Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-04-19
Mystery Surrounding Death
of Five Year Old Child Is
Finally Cleared Up to Salts
faction of Authorities.
FORMAL INQUEST rs
HELD THIS AFTERNOON
Report of Prof. John d. Clark,
University Chemist, Bears
Out Original Theory That
Child Died from Poison.
TEST PROVES FATAL TO
FROG IN HALF HOUR

which Tor days has surrounded the
sudden death Of Antonita Chavez. the
five year old daughter OF Mr.. and
Airs. Martin chavez. whose death oc-
Cured Monday evening with every
indication OF strychnine poisoning,
came late yesterday afternoon. when
Mrs Fidol ortiz. OF 2lGM West Gold
avenue. discovered that the child had
undoubtedly eaten twenty five or more
cascara compound pills, whicn would
contain more than one.half grain OF
stry chEine and an extract of BELLA
donna. also a poison. besides num-
ber OF other more OF less harmful
drugs.
II WAS while sweeping under the
dresser In her bedroom yesterday af-
ternoon that Mrs. Ortiz made the dis
covery that the box containing the
pills had oecn tampered with. sweep
Ing under the dresser. the broom
welded by AIRS ORTIZ brought fOrtl.
two OF the pink pills Al a loss to-
know how the PILLS could be- under
he dresser. Mrs. Ortiz pulled back
tho article OF furniture To discover
~ the box containing the pellets had
fallen there The search underneath
the dresser revealed nothing. how
ever. and the drawer which had con-
talned the pills was opened There
was no pin box there and there we're
no pills lying loose In the drawer
Then II flashed over the grandmother
that her niece. little Antonita, had
taken the pills, thinking them to be-
candy and had eaten them. The box
originally contained some thirty-nve
pills. Mrs. ortiz had taken few OF
them, according to Instructions from
her physician, Dr. l., 6. Rice, and
two were found under the bureau. II
ls believed that the child took at least
twenty-five pills and perhaps thirty,
believing them 10 be candy pellets
The pills resemble candy. being pink
IN color, and when first placed IN tho
mouth taste sweet. growing 0itter.
however as they dissolve. Mrs. or
tiz made her suspicious known to the
members of her family. They wera
satisfied that the pill theory was the
solution of the death OF the little one,
aud Policeman Pablo t.uian was no.
titled Policeman Lujan made u full
report OF the affair this morning to
Chief of Police McMllin. chief Nc
Milln investigated further and dis
covered that on two former occasions
the Chavez girl had mistaken PILLS for
candy, once iu santa re, and once IN
albuquerque. and that on both occa
sions she had been very ~, but had
recovered
There is not the slightest doubt IN
my mind now but that the eirl died
from stryohnine poisoning caused by
swallowing the pills" said the police
chief today after drawing together al
the phases OF the anair which has
puzzled the authorities since its oc-
currence,
Dr. l.. q. Rice who gave tho pills to
Mrs. ORTIZ, said today that they we're
given TO her for relief from constlpa-
tlon. Dr. Rice gave the formula for
the pills, known as "Dr. Iinkle's Cas-
earn Compound The formula fol-
lows Cascurin Ia grain, aloin IL
grain. pOdophyliin l-6 grain, extract
helladOna leaves i-s grain. strych-
niue i-60 grain. gingorine LIS grain.
~ the chavez giri swallowed from
twenty ia townty-iiyc on thirty of the
pills. SHE would have taken al least
onc-half grain OF strychnine. which
would cause death in the manner ln
which the girl died, and Dr. Rice de-
olared that In his opinion the mystery
had been solved that the little child
had simply gotten hold of the pellets,
swallowed them ana the convulslons
ANA death followed.
'T'he pill theory Is IA my
opinion "A satisfactory explana-
tiOn.' said Dr. c. A. Frank, who was
one Of the physicians called 10 attend
the Chavez girl when she was taken
ill last Monday evening. "The md
ings OF Chemist CLARK also bear out
my theory expressed In the beginning
that there WAS a possibility of strych-
ninc poisoning"
Although the problem as 10 how the
girl met her death had oeen prac-
tloally solved by the hnding Of the
pink pills, Coroner George n. Craig
called an inquest at 1880 o'clock this
afternoon
Perhaps the most important feature
OF tho inquest was She presentation of
the report of Prof John d. Clark, as.
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