Brothers who were, but are now with the stars

I recently found this obituary in the April 1925 issue of The Phi Gamma Delta Magazine under Fratres Qui Fuerunt Sed Nunc Ad Astra:

CHARLES H. HULS

(Ohio State '25)

Phi Gamma Delta paid a large share of the toll taken by either stupidity or criminal intent when strychnine was mixed with quinine in the college of pharmacy dispensary at Ohio State University.

One of the two student deaths caused by this fatal confusion was that of Brother Charles Henry Huls, '25.

Huls died suddenly on January 31, 1925, in the chapter-house a few days after having a tooth extracted. The cause at first was thought to be tetanus.

Another student death followed shortly and an investigation showed that strychnine had been dispensed for quinine at the college of pharmacy where many students were wont to get remedies.

Further investigation disclosed numerous sudden and serious illnesses had followed the taking of capsules from the dispensary.

For two days during the investigation, a virulent and strange malady called "spotted fever," a form of meningitis, was suspected and several Fijis, intimates of Huls, were held under constant surveillance by doctors. 

Brother Huls was one of the leaders in student activities at Ohio State. He was editor of the year book and a member of Sphinx*, Bucket and Dipper**, Pi Delta Epsilon***, Sigma Delta Chi**** and the varsity band. He was also active in chapter affairs and at the time of his death was corresponding secretary.

Ae a student, he was respected by his colleagues and professors; as a Fiji, he was beloved by his brothers; as an all around good fellow, he enjoyed large popularity.

Huls' home was in Logan and he is buried near there. Among his survivors is Brother Fred Huls, a junior at Ohio State.

*SPHINX is the oldest honorary at Ohio State University. Since 1907, SPHINX has recognized 24 exceptional senior students with membership annually.

**Bucket & Dipper is a Junior Class Honorary comprised of up to 30 members dedicated to scholarship, leadership, and service. Since its creation as a student organization in 1907, Bucket & Dipper has been ​a dedicated group of juniors at The Ohio State University. This tight-knit group is rooted in tradition surrounding the Illibuck (Illi), Mirror Lake, and local service. 

***Pi Delta Epsilon, founded in 1909 at Syracuse University, is an American honor society for student journalists. It merged with Alpha Phi Gamma(ΑΦΓ) on June 1, 1975 and became The Society for Collegiate Journalists (SCJ).

****Sigma Delta Chi, now known as The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University.

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The time of their young lives

An Ohio Christmas, 1924

Uncle Charley mentioned in his Dec. 9, 1924 letter home that he was involved with a party for poor children:

        I won't be home until Saturday, the 20. I am through finals on Thursday but we are having the Christmas party for the poor kids Friday night and its a party worth staying over for. Besides I'll probably [be, sic] needed to help get them here and home.

So of course I went digging and found this in the Dec. 12, 1924 issue of The Lantern:

SIX FRATERNITIES WILL ENTERTAIN NEEDY CHILDREN

CHRISTMAS PARTIES, WITH TOYS AND SANTA CLAUS, PLANNED BY CAMPUS GROUPS.

Phi Gamma Delta, Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Nu, Zeta Beta Tau, Delta Tau Delta, D. U. to Be Hosts.

    The spirit of old St. Nicholas will be the ruling but unseen visitor in a number of fraternity homes next week, when many needy youngsters are shown the time of their young lives.

    Phi Gamma Delta, the first fraternity to establish Christmas charity parties, will again entertain a group of boys and girls with a dinner and appropriate entertainment. Christmas trees will be in evidence in most of the houses that are giving parties and everything possible is being planned to brighten the one night of entertainment for the children.

To Provide Practical Gifts

    Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Nu fraternities are giving similar functions. The latter is planning to have one of its members don the red and white costume of Santa to play host to the children, while the former organization is buying practical gifts as well as toys and novelties to entertain their youthful visitors after the Christmas dinner.

    Zeta Beta Tau and Delta Upsilon are also contemplating charity parties and are just completing the arrangements for getting the children presents and a tree.

Charitable Groups Assist

    A number of sources are being used for obtaining the youngsters that most need such attention. The Godman Guild, the Family Service Bureau, and several other organizations are cooperating with the fraternities, so that the children may be gathered from all sections of the city.

    Delta Tau Delta fraternity plans to pass on to needy Columbus children the toys and gifts that they, in a spirit of fun, presented to each other. These gifts will be taken downtown and given to children who are members of large families, and who would otherwise receive very little to make their Christmas a happy one.

    The practical gifts that will be offered to the youngsters will take the form of shirts, ties, gloves, shoes, and a great variety of other useful and much needed presents.

