The Washington times., 1913-03-23
Poison Thread Runs Through Eaton Story
Were Admiral and Wife Insane on Subject?

rank of rear admiral in the navy, en-
ioying the prestige and consideration
due exalted station, yet who died a
neglected. unhonored poultry raiser on
a little New England farm.
His wife today is spending her first
Sabbath behind prison bars. The au-
thorities say tha Admiral Eaton died
OF arsenic poisoningT members of the
Eaton family say it was Indigestion
and the public waits for the denouement
of the queer tragedy staged near As
sinippi. Mass, where the admiral
sought solitude when he went on the
retired list eight years ago.
Plays Peculiar Part.
News dispatches say that Admiral
Eaton died of the insidious effects OF
arsenic. In the unfolding of the story
of the admirars declining years. the
word poison runs like a blightins
spirit through the narrative
Poison cast its menacing shadow over
the Eaton household from the time Ad-
miral Eaton married again and began
life anew as an ordinary farmer instead
uf as the honoTed naval officer. Hus-
band and wife feared death from
poison. Accusations and counter ac-
Cusations are recorded to show the
fear of each that life would be taken
by the poison cup.
With Mrs. Eaton. ii is asserted, the
fanciful figure of the poison specter be-
came an oosession. Admiral Eaton
feared the fate that he finally met.
Was it his own hand that admins
tered the subtle arsenic powder. or did
he die as he feared he wouId-the VIC
tim of another's plotting?
Massachusetts, accnsas Mrs Eaton
his second wife, of diabolical poison
killing.
In Constant Fear.
u was in constant fear my husband
would poison me of the girls" the wild
ow of the admlral is quoted as saying.
To a Chicago lawyer she wrote of her
fear of sinister design upon herfaife.
II was afraid the admiral would poi
son me-" is the reputed comment Of
Mrs. Ralph Keyes, the admiral's step
daughter
Il never saw a man so plainly show
his mortal dread of poison is the con-
Trajectory comment of Joseph Prouty. a
neighbor of the Eatons.
As the trial of the widow nears, and
while the authorities listen to sugges-
tions of her possible insanity, the ques-
tion arises:
Were the central figures in the mys-
terry Of Assinippi farm insane on the
subject of poisons?''
Certainly the word poison runs like
an evil discord through the life strains
of the rear admiral and his second wife.
Certainly il blasted the happiness of
both in the strange mystery of the
honored navy mans second marriage.
Strange Potions.
Strange. subtle poisons from India, the
land of magic, are said to have been
hidden away in a secret chest in Ad-
miral Eaton's home. His wife declares
that he gathered these drugs on trip
with the American fleet She even went
to a detective agency with the story,
seeking to have her husband shadowed
as plotter against the entire Eaton
Like the weird, uncanny tales of
Edgar Allan Poe Is the story Mrs Eaton
unfolded to Charles E. Nordstrom, Bos-
ton detective agency manager. She told
of waking in the night to find blood
her Admiral Eaton Missed that he had
pricked the skin with a needle poisoned
by drug from India.
She related. too, that yellow poison
of peculiar odor and appearance stood
beside the admirals plate at his din
ners.
Makes Charge.
Going on with her weird account the
woman charged that men died like rats
at the Panama canal while Admiral
Ea ton was there. She gave as her be-
lief that he had poisoned them.
Diseased imagination or fact. which
ever 1t may have been, the second Mrs
Eaton firmly believed that the stories
she told were true. They filed her life
and her mind. The horror of the
poisoned calice was upon her, as II
was upon her husband. 1t was the pail
that male of life living grave
Was the admiral insane on roisons
as we'll as his wife,
This is the question that is confront
ing the State police Of Massachusetts,
in their efforts to unravel the shock
Ing mystery of Estor's death.
Supports Mother.
Mrs. June keyes. the daughter. has
no hesitation in her intima tions that
poison ran through the admirars pain
with a haunting horror. She stands
bravely by her mother, and declares
that it was the admirsrs poison in
sanity that vas the cause of all the
Eaton family trouble.
The State should have examined the
admiral's brain to see IL he was not
insane. as well as to examine his stom-
ach for traces of poison" stanchIy
declares Mrs. Keyes in hcr vehement
protest that her mother is innocent
of the horrible crime charged by the
State authorities.
Backing Mrs. Eston in her fight
against the State police and judiciary
is William A. Morse Boston lawyer,
who knows more about poison myster-
les than any legal man in the East
In the R.Shcson case. he came to know
the Intricate histories of many poisons
In this case, he will have to deal with
the psychological aspect more than in
the Rich. son case.
The wonIans attorney may plead IN
| sanity in her defense. although at pres
ent they think they can fight the case
| on .:idencc
II insanity is the plea. Il will be as
serted that poison was present in the
Eaton household: that il became
psychological as Well as an actual men,
ace; that 1t dwarfcd the brain and life
of both of the inmates of the quiet little
farm house in eastern Massachusetts.
Made Into Maniacs.
Brain specialists would figure that the
poison chest converted normal man
and woman into maniacs. whose sole
idea in life was that the other sought
t. Kill by means of the insidious
draught of Oriental drugs harborcd in
the household