Suicide Theory in Palmquist Case is Put to Scorn

MATTER NOT CLOSED 

Coroner's Verdict of Accidental Death Accepted, but Police Continue Probe.

Putting to scorn the supposition that Oscar Palmquist, a survivor the Titanic disaster in 1913 [sic] who was found drowned in the Beardsley Park reserve reservoir on April 18 had committed suicide Rev A J Okerblom of the Evangelical Lutheran Salem church said last night that it was his idea that Palmquist had met with foul play. He said that after Palmquist's disappearance on March 27, he thought that he had gone to Walnut Beach.

"Of course we have not dropped the case, as we are now working in conjunction with the city police force.  The attitude of the State in neglecting to order an autopsy hindered matters some. We would like to have one performed ourselves but the cost is too heavy. However if one should be held, there is no doubt that it would clear up doubts as to whether or not he was poisoned before he came in the water.

Between suicide and Palmquist it is utterly impossible to find any relationship. He was a man who had nothing to worry him.   Why when he left his boarding-house that night he had said that he was going to a party. The last that was seen of him was by a barber, who shaved him in a shop in Fairfield avenue that evening, Peterson, the barber said that he thought he saw him get on an Ash Creek car.

'And still another thing which [lead] me [to] believe that he was murdered is the fact that he would never go near the water. He went fo a fortune-teller about five years ago, who told him that the next time went on the wate[r] he would be drowned. Ever since that time he had a very strong fear of any body of water. As for him becoming obsessed with the idea of committing suicide on the anniversary of the Titanic disaster I think that very unlikely. He never mentioned the disaster unless he was asked about it. With someone else that might be possible but with Palmquist Mr Okerblom said "I frankly believe him to have been murdered 

"Captain John H Regan, head of the Detective Bureau, last night stated that he believed Palmquist's death was accidental.  Police investigation has not disclosed any facts to substantiate the theory that he met with foul play. Coroner John J Phelan announced that he would not hold an inquest in view of the medical examiner's report of accidental death. However the police investigation has not ended.