Evening journal., 1913-02-20
.RICCIN CASE
PROVES PUZZLE
COrOner'S Jury Calls for In
veStiGatiOn by States
Attorney
DOUBT AS TO
CAUSE OF DEATH

SHARPTOWN. Md, Feb. 2O.-Call-
ing upon States Attorney George W.
Bell to make a thorough investigation
of the sudden death Of Mrs. Augusta
W. Riggin. the coroner's jury, which
has been in session for two days,
reached a verdict last night,
In the verdict 1t places the matter
up to states Attorney Bell. Up to
this time he has done nothing in the
case.
The jury rendered its verdict in the
form of resolutions, as follows.
Resolved, That Augusta W. Riggin
came to her death on February II,
1913, from structure of the lower in.
testines, and further. bo it
Resolved, That, whereas, the jury
is unable to determine whether or not
the above was superinduced by any
blow that might have been dealt Mrs
Riggin, therefore be II
Resolved, That this jury request
the States Attorney of Wicomico
county to make thorough inyestiga-
ton"
The jury was composed Of Walter
G. Mann. foreman; o. l.. Smith, w. II.
Gordy. j. W. Spear, j. M. English c..
+. Phillips, w. r. Bounds, B. p. Phil
lips, H. P Spear. o. W. Owens.
Homer Smoot and c. J. Mooney.
b. p. Phillips introduced the reso-
luton which resulted in a verdict
Important new evidence was
brought out at the adjourned meeting
OF the jury which preceded the ren-
dering Of the verdict Foreman Wal
ter c. Mann sprang a surprise by
asking Juryman Jerome English TO
testify. The latter did so reluc-
antly.
Juror An Important Witness.
English declared that though Rig
gin had come to him for help, stating
that his wife was tossing about the
bed in agony, when he reached her
/ bedroom he found the bedclothing un-
disturbed and drown up TO her face
in perfect order. Her hands were
folded upon her breast and her feet
were stretched out straight, he de-
clared.
English, who was a near neighbor
of the higgins, stated later that Rig
| gin objected to his visit to his wife
and warned him not to call at his
home
Mrs Riggin on three occasions
brought valuable papers to my house
for safekeeping,' he continued. ."rhe
last time was on Monday. These
papers consisted of plats and deeds
She discussed with me on Monday, a
note held by Sam Smoot, saying that
I must attend to it for her If she were
dead. The suit was set before Justice
Cooper for February 10, but was post
poned till February IS at her request
She twice told me TO look out for j
IL anything happened to her. The not
was for $50. She said to me, / viii
not live TO see the suit over"
Asked if she had complained Of tn
effects of the various bestings givei
her by her husband. he said:
"She complained about pain il
her head, after he had kicked her il
the head. but that was sometime ago
"I noticed that the light remained
burning in her room the night sh'
died. She always put it out"
No Analysis of StOmach's Contents.
II developed at the meeting las
night that there had heen no chemiea
analysis OF the contents Of her stom
ach or Of the tablets marked "foi
rheumatism" found at her bedside.
Drs. ]. McFadden Dick and c. +
James who performed the autopsy
reported to the jury that death wal
due to structure Of the lower intes
tines. States Attorney Bell, over tn
telephone, stated to Foreman Nam
that DR.. Dick had reported TO hin
that a blow could not have caused tn
structure OF the intestines.
DR.. Dick said:
mo matter what the jury says o
does. Mrs. Riggin died from an oh
struction Of the bowels, and there wa
no trace Of poison
A member OF the jury stated tha
one thing which puzzled the juror
was how the woman could have die
from such an ailment when, half a
hour before her death. she was in ap
parently perfect health
win to he Read Today.
The Swedish Consul-General a
Washington is expected by the loca
authorities to arrive in Sharptown to
day. He will, IL is reported. conduC
, an investigation into the death 4
Mrs. Riggin, who was a Swede b
birth.
The body has been released b
, Coroner L. r. Cooper. and the funers
took place this afternoon. The SCI
vice was conducted by the Rev.
! Frank D. Reynolds, pastor of tn
Sharptown Methodist PrOtestar
Church, formerly pastor Of the Cros
Street Bethel Church, of Baltimor'
/ He is one OF the three executors al
/ pointed by the will Of Mrs. Riggil
which will be read at her grave,
, accordance with her wishes. Its col
= tents are being kept sacret by Waite
!, Mann, forman of the jury. who wa
q made custodian of her will when sh
: signed Il on January II. exactly or
4 month before her death.
= Mann stated that the contents {
r the will would cause a sensation.
: The entire population OF Sharl
n town attended the funeral. Inte
b ment was in the Red Mems CemeteI
S which adjoins the Riggin home.
S accordance with the wishes of Mr.
|, Riggin, lot No. So has been secure
- in exchange for her former lot. n
n SO. Mrs. Riggin was born in 1865 an
! wanted her lot number TO correspor
+, with her birth year.
,
/ FOTrR cFNFRATIONS AT PARTY