Iowa
Old Press
The Sioux City Journal, Monday, Nov. 6, 1899
M. L. LOTHROP’S MIND AFFECTED.
Is Found in a Stupor—Had Acted Queerly Saturday.
Merton L. Lothrop, of 812 Booge avenue, Morningside, a weighmaster at the Sioux City stock yards, son of Senator J. S. Lothrop, was found yesterday afternoon lying in an unconscious condition on the Correctionville road by E. J. Williams, a broker who has an office in the Exchange building. Mr. Williams recognized Mr. Lothrop and he stopped his horses and got out of the buggy and attempted to arouse him. Mr. Lothrop was in a stupor and could not talk or make any sign of recognition to the questions which Mr. Williams put to him. Mr. Williams managed to place Mr. Lothrop in the buggy and he was taken to the Samaritan hospital. Dr. George Schott was called in and made an examination of Mr. Lothrop and administered medicine, but he would not say what he thought was the matter with him or pass an opinion on the young man’s condition. “I cannot tell anything about the case until tomorrow,” said Dr. Schott.
Dr. J. J. Schlawig and the police were able to throw some light upon the case. “I was on my way across the Combination Bridge Saturday to make a professional visit,” he said, “when I met Mert Lothrop, who was walking toward Covington. I asked him where he was going and he answered, ‘To Covington,’ and I invited him to ride with me. He got into the buggy with me and I immediately observed that something was wrong with him. I asked him what was wrong and he answered that he had a pain in the back of his head. He rode with me to the place where I had a patient to see and I had a man watch him until I came out of the house. I brought him back to the city and drove to the police station to look at a Directory to see where he lived. He said he could not remember. I then drove him to his father’s office, but the Senator was not in and I turned Mert over to some friends.”
The police who saw Mr. Lathrop Saturday when Dr. Schlawig had him at the station said his eyes stared blankly and that he appeared to be demented.
Mr. Lothrop’s friends say he has been suffering several days with a severe headache and it was feared that blood might have clotted his brain, but in the absence of an opinion by the attending physician the correctness of this theory cannot be told.
Last night Mr. Lothrop was reported by his nurse to be resting well.
[transcribed by L.Z. Oct 2020]