I certainly hope he, and they, had the time of their young lives.

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Fear lowers the vitality

It's fascinating to go back and watch a news story develop. Two stories appeared in the Monday, Feb. 2, 1925 edition of the Lancaster (Ohio) Eagle-Gazette as the story developed.

First to be laid out was this tiny brief, way back on page 10:

Son of Eugene Huls Dies At Ohio State

    Charles Huls, 22, son of Eugene Huls, for many years State Factory Inspector and editor of the Logan Republican, died Saturday night, following the extraction of an ulcerated tooth Friday. Young Huls was a senior in the college of commerce and journalism at O. S. U. and edited the Makio in 1924.

    His death occurred at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity home where he was a member. The Huls family is very well known in Lancaster. 

Then the front page was laid out. The front page is always laid out last to make sure the latest news and updates get attention. This front page is a nightmare. It didn't stack the separate headlines like most newspapers did in 1925, but it split them down the middle. I don't care if the left is sans serif and the right is serif -- it's a mess:

Sudden Death Of Two O.S.U. Students Causes Alarm

Order Friends Of Dead Men Be Isolated

(By The Associated Press)

    COLUMBUS. Feb. 2--Further precautionary measures to prevent a possible outbreak of cerebro meningitis at Ohio State University, and where to [sic] students have died suddenly and under mysterious circumstances were taken today when Dr. H. Shindle Wingert, university physician examined six personal friend [sic] of one of the deceased students and ordered them isolated.

    Charles E. [sic] Huls of Logan died Saturday in a fraternity house, of what was thought to be tetanus. Davis [sic] Puskin of Canton, a junior in the college of journalism died suddenly yesterday after circumstances similar to those surrounding the death of Huls.

    To determine whether both students died from the same cause, local health authorities asked Logan officials to perform a post mortem over Huls. Information received here today, however is to the effect that the student's family objects to the procedure.

    In the midst of his examination of other students, Dr. Wingert issued a statement urging students "not to be scared about the present flurry. 

    "There is little to cause general eoncern," he said. "Individuals, however are urged to keep their general health at a high level, observe regular hours, keep in good physical condition and keep the face and hands scrupulously clean. Fear lowers the vitality and besides, there is not much occasion for it."

    Puskin, the second student to die arose yesterday morning, apparently in good health. He went to the bathroom to shave was seized with convlsions [sic] and died within 20 minutes.

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Purple and white

218 E Seventeenth Avenue

The fraternity Phi Gamma Delta (ΦΓΔ) has changed a lot since 1925, as has 218 E. Seventeenth Avenue. The Omicron Deuteron Chapter began there in 1878 as Ohio State's first fraternity. Charley quickly became involved when he went to OSU in 1921 and Grandpa was happy to follow in his shoe steps the next year.

Fred (upper left) and Charley (lower right)

Uncle Charley was a "Fiji" as was Grandpa Fred. They both seemed to live the Greek life to its fullest. If you look through their Makio yearbooks, you see the epitome of 1920s stereotypes: jazz age kids with raccoon skin coats, bobbed and shingled hair, and lots of pomade.

I wonder, did the fraternity colors of royal purple and white resonate with the brothers since those were also the colors of Logan High School.

I find myself staring at the above pictured fraternity house and wonder if one of those windows looked in on their bedroom or bathroom. Did Uncle Charley or Grandpa Fred look through them and what did they see? A bright future?

I then look at the photo of the brothers with their Brothers in this 1925 Makio photo. I'm glad they did not know what was coming, other than a desire to warn them.

I believe the original Phi Gamma Delta  building was torn down in the mid '60s, because the current apartment building on that site was built around 1966. The current Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house is nearby at 94 E. Fifteenth Ave.

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Grave concern

courtesy of Find a Grave

Uncle Charley was buried on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1925 in Lancaster, Ohio at Forest Rose Cemetery in his mother's family Troxel plot.*

FUNERAL SERVICES HELD IN LOGAN FOR CHARLES H. HULS

SIX FRATERNITY BROTHERS ARE PALLBEARERS FOR DECEASED SENIOR.

Many University Students Attend Ceremonies—Burial Is Made at Lancaster This Afternoon.

Charles H. Huls was buried today in Lancaster. 

Ceremonies attended by many Ohio State University students, preceding his interment, were held in Logan at 1 p. m. 

His death, caused by tetanus, threw a gloom over the large group of University students with whom he was acquainted. 

The pall bearers were all Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity brothers of the deceased student. They were John N. Heed. Darrel D. Loeblein, Lester W. Taylor, Arthur E. Davis, Joseph M. Downs, and Leroy W. Hendershott. 

