W. G. Messal, a well-known and highly respected farmer, living near Lake Creek, died very suddenly on Thursday evening of last week. He was at work in the garden and at about half past five his daughter, aged about fourteen years, took him a luncheon of coffee, bread and jelly. Mr. Messal tasted of the coffee and at once complained of its being bitter. His daughter and a Thumturg girl, who was with her, tasted the coffee and they, too, pronounced it bitter, and just at that time the girl remembered that she had taken a dose of quinine from the cup a short time before and had not rinsed it out. This coffee was thrown out and more poured, of which Mr. Messal drank and at the same time ate his lunch. The girls returned to the house and about ten minutes later Mr. Messal came to the house and complained of being sick with a severe pain in his head. Convulsions followed, and upon the arrival of Henry Myers, a neighbor, who had been sent for, Mr. Messal was in a bad shape. He told Mr. Myers that he knew he was going to die and asked him to look after the children, Mrs. Messal having died about a year ago. Mr. Myers started to Eagle Point, but had been gone only a few minutes when Mr. Messal died. He was sick not more than three quarters of an hour.

Coroner Pickel was informed of the death and the conditions attending the same, said that the symptoms were those of strychnine poisoning. On Friday evening an inquest was held and an autopsy made Nothing was disclosed at the inquest which would indicate foul play, and the verdict was that death resulted from causes unknown. The stomach and contents were brought to Medford by Dr. Pickel, and an analysis is now being made for the purpose of ascertaining if poison exists therein.

Funeral services were held at the residence on Saturday and the remains were laid to rest in the Central Point cemetery. A son and two daughters remain to mourn the loss of an indulgent and fond father.

Source: Mail Tribune (Medford, OR), 28 Aug 1903