The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-04-11
PRICE 2 CENTS
DEATH OF SMITH WAS CAUSE ]
BY PNEUMONIA
CORONER'S JURY FIND THAT
VERDICT AFTER HEARING
DIR. WILSON'S TESTIMONY
John GoOdline, Who Had Brawl
With Smith Week Before Releas-
ed From County Jail Wednesday.

ed From County Jail Wednesday.
died at the home of his mother
shortly after twelve o'clock Tuesday
morning under circumstances which
led the authorities to believe that
death had been caused by injuries
received a week ago Monday night,
when he got into fight in the bar
room of the National Hotel with
John Goodline. There were several
in the saloon at the time and the
trouble is said to have started when
Goodline said that Smith had squeel-
ed on him for taking watermelons
two or three years ago. He wanted
Smith to tell the man he did not take
the melons and Smith would not do
it. Goodline then hit him and blows
followed but it is stated that Smith
did not hit back. This was early
in the evening about six o'clock and
after the scrap Smith is said to have
walked home alone and was able
to be about the next day. Witnesses
who stated that they saw Smith the
day following the fight say that he
was irrational and flighty in speech
and one of them said that he had
had chill which took him to bed
for a day or two. He complained of
pains in HIS side.
County Coroner P. B. Petersen,
having been advised of the facts in
the case, considered an inquest
necessary and empanneled six men to
serve on the jury. They were:
Frank Jenkins, Bert e. Bassett,
Charles Sandercock, Thomas Gala
ger, Thomas Solomon, and Henry
L 4
day morning at the home of Mrs.
Smith on River street A verdict
was not rendered. 1t was there de-
cided to hold an autopsy and deter
mine the cause of death.
Tuesday afternoon DR.. John B.
Wilson, of the State Hospital, Scran-
ton, came here and with the aid of
Drs. p. B. Peterson and F. w. Pow
ell, held an autopsy and found that
the dead mans right lung was con-
gested with a form of croupous
pneumonia. They found that pneu-
monia had been the direct cause of
death.
The coroner's jury re-convened
that afternoon in the Sheriffs Office
in the court house and considered
further evidence all of which was
overshadowed by the evidence of DR..
Wilson. He stated that he had
found bruises on the head and over
the right eye and at the back of the
head but these he did not deem suf-
| ficient to cause death. He said that
the chill the deceased had had the
week before was the first sign of
pneumonia and the fact that Smith
had been flighty and irrational
| throughout the course of the disease
was common in alcoholic cases. The
| jury considered the evidence and
their verdict was that death had
been caused by pneumonia. John
Goodline, who was placed under ar
rest Tuesday morning by County
Detective NJ B. Spencer, was releas-
ed after the finding of the coroner's
jury generating him from all blame.
Goodline was brought before Justice
R. A. Smith Wednesday morning
and was discharged.
Wheeler Smith was 38 years of age
and was born on Smith Hill, Berlin
township, on January 10, 1875, but
had lived most of his life in Homes
dale. He is survived by his aged
mother, with whom he lived, and
three brothers, Fred of Honesdale,
Monroe of Scranton, and Horace of
Larksville; three sisters, Mrs. Chas.
| Silsby, and Mrs. Rudolph Weichel,
both of Honesdale, and Mrs. Albert
Williams of Larksville.
The fpneral services were held from
his late home on River street this
afternoon at o'clock, Rev. Will H.
Hitler officiating.