Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-07-20
Makes Effort at Inquest
Being Held Over the
Body of Young
SAYS SWEETHEART
TALKED OF SUICIDE
'Beulah Ellis Testifies
That Hedrick Man Had
Bottle With Him

w
Miss Beulah Ellis of this city at
tempted to end her life about 1920
o'clock this morning at the Daggett
undertaking parlors by swallowing
three two grain tablets of slow act
ing poison.
Miss Ellis, who has been keeping
company with James Young, the
young man who died under mysterious
conditions at the McElroy hotel about
3 o'clock Monday morning, had gone
to the undertaking parlors to testify
at the inquest which was being held
over Young's body. She had been in
the chapel where Young's family was
gathered about his casket. All morn
ing she lowered in that vicinity and
kept mumbling that she would soon
be with the young man. At 1915
O'Clock she went into one of the small
rest rooms at the side of the Office and
in a few minutes called to Mrs. E. X.
Daugherty, wife of the county Nattor-
ney, who was assisting the coroner
with the inquest.
AS Mrs. Daugherty entered the room
the girl was struggling on the couch
and was crying out, II want to see Jim
once more and then l will be with
him." Seeing that Miss Ellis was In
terrible agony Mrs. Daugherty ran out
to the room in which the inquest was
being held and called the three ply
sicians who were there as witnesses
and spectators. Antidotes were quick
" given the girl and in little while
she was somewhat relieved. After
rest she was put on the witness stand
but became too ill to testify and had
to be given further attention. Finally
lust before noon she was able to brok-
emily tell her story and the inquest
was adjourned until future date.
Threatened Suicide.
! Young died in commissions at the
hotel early Monday morning and IN
| a brief ante mortem statement to 9TH
er roomers there, who were with him,
he said that a man at the depot had
given him beer to get even with him.
No information as to who 1t was or
what depot he referred to could be
gained before he died.
Sergeant Alex Johnson, the U. S.
army recruiting officer, who was with
Young when he died. found a small
bottle lying in the alley at the rear
of the hotel the next morning. Wheth-
er or not it could have been thrown
by the man from his window is a
Imatter of conjecture. Some Of the
witnesses said he could have taken
poison from it and then thrown it out
and others say that it could not have
been thrown without being broken.
Miss Ellis said today on the stand
wit
might he had a bottle with him and
had threatened suicide II their
trouble was not settled at once. She
said that the trouble he mentioned
referred to his insisting that she marry
him when she knew that he was en-
gagged to marry another girl in October
of this year.
Work Along Two Lines.
With the inquest being conducted
under the direction of both Coroner
! H. A. Spilman and County Attorney
E. K. Daugherty it is evident that two
lines of action are being worked out.
! Five witnesses we're examined this
morning. The inquest was called at
10 o'clock and after the interruption
by Miss Ellis attempt to end her life,
was resumed at II o'clock and con-
cluded for today at noon. There are
several witnesses yet to be examined
and the time of meeting again de-
ponds on word from Iowa City.
After the post norton of Monday
afternoon Young's stomach was sent
to the state university hospital at
Iowa City for examination and a re-
port is not expected before Thursday.
Depend On Report.
The mans statement just before his
death is the pivot upon which further
developments in the case seem to
rest. Whether he knew who had given
him the beer or whether anyone had
really given him any are two ques-
tons to be solved. The condition OF
his stomach will be disclosed from
the state university's report. lnforma-
ton gained by the county attorney at
the inquest may lead to further in
vestigation from the criminal stand
point. '.,
Will Probably Recover.
That Miss Ellis will probably re-
cover seems to be the consensus of
opinion among the physicians who at
tended her. The poison acts in such a
manner that it's full results might not
be felt for week after 1t is taken,
but the immediate attention which
was given Miss Ellis case lead the
men to think that she will soon be
improved although she will probably
not be entirely recovered for some
time.
Hold Funeral Today.
The funeral services of Mr.. Young
were held at Iaggetts this afternoon
, at 1890 o'clock with Rev. B. F. Bait,
pastor of the First Baptist church. in
! charge The remains were then taken
to the Brooks cemetery near Hedrick,
where burial was made.
HELD ON ARSON CHARGE.
Sioux City, July IS. When Sam
| Nafito, owner of a store on Fourth
street which was recently destroyed
:. by fire, called at the Office of the fire
insurance company to collect his insnr
~ NV Fire Marsha