This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Author: RCrower
Surnames: Berger, Strickland, Ziliak, McNally, Johnson, Ritt, Alcorn, Scism, Bowsher,
Doyle, Gudgeon, Hutchinson, Dreher, Wunderlich, Wedeking, Perry, Wright, DeWitt, Ladd,
Todd, Jarboe, Lewis, Powell, Botzum, Koressel, Morgan, Hevron, Rheinhardt, Arnold,
Trethewey, Hyne, Jeffers, Buell, Rudolph, Edmondson, Green, Moore, Linley, Hendres, Axton,
Hyland, Williams, Eskew, Wiggers, Ellsperman.
Classification: obituary
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.indiana.counties...
Message Board Post:
I have some microfilm-copied pages in my collections, each showing a particular obituary
(or other bits) that's of interest to me. Well, other items have come along for the
permanent ride, and I thought I'd offer those up for reference here on Rootsweb.
Evansville Courier, Thursday February 24, 1927
PAGE ONE
GIBSON CORONER TELLS OF PROBE OF BERGER DEATH
-Plaintiff Scores When Chicago Coroner Tells of "Hardening Compound"-
Petersburg, Feb.23. -- The Commercial Casualty company will use an imposing array of
experts when court opens tomorrow morning to prove that it was justified in refusing to
pay the $1,000 insurance policy carried by John G. Berger of Princeton. It is contended
by Mrs. Elizabeth Berger, administratrix of the Berger estate, that her husband died as
the result of injuries received in an automobile accident on the Dixie Bee highway while
the insurance company contends that he died from arsenic poisoning.
Berger carried a total of $133,000 in life insurance and the result in this case is
expected to have a decided bearing on the disposition of cases against other companies.
About $60,000 has been collected by the widow.
-Coroner Testifies-
Coroner R.A. Strickland of Gibson county was the first witness called by the defense in an
effort to offset the expert testimony introduced by the plaintiff. Strickland testified
that after his first examination he signed a death certificate giving natural causes as
the cause of death, but on the following day performed a new autopsy and changed the
verdict. He testified that the body contained no evidences of injury other than two
scratches on the face.
Dr. A.L. Ziliak, physician at the Methodist hospital at Princeton, also was called by the
defense and gave substantially the same evidence as Dr. Strickland. He waited on Berger
when he was brought to the hospital following the accident.
-Undertaker Used Arsenic-
The plaintiff scored heavily at the morning session of court when Dr. William D. McNally,
Chicago, Cook county (Ill.) coroner, testified that the presence of arsenic in the stomach
of Berger could be accounted for by the fact that a "hardening powder"
containing about 52 per cent of
(continued, page two)
the drug, had been used by the undertaker prior to the time that the organs were removed
and sent to Indianapolis for examination.
It was shown in previous testimony submitted by the plaintiff that the powder was used
after the first autopsy and before the second.
Mrs. Elizabeth Berger took the witness stand in the afternoon and testified that prior to
the fatal automobile accident her husband was in good health. After the injury, she said,
he refused nourishment and complained of severe pains in his stomach.
-Questioned About Finances-
She was questioned at length in regard to his financial affairs. It developed that she
was on his note for $3,100 at a Princeton bank and that after his death another note for
$3,500 made payable to her was found. The note was for money Berger had borrowed from
her, she testified.
It is not expected that the case will go to the jury before Friday and a large number of
doctors, chemists and other witnesses have been summoned by the defense.
PAGE TWO
-Gift of $1,000 To Press Club Is Made Public-
E. Mead Johnson, jr., installed as president of the Press club of Evansville at a meeting
in the clubhouse on Walnut street last night, sprung a surprise on the membership as his
first official act by announcing a gift of $1,000 to the organization in furthering a
progressive program.
Johnson, in a short talk, outlined a movement toward expansion that will bring the club to
a par with any local organization in Indiana. "The name of the Press club has
figured in Evansville life for many, many years," he said, "and now I believe
that a progressive program will place it far above this par."
Plans for a new home for the club were discussed by members of the new board of governors
and Johnson. While it was informal, plans for this are expected to crystallize in the
near future. Increase in dues for both active and associate members was discussed by the
board.
Besides Johnson, William Ritt of the Evansville Press was installed as vice president:
Joseph M. Alcorn as secretary-treasurer, and Daniel W. Scism, Guy A. Bowsher, jr., Ross
Doyle of The Courier and Journal; Russ Gudgeon, T.L. Hutchinson, Franz Dreher, and Walter
Wunderlich, retiring president as governors.
Each of the new officers ventured an opinion that "1927, with Johnson as president,
will see the Press club's greatest work in extending the hand of good fellowship and
aiding in the elevation of civic ideals."
-Rockport Civil War Officer Honored by State Legislators-
Indianapolis, Feb. 23 -- At the instance of Representative Wedeking the house today
memorialized Colonel Oran Perry of Indianapolis and Lieutenant Colonel James S. Wright of
Rockport, as the only living field officers who commanded Indiana regiments during the
Civil war. Colonel Perry, now commandant of the Soldiers' and Sailors' monument
at Indianapolis, commanded the Sixty-ninth Indiana regiment at the battle of Vicksburg.
Colonel Wright, who is 92 years of age, commanded the Twenty-fifth Indiana regiment and
took part in 18 battles.
PAGE ?
-Deaths - Funerals-
MRS. LEONA DEWITT
, 26, 613 Monroe avenue, died at the Hayden hospital at 2:40 o'clock yesterday
afternoon after a long illness. She is survived by the husband, Earl, and two
stepdaughters, Frances and Lucille.
