OBIT: Gertrude A. (TROUT) WISSINGER, 1899, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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DIED SUDDENLY.
Mrs. Gertrude E. Wissinger Was Quickly Summoned.
HER DEATH DUE TO POISONING.
Evidently Took an Overdose of Strychnia Which Was Very Rapid in Its 
Effect and Which Proved Fata.
FUNERAL WILL OCCUR TOMORROW

  Yesterday about 9.15 o'clock a.m. Mrs. Gertrude A. Wissinger, wife of 
Walter G. Wissinger, of 3013 Walnut avenue, died of poisoning from 
sulphate of strychnine, which she had been taking as medicine and of 
which she unintentionally took an overdose.  The unfortunate woman 
became the wife of Mr. Wissinger December 21, 1898, and was only a 
little over 18 years of age.
  The bereaved husband says that they had always lived happily together 
and that there is no reason to suppose that his wife intended to commit 
suicide, for she had nothing in the world to cause her trouble.
  Dr. G. A. Ickes, of Broad avenue, was called upon to attend Mrs. 
Wissinger on June 8.  He found her suffering from an attack of 
hysteria.  At that time, on account of nervous irritation, he 
prescribed sulphate of strychnine as a nerve tonic.  He gave the woman 
directions to take a one-twentieth of a grain pill in the morning, one 
at noon and one at night.  He heard nothing more about the case until 
yesterday morning, when he was called for.  On arriving at the house at 
9.30 o'clock he found the woman dead.  All her symptoms indicated 
strychnine poisoning.
  Mr. Wissinger, who works at night, returned home about 6.30 a.m. and 
found his wife still in bed.  He says she got up about 8 o'clock in a 
cheerful mood and came down immediately to breakfast.  About fifteen 
minutes afterwards she took cramps similar to the kind she had three 
weeks ago, and hoping to get relief by taking the medicine that had 
been her relief on former occasions, she took one or two of the pills 
and a powder.  Her husband says he does not believe she took more than 
one of the pills, so that would not have been sufficient to produce 
death.  She had several of the pellets in her hand at the time.  These 
were taken away by her husband.  In fifteen minutes convulsions set in 
with the quivering of muscles and spasms indicative of strychnine 
poisoning.  The suffering woman begged the husband to hold her up off 
the floor or she would die.  He complied, and held her in his arms 
until she became unconscious.  She was carried upstairs, and when laid 
on her bed life was extinct.
  Coroner McCartney, accompanied by Dr. Olin K. McGarrah, viewed the 
remains yesterday afternoon.  Dr. McGarrah says the woman had all the 
symptoms of poisoning by strychnine, but that one of the little pills 
would not be enough to produce the effect caused by the dose she took.
  If she took three of the pills regularly for eighteen days she had 
become so accustomed to the medicine that it certainly must have 
required more than one or two of the one-twentieth of a grain pellets 
to cause death.
  Mrs. Ellis Brubaker, a neighbor of the Wissingers says that the dead 
woman said on one occasion when conversing with her that if she ever 
attempted to commit suicide she would make sure of it.
  Mrs. Wissinger was a daughter of ?? H. Trout, an engineer on the 
middle division of the Pennsylvania railroad now a resident of Tyrone.  
She was born April 18, 1881, in this city.  The funeral will take place 
to-morrow afternoon at 2 o'clock.  Services will be conducted at the 
house.  The remains will be interred in Oak Ridge cemetery.

Morning Tribune, Tuesday, June 27, 1899

LOCAL BREVITIES.

  The funeral of Mrs. Gertrude A. Wissinger will take place this 
afternoon.  The services will be held in the Brethren church on Maple 
avenue and thirteenth street at 2 o'clock.  They will be conducted by 
Rev. W. W. Rymer, of Tyrone.  Interment in Oak Ridge cemetery.

Morning Tribune, Wednesday, June 28, 1899

Note:  Name of father is unreadable on newspaper microfilm.  Probably
1900 Tyrone Borough, Blair County census -
James H. Trout 38, Engineer
Annie C. Trout 38; 8 children, 5 living
Thorton D. Trout 17  
Howard C. Trout 15  
Susie E. Trout 7  
John H. Trout 5  
Franklin F. Trout 2