About the possible murder of Captain Wilmott. The "legend" says food poisoning, or intentional homicidal poisoning but what little evidence there is from which to draw ANY conclusion indicates natural causes- a heart attack. Wilmott had sent for his evening meal (some said Finnan Haddie, others steak) but there is no evidence as to whether or not he ate it. Within minutes of its arrival he phoned Dr Van Zile and spoke what were to be his last words: "I am having a little stomach trouble. Would you make up an enema and bring it up to me?" When the enema was delivered (Van Zile died and there is no evidence as to how long it took to make it and deliver it) Wilmott was found with "his pants around his ankles" or, more demurely "partially dressed" slumped over into his bathtub, blue faced. Three Doctors (passengers) who survived (Phelps, Cochrane, Vosseler) as well as Van Zile (who stated this in a letter recovered from his body) all agreed that it was a heart attack. No autopsy was performed, the body being cremated in the fire, but it seems more likely that he died while trying to force a bowel movement than of homicide. Severe constipation would also explain his unusually glum demeanor during the return leg of the final voyage more logically than most of the other theories.