The fraternity members attended the services in a body. There were also representatives of Sphinx, Bucket and Dipper, Pi Delta Epsilon, Sigma Delta Chi, and the Makio staff present; all organizations of which Huls was a member while in school. 

Y. M. C. A. and Boost Ohio sent representatives to the funeral services, while a number of social fraternities, friends of Huls were present to pay their last respects to their lost friend. 

The services were held at the Huls' home in Logan, with the Rev. G.W. Blair of the Logan M.E. Church conducting them.

When authorities asked to perform on autopsy on Charley after his burial, my grieving great-grandfather said,

"We do not wish to take any part in the investigation," Huls declared, "we are satisfied that an infected tooth led to his death."

Great-grandpa quickly changed his mind, but the autopsy was never performed.

*Charley and their deceased infant sister were moved in August 1934 (same cemetery, new location) when their parents, A.E. and Anna Huls, died from car accident injuries. Charley's brother Fred moved them to a new Huls plot.

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PURE STRYCHNINE!

In late fall or early winter 1987, my late 83-year-old grandfather wrote a letter to Benjamin Balshone, R.Ph. Balshone, who died in 1991, published at least two books that I can find, so maybe he was interested in writing a book about the strychnine killings. A registered pharmacist, he had at least some connection to the O.S.U. College of Pharmacy where there are awards named after he and his wife, and he was a board member of the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy from 1973-1977.

Part of that letter appears in The History of the College of Pharmacy at Ohio State University in  Chapter VI, simply entitled, The Poisonings.

I am publishing it here in its entirety. The mistakes Grandpa caught and corrected by hand are enclosed with (parenthesis). The mistakes I caught are enclosed with [brackets] and/or a sic. Emphasis is all his.

Dear Mr. Balshone,

Please forgive me for (not) having responded to your letter of September. I was in the hospital at the time the (letter) arrived and it became misplaced while I was not at home.

At 83 my memories sometimes become a little hazy, but I will endeavor to relate some of the events as I remember them. However I would suggest that (you) research the files of the Columbus Dispatch of that time and also the files of the Logan Republican, published by my father, A.E. Huls. Those files are on micro-film at the Ohio State Library.*

My brother and I roomed together at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house. He had been suffering from a cold and went to the University Health Service for an excuse from classes he had missed (something concerning a new (rule) about cutting classes, the details of which I can't remember). They gave him a prescription for cold capsules. It was filled by the pharmacy in the Colle(g)e of Pharmacy building.

He took one of the capsules at dinner that evening at the fraternity house. He had a date that evening and told me I could have his car if I would take him "down to the corner" which was the name for Fifteenth and High streets. As he went to get into the car is [his, sic]  legs collapsed and he could not walk. We carried him up to our room and called a doctor.

While the doctor was working on my brother, I went into the bathroom with one of the capsules, intending to take it as I also had a slight cold. Just then a fraternity brother came in saying the doctor wanted to see me. I put the capsule on (a) marble window sill and went to our room. The doctor told me my brother was dying. He was having convulsions and s(u)ffered an agonizing death.

Another student, a David Puskin of Canton, Ohio, died about the same time after having taken cold capsules from the University Pharmacy. Actual cause of the deaths was not known, but there were speculations about spinal menengitis [sic] and other similar causes of death.

The (U)niversity issued calls for the remaining capsules to be returned for a(n)alysis. Upon returning to school after my brother's funeral, I refused to turn the capsules in my possession over to the University (the capsule I had intended to take was still on the window ledge when I returned). The University found some of the capsules returned contained a trace of strychnine.

I took the capsules in my possession to Ray Hoyt, then City editor of the Columbus Dispatch and a friend of my brother. He took them to a private and independent chemist chemist [sic] and the result was PURE STRYCHNINE!

That of course broke the case wide open. Many believed it was murder. I refute this as my brother knew no one in the Pharmacy Department. It may have (been) an attempt at "wholesale slaughter' which has become so prevalent today. Personally I believe it mere carelessness on the part of students and faculty in the College of Pharmacy. Evidence given at the formal inquiry suggests this.

After a while (t)hen Go(v)ernor Vic Danahey called for an investigation of the P(h)armacy Department and he appointed the Dean to investigate the tragedy (to investigate itself).

For years I had a transcript of the hearing and investigation but it has become lost or misplaced. However I would believe an original is still on file by the State of Ohio.

The State of Ohio finally paid $10,000 to the parents of each student who died, which I believe was the standard death claim paid for industrial deaths at that time.

This has been written strictly from memory. I suggest that you review the newspaper files mention(e)d* and make inquiry as to the availability of the official report.

