The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-10
Coroner Is Investigating Death
of Anthony Woman.
Called Husband by Telephone
and Fell i'm Commissions.
MURDER OR SUICIDE
There Is a Chance That She
Took Strychnine by Mistake.
Officials Believe That Murder
Has Been Committed.

Anthony, Kan, Nov. 10.-The coro
ner's jury. in charge of DR.. Hawk of
Harper, is hearing evidence concerning
the death of Mrs. William Stephens,
formerly Miss Nellie Gross, a comely
bride of a year who died under the
most mysterious circumstances last
Monday at her home.
Evidence that will go a long way in
a determination of what caused the
woman's death will be the report of the
state chemist on his analysis of the
contents of the woman'S stomach. Pro-
vided traces of strychnine or other
poisons are found. and it is thought
that there will be, the mystery will
simmer to two conclusions-murder or
suicide.
TelephOned Husband and Died.
At 10 o'clock last Monday morning
Mrs. Stephens called up her husband.
Packing company of Wichita. He was
uptown at the time. She told him w
come home that she was feeling i'll.
Hanging up the receiver she fell. A Mr..
Clark, who was passing, saw her fall
and went to her assistance. He found
cal help arrived it was too late to save
the wOman'S life.
Those composing the coroner's jury
are as follows:
W. P. olmstead. E. G. Hopes, w. w,
Watts T. F. flaming, w. N. Calvert
and Jess McMulin. Under the direction
of the coroner an autopsy was held by
DR.. Updegraff and DR.. Wooden, the
condition of the heart. lungs, kidneys
and other organs Indicating the death
came from poison probably strychnine-
1t was also developed that from her
condition she doubtless had suffered
much from poor health.
May Have Taken Poison by Mistake.
The story of the death as brought
out by the coroner was that Mrs.
Stephens was in her usual health and
spirits Monday morning. That she and
Mr.. Stephens and Miss Martha Hearst
who boarded with them were talking
of their plans for home in Anthony
of their own. After breakfast Mrs.
Stephens got a powder from a box which
she had been using from since October
IA for stomach trouble, took it and
complaining that it was very bitter, put
a bit of candy in her mouth to de-
stroy the taste. Mr.. Stephens and Miss
Hearst were at their work when she
began to suffer from the action of the
powder, and as stated he was found
at Hamilton store and called home in
time to see his wife before her death
and hear her say she did not take any
thing to cause it.
Coroner Says Murder or Suicide.
Coroner Hawk says the death looks to
him like a murder suicide, and with
equal frankness says that no evidence
has yet been presented to support either
view.
The particular wrapper of the powder
which caused the death has been saved
and the tiny particles clinging to the pa
per, too small to be seen with the naked
eye, gave to DR.. Updegraff and Coroner
Hawk the characteristic bitter taste of
strychnine when touched with the tongue
Two powders of the original prescription
of twelve remained in the box and are the
regular bismuth powders prescribed for
stomach troubles and the nine powders
used were doubtless the same.
The powder may have been put among
the others by Mrs. Stephens or some one
in the opinion of the coroner, but her
steady cheerfulness and diligent prepara-
tions for the day work in her home and
her happy married life seems to preclude
such thought. Her youth and cordial,
friendly nature made friends of all who
knew her and there has been no evidence
given to show an enemy or any motive
on the part of anyone to commit murder.
Yet the doctors and others familiar with
the case are confident she came to her
death from poison, and it is the purpose
of Coroner Hawk to go to every source
of information and exhaust it before
bringing in a verdict