The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-03-28
TOOK A DOSE Of POISON
HOPED TO END H|SlH'
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
CraZed by continued indulgence in
strong drink. it is said, and despond.
ent over the illness of his wife and
children, Ernest Johnson, who resides
on farm at the north end OF Eagle
Lake, escaped only through ignor-
ance from meeting death last night
by his own hand. About eight
o'clock he went to the barn and was
found there a little later in the
throes of strychnine poisoning. by
his wife. She called In neighbor,
who Immediately telephoned for DR..
A. F. Schmitt in this city. Johnson
had taken over half the contents of
an ounce bottle of strychnine, which
he said he kept to poison wolves
during the winter. The deadly drug
when taken in doses as large as this
cannot be assin1ilated by the stom.
ach. and therefore Johnson lived to
tell of his attempted suicide.
Administered an Emetic.
Dr. Schmitt arrived in due time
and administered an emetic, and at
once brought the man to the city
hall in Mankato. He then injected
a dose of apomorphine, and in a
very short time the mans stomach
was entirely freed from the poison.
His brother, c. A. Johnson, who re-
sides in Mankato, was called upon
TO watch over the sick man during
the night Johnson was just con-
scious enough to recognize his broth.
er, but rested comparatively easy
during the night
1t will be remembered that short
time ago the family of Ernest John
son was stricken with scarlet fever.
One of the children died before
medical attention was given the
family and then through the inter.
vention of the neighbors DR.. Schmitt
was summoned to look after them.
The children and the mother are
now well on the road to recovery
and will all soon be well. The train
ed nurse who has been in attendance
left the place yesterday. 1t is said
that the nurse has reported that
Johnson had drunk alcohol that
was TO have been used in bath.
ing the children. and also that
she had had trouble with the father
TO get him to milk the cows SO as
TO have fresh milk for the little ones.
Said He Was Discouraged.
81 was discouraged over the i'll.
ness of my family and the death Of
my little son. said johnson this
morning. II am very sorry for what
has happened, but think that it has
done me good. l have learned a
lesson. and I know that did wrong.
But if you won't lock me up, will
never touch a drop of booze again as
long as l live. if / live to be
hundred
Johnson told the doctor this morn.
ing that he had a revolver hidden
in the barn on sill under the stair
way. The instrument of war could
not be found.
Johnson has q wound on the
back of his head that was probably
when he fell after taking
the strychnine His scalp was badly
cut. and Dr. Schmitt took several
stitches in it this morning.
Johnson Sent to st. Peter.
Ernest Johnson was taken before
the judge of probate this afternoon
TO be examined for his sanity by DR..
A. f. Schmitt, DR.. A. G.. Liedloff and
DR.. a. F. Kemp. The nurse who
cared for his children when they
were i'll, Miss Lindahl, testified that
Johnson had acted in surly man
ner to his wife during the time
Miss Lindahl was in attendance at
his home land also that she had to
call Johnson in the morning to get |
him to milk the COW She testified, |
and Johnson admitted the fact, that /,
he had drank quantity of alcohol
which the nurse had in the house for !
purposes.
The revolver which Johnson claim.
ed to hmave, could not be found in
the barn where he claimed to have
left it. Johnson denied that he had
ever threatened any ones life with !
the gun and said that he had pur- |
chased it to shoot fish, He also
that he had not threatened !
to take his own life
The result OF the examination was
that Johnson was a victim of alco- |
holic insanity and ne will be.sent to !
The insane hospital at ST. Peter for ,
treatment.
Simeon r. Burch, the travelling
man who was arrested yesterday in /
st. Paul and brought to this city by |
Sheriff Osten, was arraigned in the !
court this morning on the
charge of non-support, preferred by
lis wife, who resides in this city.
II seems that Burch has been
away from his wife and Children for !.
some months and has not contributed /
anything towards their support. The
defendant entered plea of guilty of
he charge preferred, and was sen.
to pay his wife $40 per week, T
md was put under a bond of 5000 as 1
/ surety for the payment of this
um. He was ordered to appear in l.
he municipal court again on Sep.
ember /, for further orders of the
court i
During the afternoon Burch was
ield at the county Jail, having been
Unable to secure the 5000 bond. 4
rom Thursdav,c Daily II