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Show ' TRACES OF ARSENIC. Intense Excitement Caused by the My.terl-om My.terl-om Death of a Farmer. Springfield, O., Aug. 8. The city is excited over a possible case of murder mur-der by poisoning, a case savoring strongly of foul play. Wednesday at noon Mr. Christian Frantz, one of the oldest and most respected citizens of Clark county, died. He was taken suddenly ill Sunday night with something some-thing that resembled flux. Tuesday he was a little hotter, but died Wednesday. During his illness his wife protested most vehemently to calling a doctor, and would give the sick man no care at all. Wednesday morning the neighbors came in and took things in their own hands, and insisted upon cleaning the old gentleman's room and washing his body. He died shortly afterward, af-terward, and when the undertaker arrived ar-rived to lay the body out it was twisted and drawn in such a manner as to suggest sug-gest very strong suspicions of poisoning. poison-ing. At the funeral Thursday there were many whispered accusations, but no action ac-tion was taken in the matter. Tho excitement ex-citement grew until some of the neighbors neigh-bors 'came in, and going to O. B. Trout, Esq., the attorney of the deceased, insisted in-sisted upon an examination. Mr. Trout, T. A- Groas the undertaker, and Drs. J. D. Lisle and Ezra Myers, accompanied by Coroner Webb, went out and took up the body and began an examination. Although the fact of the examination was not known, there was soon fifty or more excited people on the spot eager to know the result, many of them armed as though expecting expect-ing trouble upon examination. Bruises were found upon the body, while not great enough to cause death, still of sufficient distinctness to show that he had been ill-treated. Tncre was one bruise between tho shoulders, one in the small of the back, one on the left shoulder and on the right arm. The stomach was badly inflamed. It was removed and brought to the laboratory labo-ratory of Dr. Lisle, who is today making mak-ing an analysis of the contents of the stomach. . . Mr Frantz has always had trouble with his family, and, it is said for years has been badly mistreated. His sons, Andy and John, have at times been especially es-pecially cruel to him, the former on more than one occasion threatening to kill him. A few weeks ago the wife brought suit for alimony at the instigation instiga-tion of the sons, it is said, but the matter mat-ter was finally compromised. |