The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-27
DEEP MYSTERY
STILL SHROUDS
DEATH OF BOY
Dr.. CalderWood Issues a State
ment Tending to Discredit
Suicide Theory.
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
MAY SOLVE PROBLEM
SEiNsOTH, A NEURASTHENIC,
MAY HAVE WANDERED AWAY
AND DIED OF EXPOSURE.

Yesterdays developments in the case
of Charles Seinsoth the young messen-
ger who was found dead last Thursday
morning, tended rather to deepen the
mystery surrounding it and make its
solution more baffling than to clear ur
even any of the more important points
The only thing that now seems certain
is that the actual cause of death will
not be definitely established until State
Chemist Harms completes the chemical
analysis of the stomach of the dead
body. and it may be a week or more be-
fore this is concluded.
In the meantime there is no dearth
of theories and conjectures as to the
probable cause of death, and an amaz-
ing number of rumors are being con-
stantly advanced in support of the
various theories.
With the murder theory disproved
that of suicide has been strengthened
by the discovery that young Seinsoth
purchased the poison Wednesday night
but this has been corresponding;y
weakened by the positive statement of
County Physician Calderwood that the
post-mortem examination failed 10
show any trace of carbOlic acid poison
ing.
1t is a practical impossibility, say
medical authorities, to drink carbolic
acid without the poison leaving its
burning traces in the mouth and throat.
DR.. Calderwood last night stated that
examination of the lips, mouth and
threat of the dead boy failed to reveal
the slightest evidence that carDomc
acid had been taken. The discoloration
of the lips, he thought, was due to
freezing.
Dr.. Calderwood's Statement.
When interviewed by a Herald re-
porter, DIR. Calderwood said:
I'VE found no trace whatever of car
bolic acid poisoning, and if the acid
was used IL can only be determined In
the analysis of the stomach. There was
nothing to be observed about the
mouth or throat showing the effects OF
acid, and it could not have been taken
without leaving its evidences. 1t does
not look like acid poisoning to me-
In view of this Seinsoth's purchase of
the acid becomes more puzzling. AL
though Earl Leaver of the Leaver Drug
company could not positively identify
Seinsoth as the one who made the pur-
chase, there seems to be little question
but that it was he. The signature on
the drug store register was compared
yesterday with those of SeinSOth'S ap-
pearing in the telephone company's or
flee record, and at Keith-O' Brien's, and
they were found to he so similar as to
leave no room for doubt as to it's au-
thenticity and the fact that it had been
written by Seinsoth himself
After viewing the remains at the
morgue yesterday. Mr.. Leaver stated
that he could not say that it was the
same boy. but yet would not say that il
was not.
1.-THE boy who bought the acid" he
said, was of about the same height
and age, and as near as I can recall
about the same color of hair. l cannot
recall the features, and 1 cannot say
positively whether it is the same boy
or not. When he asked for the acid. Gu
account of his youth. / questioned him
closely and he answered promptly and
without hesitation. There was abso-
lutely nothing in his manner to arouse
suspicion. and when he told me he was
getting the acid for his father l was
satisfied with his statement
The fact that the bottle has not yet
been found in the vicinity of where the
body lay is of no great significance.
Continued on Page 2.