The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-14
DEATH MAY Be DUE
TO WITCH HAZEL
Ten Bottles, All Of Them Empty,
Found in Dead Mans
Apartment.
NO INQUEST IS HELD
Telegraph Operator Drops Dead
in Station at
Danville.
INQUEST IS HE'LL
Special to The Times Dispatch

Danville, Va, July 13.-Although no
coroner's Jury was impanellcd to as
certain the exact cause Of the death
or Joseph NJ. Winder. who fell dead at
the passenger depot last night It Is
generally believed that his demise was
due partially. at least. to his drinking
a quantity of witch hazel ZEN pint
bottles, all of them labeled witch
hazel. were discovered empty In the
mans apartment in private boarding
house and another empty bottle was
found beneath a desk nj which he
worked at a local newspaper Office
although he was here far nearly two
weeks he was seen very little after
the first week had passed. He com
planned then of being unable 10 sleep
and of general nervousness, and I'm
ally he found himself unable to work
altogether. His landlady declares that
during Thursday, Friday and Satur-
day he was in kind Of a stupor
Yesterday SO queer did he become that
no was asked 10 move from the house
in which he was staying. and he de-
cided to return to Washington which
was said to be his home He had just
checked his suit case and purchased
a ticket for the night train when he
collapsed and died without saying
word, in the Southern baggage room.
II is known that he was married and
lived In Washington, but nothing was
found TO indicate his home address
$40 in money was found upon hts
nor ~
ing Washington postmarks and signed
Grace" There was. however, no
means OF discovering the Identity OF
the writer OF the letters. Inquiries
made at Washington revealed that
Winder has married sister. Mrs. j.
3. Fitzpatrick, living In New York.
and She, II is understood, is making
arrangements for the disposition OF
the body. 1t has also been learned
that the dead mans father died about
three weeks ago. while Winder was
In Raleigh relieving tho regular Asso-
c!ated Press operator OF that city.
His mother is still alive, and lives In
Rhode Island.
During the week that he worked
here, Winder made a favorable impress
sion, and spoke much about his cx-
periences Is a Marconi wireless opera
tor stationed at Nome. Alaska, IN the
operator upon ship owned by
noted firm plying up and down the Pa
cihc coast. That he was veteran
telegrapher is shown by his twenty
I'VE ;ears' service with various news
distributing concerns. During tho
few weeks preceding his death NVinder
had been doing what is known as re-
lief work for the Associated Press
throughout the Southern States sub
TIM II.
the circuit while they took their vaca-
tons. Lynchburg was TO have been
his next stop, and his letters indicate
that he intended for his wife 10 join
him IN that city.
Must BE vaccinnted
]. y. Ragsdale, well known IN this
city and owner and editor OF n month
ly publication, issued III North Dan
Vile, sustained shock here this
week when Judge r. w Peatross
presiding over the civil term OF the
Corporation Court handed down n de-
cision which is to the effect that Rags
dale must be vaccinated
Six weeks ago when the city health
officer approached him and required
that he should be inoculated, Ragsdale
abruptly declined. oil explanations,
cajolements and finally threats failing
10 make him change his opinion. Al
ter having exhausted all persuasive
methods, thu health officer sought to
force the unwilling patient. and ne
was ordered to appear before the
Mayor IN court facing a charge OF re-
fuslng TO be vaccinated
In court. Ragsdale and his vile both
assured the Mayor that they would
never under such treatment declaring
that II was against their rcilEvus be-
Had
a doctor in forty years The Mayor
fined Ragsdale $40 and costs. and
Ragsdaie noted appeal. While
waiting for the Corporation Court to
convene, Ragsdale published articles
in his publication tearing holes in the
vaccination theory. and emphaticaliy
denouncing the poisonous stuff" Ho
was much surprised when. ready to
go the limit In an attempt to win his
cnse. he learned that II was not pos
sible to appeal a case from the Mayors
Court when the fine was less than Sill
Every day now that he fails 10 obey
the city ordinance he lays himself
open to fine.
Resigns From Committee.
Following n debate in the regular
meeting Of the Common Council held
here this week. as to whether $4,000
or $4,000 should be allowed the city
street committee for the work IT
wishes to undertake during the coming
year. julius Kaufman, chairman OF
the finance committee, severed hts
connection with that committee on
Tuesday night.
Mr.. Kaufman. who is generally be-
lieved TO be particularly well fitted for
the position he ho Id, declared that he
regretted II, but it was evident that
he was not in harmony with the rest
of that BODY