The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-27
Tells Topeka Woman She Never
Can Receive Cure.
Then Mrs. John Whitmere
Takes Poison and Dies.
THAT is WHAT DOCTORS THINK
Autopsy To Decide Case by
Corener Narcotic.
Confesses to Suicide on Her
Deathbed Tuesday.

Five days after an herb pedd1er
called at the home of Mrs John
Whitmere, ~, 1407 Van Buren, street.
and told her that she was suffering
from cancer Of the stomach and her
condition was fncurable. she was
lying on her deathbed. Death was
caused by swallowing a 2-grain cap
sule of strychnine, according 10 a
confession made on her deathbed to
two neighbor women, her husband
and som Frank
Mrs Whitmere died Tuesday even
ing shortly after 8 o. ocIock- The cause
of death reported TO the undertaken
by Dr. NJ A Floersch. attending
physician. was myocardiris- Despite
her deathbed confession. Dr. F'1oersch
told members of the family thar her
symptoms at the time OF her death did
not Indicate strychnine poisoning.
Hold Autopsy
All mystery to the cause OF death
will be held at the Penweu undertake
ing parlorS by DIR. o. r. Marcotte.
county coroner. Doctor Narcotic
learned of the circumstances surround-
ing the death this morning. verified
the story of suicide by Interviewing
Mrs Thomas A Dana. 1903 Van
Buren,. and Mrs. Elizabeth Gades. I4II
Van Buren street. who were at the
side of Mrs. Whitmere until she died
Immediately he ordered the body held
IF the autopsy indicates strychnins
poisoning inquest will be held.
said Doctor Narcotic
John Whitmere. the husband ex-
pressed a Willingness to have the u1ys-
terry cleare.l today. Neither he nor
his son were in the house when Mrs
Whitmere is supposed to have taken
the strychnine capsule Tney we're
called home by the --eighbors.
She Became DespondenG
when that peddler called at the
house and told her that she had can
Ger OF the stomach and couldn't be
cured it began preying on her mind
said Whitmere. 1T WAS the climax
to years OF suffering and worry. She
had been in poor health for years and
we had EMPLOYED one of the best
physicians in the city for her she
also told neighbors that she had been
brooding over the fate marked OUT fer
her by the peddler
First intimation that a tragedy mad
been enacted in the Whitmere home
came shortly after o'clock Tuesday
evening when Mrs. Gades and Mrs
Dana heard a scream. They hurried
from their homes and when the
screams We're repeated located them
at the Whitmere house
There they found Mrs Whitmers
prostrated. They Immediately called
Dr. F1oersch and the husband and
son. To all Of them Mrs. Whiru1ere
confessed that she had taken strych-
nine, her husband stated today
II was just tired of it ALL" she said
Kept Poison for Rats.
She not only told them that she
had taken strychnine but also inform
ed them where the strychnine bottle
could be found-ou the top shelf in
the kitchen. They found the bottle
| there The poison had been kept IN
the house to kill mice. Whitmere said
today.
| According to Mrs. Whirmerefs
/ deathbed statement she took the poi
\ son shortly after 7 o'clock in tae ev-
ening. She did not die until after 8
| O'Clock and this Is one OF the reasons
advanced by DIR. F1oersch as fndicat-
ing that death was not caused by
| strychnine poison. Whicmere is =
/ barber with a shop at T35 Kansas av-
enue-