The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-07-26
Death In The Cup.
Il Singular and Deliberate Case Of ST.
icide in Nashville Youth tired of
Life, Takes Morphine.

0Z1 @'"o
The coroner was called upon about
half past twelve o'clock Sunday night
to hold an inquest over the body OF
Dir. Joseph Page, who lived with his
father, on Broad street, between High
and Summer streets. After a full in
vestigation of the facts in the case a
verdict was rendered that the deceased
came to his death by on overdose OF
morphine administered by himself
1t seems that last Friday. Mr.. Page
procured morphine for the purpose OF
destroying himself, but that it had
been taken from him. During Sstur-
day he took several drinks of whisky,
but was moi to any great degree intox-
icated, neither did he appear very
much depressed. He was never very
vivacious, though always genial and
generous hearted. He continued to
drink rather freely until Sunday morn
ing. That evening he made several
illusions, vague and meaningless in
themselves, but easily understood
when connected with his suicide that
night. He asked a Mr.. Woods for a
chew of tobacco, and said it would be
his last chew; that he would never
take another drink either He was
al so heard TO remark: Pm going to
leave this country" His brother.
who returned from Kentucky Friday
night, keeps a drug store on Cherry
street, the first door below Broad, and
the unfortunate young gentleman was
staying in the drug store.
About half past seven he entered
the house of Mrs. Nolan, his sister,
just in zeal of the drug store, and
went directly into the back room. He
took q tin cup, containing water, and,
emptying ten grains of morphine into
the cup, swallowed the deadly draught.
A little nephew, struck with the
strangeness of his uncle's air, asked
him what he was doing. He replied
that he was taking a dose of SALTS
His sister, who had gone into the room
where he was by this time, hearing
the little fellow talking to him about
taking something, and having heard
of the previous attempt to commit
asked anxiously what he had
swallowed. "You will find out by
morning." he said, in a tone that vas
the key to his dreadful purpose, and
he pointed to the paper that had con-
tanned the fatal drug, "rhat will tell
you" 1t. was labeled "mcrphire, ter
grains" There was now no room for
doubt in his sisters mind. Meantime
he was perfectly calm and ~self-pos-
sezsed. His father and brother were
Immediately sent for, and upon their
arrival he was found lying very quiet,
but awake, upon a bed. He was car
ried home at once. lie passed old
George, a colored porter, on his. way
and calling him by a familiar
nickname, "ColoneI Walker" shook
hands with him warmly and babe him
an eternal goodbye.
DR., Sneed was sent for: but was in
tie country, SO DR.. Mcconnell was
the first physician who reached him.
His family and friends had striyen to
administer warm water and whatever
they thought might serve as an anti
.ote until the Doctor could come but
he would persistently refuse everything
OIS lILlC, duu at illlOllLAl liz hOulO
take what was offered him, pretend
ne was going to swallow it, and
throw it away, saying, "Give me
don't rush g. man into this
for the poison was now taking
fast hold of him, and he was rapidly
becoming delirous. When DIR. Nc
Council got there he had just begun
to show signs of stupor, and DR.. Eve
was SEN for, DR.. Madden, and at last
DR.. Sneed being also in attendance
A stomach pump was used as soon as
possible, and served to clear his stom-
ach thoroughly, but as he had not
anything for some time previous,
the morphine, from its easy solubi!ity
had already entered his system, and
was fast laying its deadly grasp upon
the most vital parts. The effect OF
the dose became more and more man
fest, until finally, about half past
he breathed his last.
AS we have already stated, young
Page was genial and warm-hearted.-
had no enemy but in himself. He
seems TO have deliberately resolved
upon his own death, and when two
tried to hold him to administer
something that might relieve him, he
resisted with all his strength, and, yet
in his senses, said he was tired of life.
In fact, he seemed to look joyously
forward to his approaching end. He
was between nineteen and twenty years
Of age, and apart from the fact that
he had been dissipating (though GER
not enough to impair his mind)
there is no reason known to any one
why he should thus have taken his
own young and vigorous ife.-Nash-
vile Banner.