The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-12-02
DEATH
STILL MYSTERY
CIRCUMSTANCES OF FORMER
B~RoOkiNGS MANS DEMISE
EXTREMELY UNUSUAL
STOMACH SENT TO STATE UNIVERSITY
Inquest Is Adjourned Awaiting Report
on Analysis Of Its Contents-Body
Buried Here Thursday

WI N''o'yo'o VI ~ SOutCVko-oOOy
Buried Here Thursday
Circumstances surrounding the death
OF Melvin Adamson of Huron, a former
Brookings resident, are shrouded in
mystery and the case has taken an en-
tirely different angle during the past
week. Whether his demise was caus-
ed by blows from the Huron man who,
it is said, was having trouble with Mr..
Adamson or whether other causes con.
tributed Is still unknown. His rela-
tives and close friends in Brookings
have expressed themselves that he
was the victim of something very TN
usual. While it nay not be foul play
of any kind. they say, there is still 4
mystery that they cannot fathom.
Brief funeral services were held in
Huron at seven o'clock last Wednes-
day evening at the Tams chapel, con-
Quoted by Rev. G. B. Wilder, and the
remains were shipped to Brookings.
His brother, c. w. Adamson, and
brother-in-law, Orrin Simpkins, both
of this city, and sister, Mrs. A. f.
Chaser of Lucas, S. d., accompanied
the body here. Funreal services were
held at the home of his mother, Mrs.
Eric Fairness, 313 Second Ave-, last
Thursday afternoon at three o'clock,
conducted by Rev. VIM. A. Mast. In
terment was in Greenwood cemetery.
To Examine Stomach
The investigation into the cause of
last Wednesday and a. ten o'clock in
the morning the %coroner's jury ad-
journed. Wednesday Coroner Tams
shipped the stomach to the State Uni
versity at Vermilllon for an examina.
ton of it's contents. 1t does not seem
probable that a poison could have been
administered but an analysis was con-
sidered advisable. The inquest will be
resumed when the report from the
state laboratory is given out.
Tuesday the inquest was held be-
hind closed doors, those in charge
choosing that the public be kept In the
dark as to the progress of the investi-
cation. Physicians made a post NOR
tenn examination Of the body but the
autopsy did not show anything very
definite, except that the lungs of the
deceased were badly c~ongested. 1t be-
came evident that there had been no
external violence sufficient to have
caused his death, there being only
slight abrasions Of the skin on each
side of the head and on one side OF the
throat. These might indicate a little
light handling, such as could have
been inflicted i'm a friendly s%cuffle,
since there were no broken bones,
deep cuts or internal injuries. The
jury is at a loss to determine just what
caused Mr.. Adamson's death.
Theories Concerning Cause
A theory exists among those who
are e~ndeavoring to unravel the intrl-
cacies of the mystery that Mr.. Adam
son, in his semi-unconscious condition,
might have been strangled during an
effort to relieve his stomach of an I'M
digested mass, his head being partially
twisted under his body. This is only
a supposition but it has been suggest
ed. 1t is also thought possible that
the cramped condition in which he
was lying may have made suffocation
possible.
Throughout the inquiry no evidence
was produced to show that Mr.. Adam
son had been drinking, some only sup
posing that he had from his actions.
Railroad men who knew him, employ
ers as well as associates, testified that
he was perfectly steady in his habits
and in every way reliable, and was not
a drinking
Conductor TestIfes
Northwestern Conductor G. D.
Streeter went up from Brookings and
testified that he found Mr.. AdamsOn
lying near the walk on Third street in
Huron and endeavored to lead him
back to town. He found he could not
handle him alone and left him while
he went up town to put in a police call.
Others found him and lodged him in
the Huron jail.
Brookings relatives have employed
Attorney c. A. Kelley Of Huron to
push the investigation just as far and
thoroughly as he possibly al and he
has been representing them at all ses-
sions of the inquest.