The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-10-10
JURY RETURNED VERDICT
CAUSES DEATH UNKNOWN
Inquest Held Yesterday Ascertain Cause Death
Mrs. Seberger.-Body of Unfortunate Woman Taken
to Branerd for Burial.

were identical with those of one who
has taken considerable opium or
who had suddenly been cut off from
the supply, with the consequent
reaction.
When Mrs. Seberger was taken i'll,
Monday night, she was seized with
cramps and became unconscious,
raving and violent. She pounded
with her fists, kicked and was con-
stantly reaching out with her hands,
and it took three or more people to
hold her in her bed.
Questioned by DR.. Marcum,
Seberger stated that his wife had
been addicted to the use of opium
prior to going to the hospital; in
fact she had been given morphine at
Northome prior to moving to Be-
midi, as it had been impossible to
obtain opium, so that she could not
possibly have contracted the habit
while in the hospital.
DR.. Marcum testified to knowing
! Mrs. Seberger, having operated upon
her for appendicitis. At the time
the operation had been performed
he had given her an ordinary dose
of morphine for pain, which had no
effect and he was compelled to give
a double dose.
He had afterwards gradually be-
gan to cut down the doses given
her. While Mrs. Sebsrger was in
the hospital the doctor discovered
that someone was furnishing her
with morphine. He had found
case with hypodermic tablets. Later
it had seemed that Mrs. Seberger
was stopping the use of the mar
cotic.
DR.. Marcun's description of Mrs.
Seberger's actions verified DR.. Orr's
testimony. He had found her with
a weak heart and they administered
a heart stimulent.
The doctor said that her actions
lead him to believe that she had
either taken a large dose of opium
or had been to suddenly stopped
from using the drug. Her pupils
were contracted, but as much as
would have been expected from an
overdose. He had later found her
raving and the heart stimulent had
quoted her somewhat.
The doctor stated he had seen Mrs.
Seberger again Wednesday night,
when she was delerious. He had
given her a small amount of NOR
phine, which had no effect on her.
Then larger dose and still a larger
dose ha | no effect. He had visited
her again Thursday morning, when
there there was no pulse action and
he gave her heart stimulent to re-
store the pulse. There was a very
rapid heart action,
The doctor stated that a person
craving for opium would get it in
spite of everything, and it was pos
sible that Mrs. Seberger had taken
some of the stuff in the box.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alex Cameron, Mrs.
McClernan, Mrs. Bennett mother of
Mrs. Seberger) and Andrew Bennett
(brother of the deceased) were ex-
amined.
By their testimony it was shown
that the Chinaman had been in the
Seberger home on Monday, both in
the afternoon and late at night; that
he had been talking with Mr..
= Cameron concerning the opium
alleged to have been given Mrs.
Seberger; that Mr.. Seberger had
told the Chinaman that he had
given her an overdose, but that the
Chnaiman had told him to twist hair
and put it in her mouth and she
would be "alle light"
Mrs. Bennett stated that the China
man had been at the Seberger home
for two hours Monday afternoon;
that he was with Mrs. Seberger in
the house, most of the time alone
with her.
! Andrew Bennett testified that he
knew OF a certainty that his sister
had been addicted to the use of
opium for eight years past-that she
had been using the drug while she
was living at Brainerd. r.
i Continued on last page.
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