The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-04-11
WOMAN HELD IN
DEATH Of 5
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hospital records where the last re-
manning son. David, twenty-four,
lay battling against death, ply
sician's comment that the mother
shows signs OF mental derange-
ment."
Seek Other Living Child.
Police also were seeking as a
Witness the only other living child.
May, seventeen, of the family that
six years ago numbered eight.
Meanwhile at the Columbus
Memorial Hospital, young Cunning
ham, virtually paralyzed from the
slow spread of the deadly poison
through his body, told in painful
whispers of the deaths In his
family and of his own poisoning.
Several times he broke down and
once collapsed while telling his
story.
Feebly, in whispers, repeated by
Miss Helen Cummings, a nurse.
the youth told authorities of the
mysterious death of his father.
three brothers and sister, all after
brief illnesses of two weeks or
less and all within the last six
years.
Father Died In 1919.
my father, David Cunningham"
young David whispered painfully,
''died in 1919. He was i'll only
about two weeks. He was 6ifty-one.
tThen Isabelle, my sister-sne
was eighteen-died the next year.
She was sick only about two
weeks
A pause for a painful breath and
the dying youth continued:
Harry was next. He was
twenty-four and died in 1921. Sick
just ten days. A year later it was
Charles. He was eighteen and sick
ten days. Then in 1928, little
Walter-he was just thirteen-died.
And he was sick only ten days.
Apple Makes Him Sick.
about six weeks ago, while I
was at work at the steel mills in
Gary, opened my lunch box and
took q bite of apple. The first
bite made me awfully sick. Then
the rest of the food tasted all alike.
''I had to go home. My hands
and feet got weaker and weaker.
couldn't use them. But l got
better.
but about ten days ago, I got
sick again-worse and worse. Then
they brought me here"
Young Cunningham was brought
to the Chicago hospital from Gary
Thursday, when Doctor H. H. Har-
ris and other physicians at the
Gary hospital, unable to determine
the exact nature OF his illness, ad-
vised his removal. At the hospital
here, Doctor Thomas A. Carter
diagnosed the case as arsenic pois-
oning and advised the coroner's Of
flee. Tests showed Cunningham s
organs filled with arsenic, Doctor
Carter said.
Little Hope for Youth.
Little hope is held out for the
youths recovery. He is virtually
paralyzed from the slow spread of
the poison throughout his body,
physicians said, One blood transfu-
sion operation has been performed
in an effort to save his life and
another was to be performed today.
The Cunningham family lived in
pretty little cottage in a good
neighborhood. The father and sous
had all been Industrious, hard-work-
ing men and the family stood well
In the community. At no time,
Gary authorities said, had the cir
cumstances of the deaths aroused
official suspicion.
But checking back today, authori.
ties became more and more suEpi.
cious and exhuming the bodies OF
the father, three sons and the
daughter were discussed.
Aunt Grows Suspicious
The report of the series of deaths
was made to authorities by Mrs.
Clarence N. Williams, an aunt.
( The first blood TRANSMISSION opera.
ton on the youth was made with
Dewel' Arnold, twenty-five, a cousin,
as the volunteer. Young Arnold
waited today to give another pint
of his blood If doctors decided it
would give David a better fighting
chance for his life.
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