The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-03-27
HELD CORONER 5 INQUEST.
CONFUSION OVER THE DEATH OF
MRS. JOHN COLLINS.
SHE HAD BEEN NORFOLK GIRL
Circumstances In the Death Of Mrs.
Collins at Marcus, Iowa, Caused a
coroner's Inquest to be Held-Phy.
sician Was Exonerated.

Collins at Marcus, Iowa, Caused a
coroners Inquest to be Held-Phy.
sieian Was Exonerated.
Circumstances in the death of Mrs.
John Collins at Marcus. Iowa, not
learned of in Norfolk when first news
of the death was received here, made
1t necessary to hold coroners in
quest to determine the exact cause
of her sudden expiration.
The coroner's verdict, however,
completely exonerated the attending
physician from all blame and showed
that death resulted from weak heart
and not from an overdose of strych-
nine as her husband believed.
Mrs Collins was formerly Miss Lulu
Johnson of Norfolk and she was con
nected with the sales department OF
the Johnson Dry Goods company for
two years. Her marriage took place
in the Norfolk church of the Sacred
Heart seven months ago, Father
Thomas Walsh officiating.
Concerning Mrs. Collins death the
March 10, says:
A sad death and one which has ere.
ated considerable excitement and i'll
feeling, occurred at Marcus last Sun
day morning, the victim of the grim
reaper being Mrs. Lulu Alice Collins,
wife of John Collins, member of the
we'll known Collins Bros. orchestra.
Her death was very sudden and the
circumstances made it necessary for
Coroner Smyth to hold an inquest.
The inquest was held on Monday.
and only the evidence of DR.. Loomis
and Mr.. Collins was taken. Following
Is the verdict:
State OF Iowa, Cherokee county IS:
An inquest held at Marcus, Ia, on
March 18th and 10th, 1908, before r.
j. Smyth, coroner of said county, upon
the body of Lulu Alice Collins there
lying dead, by the jurors whose names
are hereto subscribed, the said jurors
upon their oaths do say that after
hearing the evidence and having ex-
dmined the body we do find that the
deceased came to her death from ton
solits, which brought on a weakened
condition of the heart, heart failure
being the direct cause of death.
Given under our hand at Marcus,
Ia, this 18th day of March, 1908.
Dan Meter.
Perry Miller.
VIM. Flaherty.
~
From the evidence it appears that
Mrs. Collins was taken sick with a
throat trouble three or four days pre-
vious to her death and was given
medicine by DR.. Loomis. On Satur-
day night she became worse and DR..
LOOMS was called. To cause her to
rest during the night he gave her hy-
podermic injection, as he says, of one
fortieth of grain of strychnine
sulphate. Her pulse was normal but
She appeared very weak. Sunday
morning at about o'clock Mr.. Col
Inns said she was very weak and APP
peared to be in a stupor. She was
breathing hard and Mr.. Collins lay
down on the bed beside her and while
listening to her breathing he fell
| asleep, she having begun to breathe
easier. At o'clock Mr.. Collins woke
up and when he attempted to arouse
his wife found her dead
Dr. Loomis was called and found
the spark of life had fled. He was
very much surprised to find her dead
ard still more greatly surprised when
Mr., Collins appeared and excitedly
accused him of having been respon-
sible for her death. The affair has
caused a great deal of talk at Marcus
and much unpleasantness.
Mrs. Collins was % years, months
and % days old. Her maiden name
was Lulu Alice Johnson and her for.
mer home was at Winside, Neb., where
she was very popular. She was mar
| ried to Mr.. Collins about seven months
ago. She had lived in Marcus only
about a week, the couple making their
home with Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Collins
The funeral occurred yesterday, in
terment being had in the Catholic
| cemetery at Marcus.