New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-17
Mysterious Death in Houston.

We condense the following statement
from the Galveston Ne,es of the fifteenth
instant:
A few days ago a stranger in Houston.
whose name subsequently turned out to be
George B. Sanborn, was found sick and dy
ing in a fence corner in the eastern suburbs
of Houston Mrs. Hildebrandt kindly took
him into her house. but he expired shortly
after in commissions Of the character pro-
duced by strychnine.
The only witness sworn at the inquest
was Mrs. Hildebrandt, at whose house the
unfortunate man died. Being sworn. she
testified that the deceased died OF spasms,
at her house. from causes to her unknown.
The following letter was found on the,
person of deceased:
OFFICE OF STUART, NORTON Co,
General Commission Merchants,
New Orleans, June ID, la.l)
DEAR SANBoRN-I have yours OF the thir-
tieth ultimo. and am glad to learn you are
s.located." Times are so fearfully dull, you
are dor,bIy fortunate in getting employment
at all, and particularly in the face OF a long
summer of inactivity. I have never been
to Galveston. and have had great desire
to visit it, Nothing has turned up for me
vet. and if you hear of anything promlssory
in Galveston I would be much obliged it
YOU will advise me. No one has called to
see you yet.
With my best wishes for your success
GEORGE NORTON.
Among the papers taken off the dead
man was his bill for board, rendered the
day before his death by the day clerk at
the Hutchins House, and who had taken
possession of deceaseds room in default OF
his payment. Saaborn asserted that he
expected remittances from Ball, Hutchlns
g. Co., of Galveston, and other parties.
There was also bill for board, ETC., at the
Cosmopolitan Hotel, Galveston.
Among the papers OF the deceased also
appears square blue envelOpe-oniy an
MISUNDERSTANDING in the corner the initial
NJ, and which bore the address. written IN
a large, round, female hand, OF Miss Maud
Melville, Cincinnati, Ohio" There is moth
ing among his other papers to show what
relations the deceased had toward the lady.
Persons resident in Houston say they
knew Sanborn in Englan ten or fifteen
years ago, and that at that time he could
command large amounts of money. Such
was his financial strength in 1860, it is said.
that he give sister now living in Ohio. or
some OF the Northwestern States, 500 ,U00 as
q wedding gift.
The inquest of Sanborn is but another sad
reflection upon the laxity with which coro-
ner's inauests are conducted in Texas, and
especially in Houston: tor instance the
hndv of Sanborn lay from 10 A NJ. to ? P.
NJ. before being buried, during which time
Health Officer clarendon had expressed his
oninion that the deceased came TO his death
from the operation of some powerful drug.
and vet there was no inquiry on the part OF
the authorities as to where 1t had Deen
ATTAINED. or even whether he had taken
noison. or whether it had been admins
tered to him.
At the inquest. sworn to inquire into MS
death physician was not even suuuoneu +
to examine the body, and the presence OF
DR.. clarendon, the health officer, was secured
only after the inquest, at the instance OF an
elderly Irish lady. who kept rubbing the
| BODY from 10 A. NJ. until P. M, thinking
she observed signs Of life.
The Ners reporter called on DR.. Laren-
| don, the health officer, yesterday, anu was
| by him informed that he was, as ABOVE
| stated, called to look at the body, not az,
| or by the inquest, but by the old Irish lazy;
Mrs. O'Connor. He found the body SILL
warm, but life was undoubtedly extinct.
The deceased looked to have been IN e1-
cellert health. and was q comparatively
Young man. DR.. clarendon. on in1uiring OF
Mrs Hildebrandt, in whose house Samoa
breathed his last, ascertained the character
of the commissions with which he died to
indicate poison by strychnia; the convue
sions were of the tetanic kind and death
was swift, a. it always is from suryehnine;,
Mira. Hildebrandt, who is one of the old
and respectable German families OF the
city. states that as soon as Sanborp came
into the house, he lay down on the gar
lery," when she offered him cup OF couee,
which he drank. and almost lmme1iasely
expired. He had the Commissions Deioro
drinking the coffee.