The Washington times., 1913-03-23

Admiral Eaton are said to have been
books on poison. Dabbling in the NOR
, bid mysteries of Oh Iiental and Occidental
killing draughts. Rear Admiral Eaton
nay have taken the poisons that he
/, loved to know about.
Investigation SHOWS that pt sor had a
strange, overpowering fascination for
the officer. in the declining years of his
life. With friends gone. and allied in a
! marriage where love was absent, Ad-
miral Eaton turned to his poultry for his
1 friends. and to strange books and poi
sons as his mental diversions.
Reads Oriental Books. ..
On cruise in the Orient, he picked
up a strange volume on which he nursed
!, the morbid curiosity of mind. twisted
or strained from its normal position. In
! this volume were the strange stories of
how to counteract poison administered
by enemies.
AS in the story of the Count of Monte
Cristo, it showed how a man. by taking
small portions Of poison, could become
immune. The system. drugged and stu
pefied, would withstand the effects of a
heavier dose.
Admiral Eaton pcndered and studied
| this book with the care of research
| investigator.
Did he study this book because he
truly feared the fate that finally came
| to him. This Is the question that the
| Massachusetts investigators are tryHg
! to solve.
''Or does this point to morbidity of
\ mind that mounted to insanity
The explosion of twelve-inch gun
I near Admiral Eaton during his navy
| service is assigned as one of the pos
sible causes for the twist in mind
| once so noble and upright.
| His daughter declares that from the
day of this explosion there seems 10
have been something wrong with her
| fathers brain. The workings of the
| mind became mystical, strange. morbid
From the status of cultured gentle
\ man he dropped TO that OF farmer
hermit.
| And all the while the specter of the
poison cup grew in his mind. working
| In his thoughts with the evil effects and
| the deadening. insidiOus strangling re-
suits that the real physical poison finally
! welded to his body.
Vile Affected
At the same time. his wife became a
poison 'fiend.'' The couple quarreled
\ They likewise had an insane dread of the
fate each feared at the others hand
1t was a woman's mental view of a
death by poison contrasted to a mans
| view of like death.
| All the while the poison chest. the
| mysterious books from the far East.
the dread of death in life. the aCCusa-
! tions and counter accusations, the
blasted happiness of declining years
| poisoncd two fire minds. And actual
poison was the mental poison that
worked this Inflated result Now the
honored admiral lies dead in eastern
| Massachusetts. while his widow. pro-
| testing her innocence is awaiting trial
| on charge of numbering him with
| poisou Legal men and detectives are
| irving to unravcl the psychological as
pect OF the case alongside of the mater
| ial evidence.
was Admiral Eaton insane on the
| subject of poisons?
| WAS his wife insane on the subject
of poisons?'
| tions connected with the demise of n
| mar who rcapcd almost al the honors
| which may come to one who served In
| th.. nav. OF his country.
| Entirely out of keeping with his forty
| yrars, OF service i'll mis- country S navy
! WAS his untimely end. AS cadet he
saw the capitals OF the world when
| FarraGut made his European tour; as
| a Young officer he won promotion rap
| idIy. as a commander he was attached
| 10 Simpsons fleet in the unpleasant
ness with Spain: as captain he gave
orders from the bridge OF big battle
ships. and finally, as "A rear admiral
hc was saluted at the Charlestown
navy yard when he hauled in his col
ors and retired after long and honCra-
BILE service.
A Great Change of Habits.
And vet. when Eaton died, OF March
6 his best friends were tho fowls on
his farm, and the chief mourners
| cIucked rather than spoke their disap-
pointment that his shamblinG form no
longer moved in and out among the
henhouses.