Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-29
Alexander ]. Moody, Rich
Merchant, Killed
by Arsenic
EMPLOYEES WATCHED
Death at First Attributed
tOPtOmaineS--Coroner
Starts Inquiry
ASSOCIATED Pressl

/ bakery HIIl Ol 1OOuy ~ NeAhSAS -
whose death February 20 was attri-
buted to ptomaine poisoning, really
died from arsenic, was the startling
assertion made today by Coroner
Hoffman,. That the poison was con-
! tanned in hamburger steak eaten by
| Moody seems clear TO the authorities,
/ but the manner it was placed in the
meat is a mystery neither the coroner
4 nor the police have been able to solve.
/ While the coroner and assistant
/ Chief of Police Schuettler say they ac-
cuse no one 1t is admitted woman
/ of Mr.. Moody's household and one OF
| his employees have been under surveil-
/ lance for month.
! Mr. Moody like his brother Frank,
/ whe is a son-in-law of Congressman
! Monkey. and Charles H. Moody Inherit
ed a considerable fortune from his
| father founder of the firm of Moody
! &, Waters, of which Charles II. was
| the head and Alexander the secretary.
| The latter occupied fine residence
at 210 Seeley avenue, this city, owned
a summer residence in Wisconsin and
farm at ST. Charles, Ill.
Servant Prepares Fatal Meal
February 20 was a Sunday. The pre-
4 vious Thursday hamburger steak had
been purchased, but it was not used
l until Saturday, when the family par
took of the meat without i'll etfects.
Sunday morning Mr.. Moody WIS com
nelIed to visit the factory and as his
wife was not feeling well. MIR. Moody
took breakfast alone. the meal be-
l ing prepared by Agnes Hartwick,
servant who has been in the family for
thirteen years.
The leftover portion of the steak
had been rolled into balls by Miss
i Hartwick and placed in the ice box
TIT NIar contained
the weather being cold and was ac-
4 cessible either from the kitchen or the
rear porch. The easy access to the re-
/ frigerator from without is shown in
Il the testimony of Miss HartWick at
private inquiry when she stated that
4 eggs and meat had been missed from
4 the box on several occasions.
At the direction of Mrs. Moody the
servant served Mr. Moody the steak,
cornbread and coffee. Miss Hartwick
ate a piece of bread dipped in the
gravy from the meat, and some hours
later was taken violently i'll.
DYING Man Returns Home
Mr.. Moody remained at the bakery
: all day, but returned in a carriage at
10 n. m. so i'll he could scarcely stand
A home remedy failing to afford re-
lief. the family physician, DR.. f. ).
, Hartman. was sent for, but he was un-
able to succor the patient who died
within an hour.
The doctor was about to leave the
house. when he was informed that the
servant was i'll, exhibiting symptoms
similar to those of Mr.. Moody. In this
case medical aid proved efficacious.
Moved by reasons which he has not
made public. Dr. Hartman admits haV-
ing secured that night the remaining
portion of the steak which ne sealeu
in a glass jar. This exhibit was given
for analysis to DR.. Walter Halhes the
chemist whose name has become Ia
miliar in connection with scientific IN
yestigations in the Swope case of Kan
sas CITY. Dr. Haines, in a report to the
coroner. suppressed until today, SAID
the meat contained enough arsenic TO
have killed half a dozen persons.
The kidneys, heart and stomach OF
the decedent, according to the coroner
showed pronounced traces OF the pol-
son. -, e..,.,,.,
coroner Hoffman is a personal friend
of the Moody family, and, Tearing OF
AR Moody's sudden death, visited the
bereaved household with the idea that
he might save the family the notoriety
of a post mortem.
Tells Why He Investigated
"Things didn't look right related
Mr.. HOFFMAN today. Mr.. Moody hau
haen a we'll man, and there he lay dead.
7 doubted the ptomaine poisoning the
orv as the meat, owing to the bitter
cold had been frozen in the ice poX
I called in the city physician, Ut. II.
@. w. Reinhardt, and we held posi-
mortem investigation resulting III the
discovery of what looked like traces or
arsenic. An analysis by Or, Hailies
later proved this to be correct
Three weeks elapsed petore the
chemist made his official report.
: Then a private inquest was held
Mrs Moody was closely questioned on
details of her husbands death Her
tory was in substance as heretofore
given. . lot oIose
watch on all who might possibly siieu
light of the affair An oIncer ~ S, SeiI,
al St Charles, H., where the MOODY
farm is located. Peter Peterson, also
known as peter Kelley, who has been
in the employ of the Moody houSehold
for fifteen years as coachnah, Iatil,
manager and general factotun' is sad
to be at st. Charles. lie hau room
a. the Moody residence and was re-
garded as friend by MI ana MIS-
Moody.
Had One Narrow Escape
year ago Mr.. Moody is said mar
roVlv to have escaped POISONING MIS-
Moody was absent from the city on a
visit and at noon one day the maid
among other things, served Sup. me
servant who had previously tasted 1t
was later seized with severe cramps
MIR. Moody merely tasted the DISH
then pushed it from him, declaring
that it burned his stomach. Peterson,
ar Reiley. was then at the house, but
left the premises before the meal re-
turning some time later, according 20
Miss Hartwick. IN
Mrs. Moody refused to talk with re-
porters today, referring them to James
I, Bynum the attorney who attended
to the settling of the Moody estate.
/ Mr.. Bynum laughed at one questiCner
who inquired if a check for 100000
drawn by Mr.. Moody and destined for
Kansas City had not disappeared at
about the time of Mr.. Moody's death.
Nothing to it," declared the lawyer
Mr.. Moody is said to have carried
an insurance policy for $4,000 in favor
of his wife. Her maiden name was
Anne Olson and she married Moody
i twenty-five years ago.
sToRK VISITS PRINCESS
STOCKHOLM, March 2S.-Crown
II Princess Gustave Adolph of Sweden,
eau,a,o,I,x Dripoose Ma rparpt Of Com