Suspicious Death in Dundy County - November 1906

Another sad death to be annexed to the history of this county was that of one Thomas Ciser, which according to evidence obtained, occurred about one mile and a half northeast of Haigler in what is known as the isolated and sandy regions on or about November 1, 1906. The unfortunate young man was 19 years of age.

When found his face was horribly disfigured by reason of the rats which gnawed the flesh from one side of the; face entirely. Aside from the alcohol, a few cigars, some letters and $2.93, nothing was found on his person.

There is not one iota of evidence to justify the suspicion of foul play.

Various theories are advanced as to the manner by which death was caused. Among the most plausible that have thus far been offered is that the deceased was lightly troubled with paralysis and that he was overtaken with one of these strokes shortly after leaving Haigler and in the district where he was located where seldom anyone has occasion to visit, died from the cold and the lack of proper care.

Another is that he was addicted to the use of liquor and had become so badly intoxicated that he was unable to walk further and in the stupor which followed, froze to death.

Both of these theories are without foundation from the fact that the muscles of the body did not indicate paralysis and there was nothing to justify the belief of intoxication further than that a quart bottle containing alcohol was found in the pockets of the clothes of the dead man. Not more than a few spoons full of this had been taken out and Dr. Fuqua analyzed this alcohol and found that it contained no little amount of methyl spirits (wood alcohol,) and while it was impossible for him to ascertain just what part of the fluid was made up of this deadly poison, it is believed that enough was contained to cause almost instant death.

The alcohol has been forwarded to the state department for analysis and it may develop that the greater part of it was of the rank poison fluid which explains the mystery and the reason of the sudden death.

There is nothing on the bottle to show where it was purchased, but it is believed that the mistake was on the part of carelessness with some bartender and not malicious or intentional.
~Printed in the Benkelman, NE Post, November 1906