Hatton, Fred, 1886-1926

HATTON, COON

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/8/2012 at 08:35:03

Fred Hatton Dies Suddenly

Fred Hatton, who was born and raised near Ireton, in Washington township, but who had resided in LeMars for the past ten months, died very suddenly in a hospital there Sunday morning, (July 25, 1926). The exact cause of his death is not known and the attending physicians held a post mortem and his vital organs were forwarded to Iowa City to a pathologist who will make an examination and report the cause of his death. When he doctor arrived Mr. Hatton was bleeding from his nose and he lived only a very short time after he reached the hospital. Mrs. Hatton stated that her husband, who had been working on a farm of late, spent last week at home as he was complaining of illness. She stated that she wished to call a doctor during the week, but he refused as he thought he would soon be all right again. Sunday morning he remained in bed late while Mrs. Hatton was about the house doing up the work and about eleven o'clock he suffered a severe attack of bleeding from the nose and she attended to his wants and called for a doctor.

Fred Hatton was born near Ireton July 11, 1886, and so was 40 years old at the time of his death. He was united in marriage with Miss Ethel Coon November 30, 1907, and this union was blessed with four children who survive him. The children are Lura, age 17, Wayne, age 14, Iris, aged 10, and Ella, age 11. He is also survived by two brothers, Thomas of Hawarden and Albert of Sioux City. Most of his life was spent on a farm but on September 1, 1925, he moved with his family to LeMars, where Mrs. Hatton has been employed in a store, while he worked on a farm near LeMars. Prior to his moving to LeMars he was employed in the J. P. Riter Implement house at Craig.

Funeral services were held at the Baptist church at LeMars at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon (July 27) and interment was made in the Ireton cemetery.

Source: Hawarden Independent, July 29, 1926, p. 7.

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The DesMoines Register, Friday, July 30, 1926

THINK ARSENIC CAUSE DEATH
LeMars, Ia., July 29 (Special)—It is reported this morning from the state pathological laboratory at Sioux City, stating that the stomach of Fred Hatton, who died suddenly and mysteriously, contained arsenic. A more complete report will be made later on other internal organs sent in for examination.

According to a local druggist, Hatton purchased rat poison a week before his death, and local officials lean to the opinion that his death is a case of suicide. Hatton, although intermittently sick for a week, refused to have medical care.

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Chemists Found Traces of Arsenic

Traces of arsenic were found in the stomach of Fred Hatton, who died suddenly at his home here July 25th, according to reports of pathologists in the state department at Des Moines. The physicians called in as he was dying were not sure of the cause of death and sent the stomach to the state chemist for an examination. Dr. J. A. Lamb received a report from Des Moines Thursday saying traces of arsenic were found in the stomach. The pathologists said a further examination was in progress and that a fuller report would be forwarded in a few days. The report did not state whether there was sufficient quantity found to kill a person. It has been learned that a man giving the name of Fred Hatton purchased a quantity of rat poison on Sunday, July 18, a week previous to his death. It is surmised that Hatton took some of the stuff during the week but not in sufficient quantity to be fatal at once.--LeMars Sentinal.

Source: Hawarden Independent, August 5, 1926, p. 6.