Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-05-27
Death of DR.. ]. #. Paterson.

In the Savannah NeUs, of the 18th, we
lind the following particulars of the death ol
DR.. j. T. PATTERSON. DR.. P.was we'll known
in this vicinity, and was connected with Prof.
HOLMES for short while in the Nitre Bureau
at,this place. The Ne,os says:
About one o'clock Saturday it was rumorcd
that DR.. j. T. Paterson had committed sui
eide by taking laudanum at his room in the
| Pavilion House.
On making inquiries at the proper sources,
we learned that DR.. Paterson had died few
minutes before twelve o'clock. The night be-
fore he came in about eleven o'clock, sppa
rcntly III very nervous condition, and laid
down with his clothes on. Between twelve
and two o'clock lie arose and took three or
four drinks of spirits. His wife, who was ly.
ing on the lounge, being aroused by some
movement or remark of the Doctor, asked
him what he had taken. His reply was
laudanum." She then asked him how much
he had taken, to which he replied, .forty
drops" "ls not that large dose ?" said
she. "No,,' he replied, "not for man in
my condition" This remarls qnieted his wife,
and after some further conversation both went
to sleep. About eight o'clock in the morning
the proprietor of the hotel came in and asked
the Doctor some questions, to which he made
answers. but none of them very rational. He
did not get up then, but laid on the bed and
sunk into deep sleep, breathing very heavily.
About eleven o'clock his wife became alarmed
at his sleeping so long and breathing so heav,
H., anl fr, al IN 20
Failing in this, she sent for DR.. ]. d. Fish,
the attendant physician, who arrived about
hsl:past eleven. O'Clock. H!Hc found the patient
in an insensible condition, with all the,indi-.
cations which follow the taking Of laudanum.
Remedies were found useless, and a few min
utes after the Doctors arrival the soul of
James T. Paterson winged its. fight to another
world.
It is supposed by many that the deceased
committed suicide, and there were,lnany ru-
mors afoat on the streets relative to the
causes which prompted him to end his earth.
ly existence, but we are not advised that.any
of them have q just foundation. =.
1t is the opinion Of DR.. Fish that the de-
ceased did not intend to commit suicide, that
he had been drinking. and was nervous, and
finding that he could not Sleep. had resource,
to laudanum, bottle of which was always
kept in the sideboard that unwittingiy be
either took more than be intended, or thought,
that the quantity taken would only produce.
the repose which he stood in need Of The
Doctor states that he attended the deceased
two or three days previous, and had several
conversations with him, and saw nothing
either in his conduct or conversation to indi-
cate that he was. at all depressed, or thathe
in the least meditated killing himself.
The deceasedis Scstchman by birth, very
intelligent, and at the time Of his death was
thirty-six years Of age. Several years previ- !
GUS to the war he came to Boston, Massachu-'
sets, and engaged in his.profession Of. dentis-
try. There he married, and also there his /
wife died, after which he removed to Charles-
ton, South Carolina, where te;worked as q
dentist for some time, and then moved to Au-- /
gusta, Georgia, where he worked at his pro-
fession. While there be married his. present
wife. At the breaking out of the war, he
went to Richmond, Va, and, we learn, was
for time surgeon in the @. S. A.. During
The latter part of the war he was employed in.
Richmond, Va, and Columbia, S. O., litho.
graphing Confederate money. After the
Close ofthe war; some time ia the fall ofl S65,
be removed ,tn this city. He had been carry
ng ON an extensive lumber business for some i
lime past, having bis mills at Darien andhis
office here. .fzl-t- - .ai
His remains we're taken to Augusta yes.
erday BY the Central Railroad, where they,|
yill be inferred in a lot Of the family in the
cemetery. there j.