Las Vegas daily optic., 1907-01-14
BERTHE HANSON
dies BY POISON
DEATFs MAY s4AsE RESULTED
FROM OVERDOSE OF HEAD
ACHE TABLETS.
RUMORS OF SUICIDE
Found Lying On the Bed in Her Room
This aernins-nsttsr Being inses.
tiaate6-was Popular Young LaoJ.

Miss Berthe Hanson. daughter q
James Hanson. Of thas cils, vas fuUn'
dead on h~r bsa at the lone 0f Mrs
Peter J. Murphy, stO Fourth street
where she hoarde.s. this morning u
eight O'Clock. and there are many In
dications of suicide. although friend,
Of the deceased say that her deats
was caused by an overdose Of anti
kamnia tablets. which she had beer
in the habit Of taking as a headache
cure.
The young lady did not appear al
breakfast and at eight O'Clock this
morning. Mrs. Murphy went TO her
room 10 awaken her. She pounded
on the door and called. but all at.
tempts to arouse her were unavaii.
ing. Mrs. J. ID. Abbott. who also
rooms In the house. joined Mrs. Muir
ply and they decided that the young
lady must be seriously III. They went
outside 10 window. the room being
at the front Of the house on the first
floor. Mrs. Murphy succeeded in rails
ing the window and on entering the
room, saw Miss Hanson lying on top
OF the bed In a wrapper with her face
downward on her arm and knew i'm.
mediately from the rigidity and posi-
tion Of her body that she was dead
She opened the door and notified
the neighhors and DR.. II. J. Mueller
was called. The doctor found that
the young lady had been dead for a
number Of hours and that the condi-
ton OF the body indicated that her
death had been caused by poison but
did not make an exhaustive inxesti.
CATION. Justice of Peace Frank Bope
as coroner. was also summoned and
made superficial inspection. He
found one full and one empty box o.
antikamnia tablets which deceased
had been In the habit Of taking for
headaches. bottle partially filled
with carbolic acid In a drawer an.
several notes and letters. which had
been recently written and addressed
One was q note 10 Miss Jessie Nc
Schooler of this city, one a letter to
Miss Minnie Gehring at Springer, and
she also wrote note to George Bry.
an. TO whom it was rumored that she
was engaged to be married. Mr.
Bryan arrived at the house early in
the morning on hearing Of Miss Han
sons death and was given the note
addressed to him. He opened it AMI
read 1t, but when asked for the miss
i've by the coroner, declared that he
had lost it. He told the justice OF
peace that the note n4ei ely requested
him to call at the Taupert jewelry
store. where the young lady was en-
ployed, at nine o'clock next morning.
The other notes have not yet been
delivered to the parties to whom they
are addressed. but while Mr.. Bope
was handling the letter for Miss NJ
Schooler. a key dropped out which
fitted a small box on the stand, con-
tanning a considerable sum Of money.
1t is argued that 1t Is improbable that
Miss Hanson took any of the carbolic
acid. as the bottle was in a drawer
and there was no 0dor Of the deadly
drug nor any indications of burns.
Deceased had been In the best of
spirits all day and had not complain
ed of feeling i'll. She was out with
friends all afternoon and took sup
per with Miss May Young at the home
of Mrs Ed. Sears. She departed for
home at about half past eight o'clock
and was in her room before nine
There was a light In her room at
midnight. but it was extinguished a
short time afterward.
Miss Hanson was almost driven
crazy by headaches at times and 1t
is quite probable that after writing
several letters she felt a headache
coming on, and after taking several
tablets. had turned out the light and
lain down to see if she could not get
rid of 1t. The medicine has power
full effect on the heart and undoubt-
edly 1t stopped beating suddenly and
she passed away without pain. There
was no look of suffering In her face
nor attitude. 1t has not yet been
decided whether to hold an inquest