The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-08-04
JURY DETERMINES
CAUSE OF DEATH
FINDS THAT DRUG FIEND CAME
TO DEATH BY OWN HANDS.
-RELA11VES NOT IN
TERESTED IN HIM.

That Floyd d. F. Risley came to
his death through poison admins
tered by his W hands was the YER
dict rendered by the jury impanell-
ed to sit on the case of his death Fri
day. The hearing was held i'll
the sheriff's office in the court house
and was conducted by F. c. Drake,
police justice of the peace. TIE
Jurors were Isaac Spears, e. l..
Greaves and U. V. Wells.
Mrs. Mary Byers, who has charge
of the management of the Mitchell
Hotel where Risley had been en-
ployed, was the first witness called
to testify before the jury. She told
how the deceased had been i'll at var
ious times in the past and how he
had been afflicted with spells, APP
parently brought on by the use of
drugs. On Wednesday evening she
discharged Risley from his duties
as chef. That evening he retired
about 11:40 after leaving word that
he did not wish to be called. While
gathering the linen the next morn
ing she entered the room, the door
being unlocked and found him lying
dead upon the bed.
The next witness was DR.. r. II.
Dundass, who was called in the cas-
when the body of Risley was discov-
cred. He gave as his opinion that
Risley had been addicted to the use
of both cocaine and morphine, but
thought that death was the immed-
late result of an overdose of NOR
phine. indicated by the condition Of
the blood.
George Martin, who roomed next
to the deceased, testified that Risley
had come to his room Wednesday
! evening and made him a present of
a pair Of shoes. He said that Risley
had suffered before from the effects
of the drug and that during the latter
part of May had been quite sick.
H. G. Cook, who as deputy sheriff
was called in the case, testified re-
garding the condition of the body.
He had seen the places where Risley
had "shot" himself in the arm with
the dope and from conditions in the
room believed that death resulted
from an overdose Of poison, as things
were not disturbed as to indicate
the presence Of an outside party.
The note book found in the grip
belonging to Risley was offered in
evidence and several parts of it read.
Risley had written a diary and will,
leaving his effects to his sweetheart
in Wisconsin and directing that his
body be used for dissection in the
state university and afterwards Gre
mated and sent to the girl. Those
portions were dated May 28th, the
time when it was thought he was suf-
fering from a previous attempt at
SulCluS. f10 dlSO udU WIllCSu d us
sertation on life which he wished
read at his funeral.
Data was found in his effects re-
garding the location of his relatives.
Hiram j. Martin of Erieville, N. Y,
adopted him but a telegram to him
brought no response. His mother,
Emma C. Risley of Randallville, N.
Y, answered that If he had money
enough to ship the body east for bur-
ial. The man who purported to be
his brother, Edwin Risley of Utica,
N. Y, wired that Floyd Risley was
there and alive, and that he had no
instructions to send. 1t is probable
that the body will be sent to YER
million, to the state medical school,
and if not claimed within the legal
period Of two months, will be used
for scientific purposes.