POISON DEATHS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1931, Page 2

POISON DEATHS

AVOAIAN ACCUSED

HUSBAND AND THREE OTHERS

INSURANCE' PREMIUMS PAID. Four persons who died in the home pf Mrs Margaret Summers, of Chicago, leaving her as the beneficiary of insurance policies, were killed by arsenic poisoning, Dr. Clarence W. Muehlberger, coroner’s physician testified at .an inquest in which the highest prosecuting officials of the county joined. Separate coroner’s jury verdicts returned in the four deaths accused Mrs Summers of causing them by adminis : tering the arsenic, and recommended that the wddow be held for the grand jury on murder charges. Mrs Summers was found to have been made beneficiary in. nineteen insurance policies on the lives of ten persons, five of whoni died while living at her house.

PROCLAIMS INNOCENCE'. Mrs Summers, dark, short and stout, st ; ll wearing a black dress and black coat as mourning, symbols, moaned in protest against the accusing testimony offered by Dr, Muehlberger and other witnesses. She claimed: the policies were made out in her name out of gratitude for her kindness, "No, no” ah<s murmured, wringing her hands and bursting into tears, as aha heard hern self accused of boasting that she had poisoned her husband, Thomas "Shags” Summers, who died on August 9, 19,30, and listened to 'testimony regarding three other deaths.

The testimony was offered at the third session of the inquest to determine what killed Summers, Thomas Myers, Mrs Summers’ nephew; William Pieman, 47-year-old pedlar; awd Thomas Lanagan, the latter two roomers in the Summers’ home. All died within the last year.

Airs Summers attended the inquest under technical arrest, upon an order by Dr. Herman H. Bundsen, coroner, when it was discovered through the accusations, of relatives that she was the beneficiary of numerous- Insurance policies, on which she paid the premiums.

Dr . Muehlberger, a North-Western University chemist, reported that analysis of the vital organs of Summers and Myers showed they had’ died of chronic arsenic poisoning through quantities of the deadly powder having been administered te them from time to time.

Mrs Mathilda Kuhn, sister of Summers, gave the testimony which caused Airs Summers’ outburst. Mrs Kuhn accused Mrs Summers of telling her, one day after her husband’s death,, that she had poisoned him, WOULDN'T NEED THEM. Aliss Agnes Summers, another sister of the husband, said she heard Mrs Summers tell the nephew, Thomas Myers, to take Summers’ clothing "because he won’t weed them.” Miss Summers said this was while the hus* band was ill. The orphaned nephew died: on May 14th. last, his death resulting in the present investigation.

Mrs Summers then was called and questioned regarding the fourth death, and the fact that she paid the premiums on insurance policies ranging from £BO to £SOO in ’which she was the beneficiary. At the end she was asked if she had any statement to make.

"I don’t know how any of them died,” she sobbed, swaying in a nearfaint. Dr. Bundsen offered her his handkerchief, and she wept into it as she was led, from the stand to await the verdict.

State’s Attorney John A. Swanson attended the inquest, and assigned two of hiis leading assistants, C. Waviand Brooks, who prosecuted the Lingle murder trial, and E l . A. Ferrari, to conduct the trial.