1NEWSPAPERS: Lewis R. Martin, suicide, Jackson County, Oregon *************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with United States Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by noncommercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *************************************************************************** Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Elizabeth Corethers 3 Aug 2003 *************************************************************************** Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Thursday, 20 Jan 1927, p. 1, c. 3 MARTIN DEATH A SUICIDE IS FINAL REPORT Told Friends He Had Taken Poison, Before Stricken--Mrs. R. G. Tetherow Issues Statement--Body Shipped to Salem. With every indication pointing toward suicide, Coroner H. W. Conger came to the official conclusion yesterday afternoon that ptomaine poisoning did not kill Lewis R. Martin, local 27-year-old garage mechanic who died at the Sacred Heart hospital Tuesday morning from arsenic poisoning as the result of taking ant exterminator Monday afternoon to forget an alleged disappointing love affair. The ptomaine theory was advanced by the dead man's mother, Mrs. George Martin of Salem. According to the coroner's office Martin took the ant paste some time Monday afternoon and for several hours lived as if nothing had happened. He talked to neighbors and laughingly told them he had taken poison, which did not commence to work until early evening, when he was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he died the next morning, suffering but little pain. The body was shipped to Salem last night. Mrs. R. G. Tetherow made the following statement today: "Lewis Martin's death by poison was not due to love affair with Mrs. R. G. Tetherow. Mrs. Tetherow, it is true, is a local washing machine dealer, but that Mr. Martin ever made any advancements to her is false. Mr. Martin was a man that the Easy Washer people knew and was acquainted with the sales crew working from that office. It is also a mistake that Mrs. Tethorow could not be found in her office by Chief of Police McCredie. Mr. McCredie was not looking for Mrs. Tetherow. She was in her office at least six hours yesterday."