Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-28
JOHN T. KENNEDY, JAIL PRISON.
Err, SWALLOWS HicHLoRlDE OF
MERCURY TABLETS.
CHOSE SLOW DEATH TO
PENITENTIARY TERM
confesses to Rev. Father keffeIer,
Sheriff Edgar and Dr.. Hermancs
That He Took Seven Tabiets-Prison-
Or Has Sheriff Notified When Ken.
nsdy Becomes Sick.

Lingering death by mercurial pois-
| oning IS believed to be creeping slow
~ upon John F. Kennedy prisoner
in the county Jail, if the story Kennedy
told Sheriff Edgar, DR.. G. e. Her
nance, and Rev. N. U. Keffeler is true.
Kennedy is being held on charge of
breaking and entering. Last Thursday
night he was arrested and wounded by
revolver shot by Alexander Inglis
and James Prindiville, when he broke
and ran from Northwestern box car
that was one in a train being hauled
| into the city.
| About II o'clock this forenoon q
prisoner notified Sheriff Edgar that
Kennedy was sick. Kennedy, who was
! very sick and vomiting, told the sher-
| if he had taken bichloride of mercury
| tablets. He said he swallowed seven
of them.
I'll be dead in five days." he calmly
told the sheriff, whom he asked to call
priest and notify his sister by tel
egraph. Kennedy gave Deputy Sheriff
r. G. Goodale a sealed letter to mail
to friend. Mrs. G. E. Myers, 1878
West Ninth street, .Des Moines.
Il lived at her house once for a long
time Kennedy said.
Heroic Treatment Given.
DR.. G. E. Hermance, who was called
administered heroic treatment to re-
lieve the prisoners stomach of the
poison. Because Kennedy had vomited
so freely, an6 because Of the chance
that the treatment would evacuate his
stomach and free him of the poison,
and because of the uncertainty Of Just
how much of the mercury his system
may have absorbed, Dr. Hermance was
hopeful, but uncertain as to the out
come.
Says He Took Seven Tablets.
Kennedy told the officers and physi
clan that ne had taken seven tablets,
but the size he did not know. The
standard sizes of bichloride of mercury
tablets are. one, five and seven grains
each. A dose of thirty-five grains, if
he took five-grain tablets, or forty
nine grains, If he took the seven-grain
size, is enough to kill several men. DR..
Hermance saw hope for the prisoner
in the fact that Kennedy took the tab
] lets dry by placing them on his tongue
and washing them down with water.
Their action, if dissolved before taken,
would have been more rapid. Another
condition, the fact that Kennedy had
eaten hearty breakfast an hour be-
fore. was also fortunate, the doctor
thought.
confesses to Father keffsIer.
To Rev. Father Keffeler assistant
priest of st. Mary's church, Kennedy
candidly admitted his attempt to kill
himself
"I'd rather die than go to the pen,"
he confessed to the priest. After leav-
ing him Father Keffeler visited County
Attorney Scott to have steps taken to
remove Kennedy from the county jail
to ST. Thomas hospital Such trans
fer would require an order of court.
Kennedy save to the officer the adj
dress of Miss Edna Kennedy. 1858
West Polk street, Chicago, as that of
his sister.
Telegraph her" said the prisoner.
that I'm dying"
Kennedy said he got the tablets in
Chicago, and had them sewed into the
lining of his coat.
II wanted them for some time like
this" he confessed.
Kennedy plunged into Linn creek in
his race to escape the railroad detec-
tives. It was in it they captured him.
THAT corner of my coat didn't get
wet" he grimly remarked, not without
seeming satisfaction, when the officers
were questioning him as to how he got
the tablets into the jail.
10 Death That Lingers.
Usually death creeps up slowly and
by degrees III cases of mercurial pois-
al With tn
hours or a few days after the poison
is in the system. The poison sets up
intense disturbances in the gastric
regions and terrific internal pains,
bringing on greatly lowering vitality.
The effect on the kidneys, physicians
say, is that of corrosive poisoning.
Later commissions might develop, fol-
lowed by Inconsistencies and death.
These things Kennedy knows. He
knew the probable effect, and probable
duration OF life after taking the tab
lets. He seemed to be informed on
the subject of mercurial poisoning as
he talked to the officers.
Watching Case Closely.
He knows that death will come by
degrees that it may be a day, two,
four, perhaps five before the end. But
the condition OF his stomach being not
empty, and of his stomach repelling
the poison are all in his favor, and
nature may save him. In the mean
time the physician and sherifrs Off
GERS are watching the case closely.
Very recently the business and rail-
road world watched similar case. It
was that of President Newman Erb, Of
the M. G. ST. L., VINO took mercurial
tablets by mistake at his eastern home.
He waited knowing the probable fear
full result, but he had thrown of the
poison by vomiting and is now out Of
danger.