Sincerely,

Fred E. Huls

P.S. My typing also has slipped a little -- please excuse!

This letter shows a few errors.

• Grandpa always said Charley was murdered. Not intentionally, but randomly. It was no accident.
• Newspaper reports say Great-Grandpa Gene filed a claim for $15,000 but only received $7,500 -- as did David Puskin's father. However, Gene wrote a letter stating he received $10,000.
• I have found an R.G. Hoyt who was City Editor for the Columbus Dispatch in 1925.

*Grandpa Fred spent a considerable amount of time, money, and effort making sure the Logan Republican was on microfiche. Those films cannot be currently found.

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*Deceased January 31, 1925

The OSU dispensary in the early 1900s.

The last week of January 1925 was not starting well for Charley Huls. It was his second to last quarter* at The Ohio State University where he was scheduled to graduate in June with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and Journalism. He was the epitome of the Big Man on Campus at OSU.

According to the 1925 Makio yearbook, Charley was a member of Phi Gamma Delta, Sphinx, Bucket and Dipper, Sigma Delta Chi, Pi Delta Epsilon, Boost Ohio, editor of the 1924 Makio yearbook (Grandpa was editor of the 1926 Makio), News Editor of the Lantern newspaper, business manager of the Phoenix, Makio board, Junior Prom committee, band, and Senior Invitation Committee.

It also states, "*Deceased January 31, 1925".

By Friday, Charley couldn't stand it anymore and went to went to the college of dentistry and had the troublesome tooth pulled. On Saturday he went to Dr. H. Shindle Wingert at the student health center for a prescription of "R&Ws" -- red and white capsules available at the student dispensary that were filled with aspirin (red) and quinine (white) -- the house cold medicine, so to speak. Students were supposed to alternate red or white capsules every few hours.

An unmailed letter Charley wrote home the day of his death was found afterwards. In it he complained to his mother, Anna Rebecca Troxel Huls, that he had been holding a light bulb against his jaw for the heat. He said the heat helped. He also mentioned his cold and his plans to take medicine before dinner because he had a date.

(Charley was allegedly engaged to Margaret Speaks, daughter of Rep. John C. Speaks of Ohio, and the future Voice of Firestone.)

According to Grandpa and newspaper accounts, Charley told Grandpa he could borrow their car if he'd drop Charley off somewhere for his date. They were heading to the car after eating their dinners when Charley collapsed. Their Phi Gamma Delta fraternity brothers carried Charley up to the room they shared where it quickly became apparent that something was seriously wrong. A doctor and the stricken man's parents were summoned.

Charley was going into horrible spasms. The fraternity brothers gathered in the hallway began to wonder if Charley had lockjaw.

Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection characterized by muscle spasms that begin in the jaw and progress throughout the body. Some spasms can break bones. About ten percent of cases prove fatal. The first tetanus vaccine was first produced in 1924, but that didn't help Charley.

Things were looking grim for Charley and Grandpa was feeling sick himself. He went into their bathroom and took out one of the "R&W" pills. Before he could take it, the doctor called for him to return.

Grandpa placed the white capsule on the marble windowsill where it sat until he returned to OSU after the funeral.

That decision saved his life.

*OSU did not switch to the semester system until 2012.

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Big Man on Campus

Charles H. Huls

It has been ninety-six years since my great-uncle, Charles Henry Huls, died in agony on Saturday, January 31, 1925. Ninety-six years since my late grandfather either telephoned or telegraphed their parents, who lived fifty miles southeast of The Ohio State University, and basically told them to drop everything and get to Columbus.

NOW.

Did they rouse their driver and have him drive them up to the boys' fraternity house? Did they have any car trouble or flat tires? Or did they catch a late Hocking Valley train and frantically wonder if their Golden Boy, the Heir Apparent, was okay as the train slowly chugged towards Columbus.

Was it forced to stop at each and every single town and crossing?

• Logan
• Enterprise
• Rockbridge
• Sugar Grove
• Lancaster
• Hooker
• Carroll
• Lockville
• Winchester
• Groveport
• Edwards
• Valley Crossing
• Columbus!

Sadly, my great-grandparents did not make it to the fraternity house in time to say their goodbyes. Understandably, my late grandfather, Fred E. Huls, didn't like to talk about his brother's death. I know he was in their en suite bathroom about to take some cold medicine when the doctor called him back in for Charley's death throes at 10:30 p.m. Ninety-six years ago Grandpa held his adored older brother and roommate while Charley died. Charley was 22. Grandpa was only 20.

But what happened? Sure, Charley had felt poorly all week due to a cold and an abscessed tooth but healthy young men don't die from that, do they? As it later turned out, they did not.

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