Funeral services will be held at the home of the father-in-law, Theodore DeWitt, 914 North
Governor street, Saturday morning at 7:30 o'clock with continued services at 8
o'clock at Assumption church. Burial will be in St. Joseph cemetery.
MRS. CLEMA LADD
, 78, died yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Ella Ladd
Todd, 15 Cumberland avenue. She is survived by one son, James H. Ladd, Detroit, Mich.;
two daughters, Mrs. Atta Jarboe, and Mrs. Todd, both of this city. Funeral arrangements
will be announced later.
MRS. D.F. LEWIS
Funeral services for Mrs. D.F. Lewis, 79, will be conducted by the Rev. E. Ainger Powell,
rector of St. Paul's Episcopal church, at the R. Smith funeral chapel this morning at
10 o'clock. Burial will be in the Ellis cemetery, Warrick county.
Mrs. Lewis, a former resident of Evansville, died Tuesday morning at a hospital in
Sullivan, following a lingering illness.
MRS. ELIZABETH BOTZUM
, 56, died yesterday morning at 8:10 o'clock at the home, 1235 West Ohio street.
Funeral services will be held at the residence at 7:30 o'clock tomorrow morning with
continued services at 8 o'clock at St. Boniface church. Burial will be in St. Joseph
cemetery.
She is survived by the husband, Conrad; two sons, William and Edward; two daughters, Mrs.
Fred Koressel, and Miss Loretta Botzum, and one grandchild.
MRS. MARY MORGAN
Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Morgan, 60, who died Tuesday night in her home in a
houseboat anchored at the foot of Wabash avenue, will be held at Schaeffer's funeral
chapel tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock. Burial will be in Locust Hill cemetery.
MRS. ALICE HEVRON
Services for Mrs. Alice Hevron, 69, 531 Oakley street, who died at the home Monday night,
will be held at the residence this afternoon at 12:30 o'clock. The body will be taken
to Gentryville for burial.
MRS. GEORGE RHEINHARDT
Funeral services for Mrs. George Rheinhardt, 60, 311 Monroe avenue, who died at the
Deaconess hospital Tuesday afternoon, will be held at the residence at 2:30 o'clock
tomorrow afternoon. Burial will be in Locust Hill cemetery.
MRS. WILHELMINA ARNOLD
Final rites for Mrs. Wilhelmina Arnold, 73, who died Monday at the home, 413 Monroe
avenue, will be held at the residence a 2 o'clock this afternoon. Burial will be in
Locust Hill cemetery.
MRS. ALICE TRETHEWEY
Services for Mrs. Alice Trethewey, 77, who died Monday at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Rea
Hyne, Weinbach avenue and Green River road, will be held at the home of the daughter at 12
o'clock noon today, with continued services at 2 o'clock at the Methodist church
in Stewartsville. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
IRIS MAXINE JEFFERS
Funeral services for Iris Maxine Jeffers, two year old daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Angus
Jeffers, 800 Grove street, will be held at the home at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon,
with continued services at 2 o'clock at the Pilgrim's Holiness church, Fulton
avenue. Burial will be in Locust Hill cemetery.
MRS. REBECCA BUELL
Funeral services for Mrs. Rebecca Buell, 80, former resident of the city who died Monday
at Hamilton, O., will be held at the McCord funeral chapel this afternoon at 1:30
o'clock with continued services at the Simpson M.E. church at 2 o'clock. Burial
will be in Locust Hill cemetery.
-Tri-State Deaths-
JIM RUDOLPH
Carmi, Ill., Feb. 23 -- Funeral services for Jim Rudolph, who died at Dayton, Ohio, Sunday
following an operation, were held at McKendree church today. Rudolph is survived by a
wife and two brothers, Dr. A.S. Rudolph of this city and John Rudolph, who lives near
here.
MRS. SARAH EDMONDSON
Henderson, Ky., Feb. 23 -- Mrs. Sarah Edmondson, 67, died at her home, 221 Powell street
here, this afternoon at 3:30 o'clock following several days' illness. She is
survived by four children, Arthur Edmondson, of Union county, Ky., Mrs. Edna Green,
Henderson; Mrs. Allen Moore and Roy Edmondson, of Henderson county. Interment will be at
Smith Mills.
BEN HYNE
New Harmony, Feb. 23 -- The funeral of Ben Hyne, 69, who died last night after a long
illness will be held from his home in Stewartsville tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.
Interment at the Stewartsville cemetery. He leaves a widow and one brother.
WILLIAM LINLEY
Rockport, Feb. 23 -- William Linley, 62, dropped dead in the barn of George Hendres, two
miles north of Dale at noon today. Coroner Axton fixed the cause of death as heart
trouble. Funeral arrangements have not been completed.
-Funkhouser Legion Membership Grows, Drive Report Shows-
Report that memberships for Funkhouser Post, American Legion, were coming in fine were
made at the meeting of the post at the Coliseum last night by Commander William Hyland.
Announcement that all members, both renewals and new ones, would have to "ride the
goat" (?) after last night was made by Robert T. Williams.
The deadline for converting government war risk insurance is July 2. Montie Eskew and
Walter Wiggers are taking care of renewals of the insurance.
Dave Ellsperman reported on the returns of the recent card party given by the post.
Entertainment was furnished by Berger "The Battery Man." An unsual (sic) and
novel program was given.
---------------------------------
More items as I come up with them!
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