The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-12-19
STEPDAUGHTER DEAD;
OTHERS ARE ALIVE
Crime Is Not Suspected But
Many Features Are
Unexplained

MANY features OF mystery surround
the poisoning In Mansfield Saturday
evening of Clyde Brokaw, his wife,
Mollie 3. Brokaw, and his stepdaueh-
ter, Pauline Grubb. The last-named is
dead while Mrs. Brokaw is not ex-
pected to live and her husband Is
IN very serious condition.
Clyde 6rokaw is the brother of Mrs
Byron Doup, East Vine street, this
city, and the son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Thomas Brokaw, Fredericktown. He
was born in Knox county and spent
portion of his life near Frederick
town. He Is about 80 years of age
and is we'll known by many pepoIe In
Knox county.
The police department of Mans
field, as well as Coroner G.. w. Miller,
and the attending physicians, are
completely baffled over the case, ac-
cording to the Mansfield Shield, which
reports it as follows:
The members of this little family
we're found lying on the floor of their
home in Mansfield Saturday evening
by a neighbor woman and since that
time two physicians, the county coro-
ner and the police have been hard at
work trying to determine the cause
of their condition, but to no avail
The first theory, that of suffocation,
has been laid aside and there is now
but little doubt that it is a poisoning
case.
Miss Sarah Kimble, a woman who
resides in the same building, and
Mrs, Brokaw were uptown Saturday
afternoon doing some shopping. Mrs.
Brokaw left a suit at dry goods
store to be remodeled and made ar
rangements to call for it last evening.
She was to stop for Miss Kimble who
was to accompany her up street after
the suit.
When Mrs. Brokaw failed to call at
the appointed time, Miss Kimble went
to her apartments. Upon entering
the rooms she found the unconscious
form of Brokaw lying on the floor.
She ran downstairs and summoned
Albert Schwein, who is employed in
shoe store, and he accompanied her
back to the apartments. They entered
the front room where the bodies of
Mrs. Brokaw and her daughter were
found lying on the floor.
DIR. G. 8. Wilmuth was called and
the police were notified of the case.
When the physician arrived he found
the daughter dead, the mother in
such a condition that her life was
despaired of and Mr.. Brokaw in a
very serious condition. He called
Dr. John nj. Burns to assist him in
his efforts to save the life of Mr.. and
Mrs. Brokaw. B
The first theory was that suffoca-
tion had caused the condition of the
members of the little family, but an
Investigation of the indications were
that this theory was wrong one. A
transom over one Of the doors was
wide open, leaving in plenty of fresh
air, while there was no gas escaping,
or leaking, at any place. f&Ss'
The contents of Mr.. Brokaw's stom-
ach were taken from him and are be-
ing held until today when 1t will be
analyzed to determine whether or
not he had been poisoned and il SO,
by what kind of poison.
After the suffocation theory had
been exploded, the physicians decided
| that the death and serious illness in
the family had probably been caused
| by ptomaine poisoning. Foodstuffs
we've found on the kitchen stove and
table and It was believed that they
had become poisoned by eating of it.
Brokaw, whose condition was not
as serious as that of his wife, recov-
cred consciousness about ten O'Clock
Saturday night and gave out state
ments to Chief Feeney and Captain
Marks of the police department which
made the case more mysterious than
before. He stated that he came home
early Saturday morning from Kelley's
restaurant, where he is employed as
/ night clerk, and went Immediately Il
| bed. He woke up in the Afternoon
and went to the kitchen where he att
a cracker and drank a cup of coffee
according to his story. This is thu
only thing he ate at his home, h,
claimed. He stated that shortly al
terward he suffered great pain an,
lat~~ lcct consciousness.
Several notes and letters wer,
found lying about the rooms Of thu
apartment by the police, but these al
tended to show that the relations be
tween members Of the family wer,
harmonious and there was no evi
dence to show that there was suicida
intent on the part of any member O
the family or an intent to commit
crime.
Miss Kimble stated that Mrs
Brokaw was in good humor Saturda,
afternoon and was apparently in tn
hest of health. She says that mem
bers of this family always got alon
well together and insists that th
case could be nothing other than on
OF accidental poisoning or somathin
else Of an accidental nature.