The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-16
DEATH Of ADMIRAL
J.G, EATON LAID To
CHL0RAL POISONING
Inquest Begins Before Medi-
cal Examiner in bingham,
Mass, Court
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
HEARS EVIDENCE
Special Session of Grand Jury
Expected Before Report of
Harvard Chemist Is
Made Public

BOS1ON, haFCA 19---aH inquest
to determine the cause of the death
of Rear Admiral Joseph G. Eaton,
L. S. N, retired, and who. II any one.
was responsible for it. was begun be-
fore Special Justice Edward 3. Pratt,
in the Second Plymouth District court
at bingham, this afternoon
I Tonight, at his residence in Brock
ton, District Attorney Albert r. Bark
or announced that an Inquest had
been called for Monday morning at
bingham. MFR. Bankers attention was
called to the proceedings which be
gan this afternoon. and he was ask
ed If the inquest had not already
been started. To this he replied:
"It looks as If something was doing.
doesn't it,"
/ MIR. Barker was asked II he didn't
think IL was about time he had some
thing to say as to the report from
ward medical school. and once more
( he gave his usual response; Il have
nothing 20 say on that subject at this
time" He also refused TO say q word
about the statement now freely made
that Professor Whitney had informed
/ him that Admiral Eaton had died of
lchloral poisoning.
Whatever may have been the pur-
pose of the district attorney in max
I Ing the announcement that the in
quest would be held an Monday morn
lag. 1t ss stated tonight that q special
session of The grand jury has been
called to hear the evidence in the
case the sitting to begin ON Monday
morning at Plymouth
Arrangements were suddenly made
this afternoon afternoon TO begin the
/ inquest at bingham The utmost
secrecy was maintained. State Gfffcer
Scott and Deputy Sheriff Condor
started from Rockland just after din
ner in an automobile. They went TO
the Eaton home at Assinippi Miss
Dorothy Eaton and Mrs Ralph Reyes
the daughters Of the dead man.
entered the motor car, and were driv~
en- by the roundabout way to Hing
ham district court
4 Those at Inquest.
/! District Attorney Barker entered
the court soon after Scott and the
step-daughters arrived. Deputy Sher-
if Condor followed. and Or. Frame
and Medical Examiner Osgood, who
performed the autopsy. soon went in.
II was understood that a deposition
by Mrs. Eaton. who Is i'll at Assinip-
pi. was presented TO Judge Pratt. The
question was raised whether 81 depo-
Aition might nat have been taken from
Mrs, Harrison. the aged mother OF
Mrs. Eaton.
When all the witnesses had arrived
the doors of the court were closed al
= -e.clack. -aGG-&int+t- this sAIa.l.t3G- ma
one emerged from the session. when
III became rumored that this secret
inquiry had been brought to a close.
While the inquest was in progress
a report was being constantly repeat
a v.r
nothing less than a special session Of
the Plymouth county grand jury In
the ordinary course of events there
would not he a session Of this body
until next June, when a. new grand
jury will he efnpaneied, But the old
grand jury is, of course, subject 70
call
Report of Chemist.
Up to the time of the Inquest Dis
trict Attorney Barker was In posses
sion of considerable detail on the
case. Added to these is the report
made by Professor Whitney. which is
said to have given the cause of death
as choral poisoning. The inquest
therefore, should be productive OF
some valuable Information.
If a special session of the grand
jury has been ordered the district at
torney would be in a position to call
sent the evidence he wishes to bring
out
In the event of this proceeding the
report made by Professor Whitney or
the chemical analysis of the admirals
stomach would be major point.
The authorities wish to gain all ad-
vantage they can from inquest testi-
mony. and if any arrest is made II
will not be until next week. In con
nection with the tracing of the choral
1t is expected that the person who
sold the poison will be called before
the grand jury, IL special session is
ordered.
Whitney Denies Story.
Professor William +. Whitney de-
MED today the statement made by
Mrs. Ralph 7. Keyes, that he wrote q
letter to Mrs. Eaton in 1900. after his
investigation of the death of the
adopted infant son of the cations, that
there might have been subtle poison
in the stomach of the child.
you may say for me-" said Pro-
lessor Whitney today. that so far as
can remember. / wrote no letter tc
I Mrs. Eaton, but certainly had there
been any trace of poison in the stofn-
ach of the child ii would have beer
included in my report to the district
attorney. Il The story is a fabrication
Commandant Dewitt Coffman. OF
the Charlestown navy yard. explained
4 today while a guard of honor and a
firing party did not escort Rear Ad-
miral Eatons body to the cemetery
that no request for a guard had beer
made.