Amador ledger., 1908-04-03
Died From Effects
Of Wood Alcohol
Mrs. James Mushett, the Victim,
Whether From Design or
Accident Unknown.

ca saturday morning when the report
was circulated that Mrs James
Mushett had died the evening before
from the effects of drinking wood
alcohol. 1t was only known to the
family that she had been i'll at all,
ard her Illness was not regarded as
serious until few hours before the
end came. DIR. Sprague, the attend
| Ing physician had made several visits
during Friday, and from the symp
toms diagnosed the case as one of
poisoning, but the precise nature of
the drug he was unable to tell, and
the patient refused to divulge until
it was too late to oounteract the
effect. Finally, at the urgent request
OF her mother, Mrs Francis, the
patient admitted that she had par
taken of wood alcohol, bottle of
which was kept by Miss Hayford, who
was boarding and roomlng with the
family, for heating purposes.
She died between 7 and o'clock
Friday night. Various reports were
in circulation, most of them more or
less exaggerated. Coroner Potter was
notified, and came over at an early
hour Saturday morning ard held an
inquest over the body the same after
noon. The witnesses examined we're
the brother of tho deceased, John
Francis, DR.. Sprague and Miss Myrtle
fiayford. After hearing the testimony
the jury returned a verdict that de-
ceased came to her death from drink
ing wood alcohol, but whether intent
ionally or by accident the jury was
unable 70 say.
AS far as we have been able to
ascertain the facts from those con
versant with them they are as toll
lows: Deceased had been suffering
from one of those spells of melan-
choly mania. to which she was sub
ject for several days. They came at
intervals of from six to twelve
months, and during these spells she
acted strangely, and was hardly re-
sponsibIe for her actions. One feat
ure of the attack was craving FOR
| liquid-somcthinG that would induce
sleep.
She and her husband lived at the
Broadway home nt Mrs Francis, with
the rest Of the Francis family. At
these spells she would wander about
the house at all hours of the dav or
night, apparently without any fixed
purpose. Naturally she was cheerful
and sociable, but at these times she
was inclined to dependency. For
week or more before the end she was
suffering from oue of these attacks,
although moving about as usual. Her
room was downstairs. while M ISIS
Myrtle Hayford, the milIiueT, Occu
pied room upstairs. In the latter
was kept two bottles containing
alcohol. one containing wood alcuhoI.
which she used as fnel for small
alcohol stove for heating purposes;
this bottle was label poison, The
other contained the regulation alco-
hol, which was used for medicinal
purposes, aud was simply labeled
Alcohol -
Mrs Francis, realizing that her
daughter was suffering from one of
these attacks, kept close watch on
her movements. Little apprehension
was felt either by the husband or any
member of the family for several
days, believing that the patient
would regain her usual health in
short time. Medical aid vas not
considered necessary, until the after
noon OF her denth, On Thursday or
Friday Mrs Francis found her sitting
in one of the upstairs rooms with her
hands folded. She noticed that she
hau bottle hidden away under her
shoulder, and after some persuasion
took it from her. At noon Mr.
Mushett returned home to lunch from
his employment at the Argonaut tail
ings plant. with the result of his
gold cleanup of the preceding day.
His wife asked TO see the vial of
amalgam, apparently taking "A keen
Interest therein. He returned to bis
work after lunch, there seemingly
being nothing in the condition OF his
wife to require his presence. About
an hour theI eatter, however, Mrs
Mushett complained Of cold feet ana
general Chilliuess, and at her own
request DR. Sprague was sent for.
tie detected that she was suffering
from something injurious taken into
the stomach, and surmised that it
was a case Of ptomaino poisoning.
During the afternoon cup contain
ing Il small quantity Of wood alcohol
was found i'm the bath room up stairs,
AID it was noticed that the wood
alcohol bottle in Miss iaytord S
room, opposite the bath room, had
been drawn upon to considerable
extent,
About half past three she became
worse, and the doctor was telephoned
for. The patient told her mother
that she had taken wood alcohol,
about a glassful or eight ounces,
oorres nnnding to the amount missed