OPPOSE INQUIRY
In making his fight for the ex-
humation of the body of Mrs MagiIl,
Mitchell was opposed by a large num-
Der Of residents of Clinton, either
closely related to the Magill family
or personal friends of the accused man.
Relatives Of the wife, Mrs. Fay Graham
Magill, have rallied to the support of
the woman. who also is under arrest
on a murder charge. and it is said that
even the relatives Of the dead woman
refused their consent to the exhuming
OF the body.
Attorney General Stead was appealed
to and advised Mitchell to proceed. re-
gardless Of the objections of interested
persons.
Arthur D. Merwin, the gambler who
was arrested Monday as an accessory
after the fact to the murder of Mrs.
Magill. denied strenuously today that
he had any knowledge of the AFFAIR
or that be was in any way connected
with the tragedy.
Arrangements have been completed
for the employment OF a number of
secret service men from Chicago to
protect the county Jail in Clinton after
AIagilI and his wife are incarcerated
there next week. IT is the opinion of
the police that public feeling is so
strong against Magiil that it would
be wiser to swear in special deputies
Of the sheriff than to trust to the local
police force.
LETTERS HELD BY DEFENSE
SAN DIEGO. July 1.-THE letters
which are to figure in the defense Of
Fred H. MagiIl and Fay Graham Ma
gill. II they are ever brought to a trial
for the murder of the formers first
wife, were written on official paper Of
Colonel Fred II. MagilI. aid de camp
TO Major General Arthur J. Stoddard.
commanding Uniform Rank. Knights of
Pythias." The letter which was pinned
10 her dress was undated, like the rest.
il was as follows:
clinton. nl.-Fred. Il have used
chloroforn or strychnine.) 1 want you
TO know that the cause of this act Of
mine is your mother (1lrs. E. L. MagiI)
and your sister Mrs o. \. Pond).
From their slanderous tongues they