Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-12-04
Death OF WA. Gsge Key by MOrphia.

!
| We copy from IA" Baltimore sun of Tuesday
morning last, the following account of the painful
suicide of son of the late Col H. G. S. Key OF
Leonardtown:
| There was IL great sensation at the Rennert
House yesterday morning by the discovery OF the
suicide OF William ogly key, one OF the we'll
known members of the Mary land family of that
name, whose dead body WIS found in bed by his
room mate, John L. Stoddcrt, when he aWoke
about eight o'clock. Mr.. Stoddcrt is from st.
Mary'S county, Md, where Mr. Key had lived
also. They had been companions together very
much of late. When he woke up he found Key
was dead, and fastened to inform Mr.. Renncrt
OF the circumstance. The police We're notified,
and DR.. Walker, coroner, informed, who summon
ed a jury, !. f. ballard, foreman. The room oc-
cuprd by Key and Stoddert is on the third lloor.
There Were TWO beds, one facing the door and the
other on tn, left OF tho entrance, on which the
body OF the suicide lay, resting on its right side
| IN an easy position, with IL champagne cork
;enchcd i'll the right hand, While the other hung
naturally by his side.
Key and himself had been rOom-nlatcS for some
days past at the Rcnntrt House. Last saturday
| night they had been drinking II little; while on
| Baltimore street Mr.. Key went into colo man q
ROgrr>'S drug store and purchased twelve one
quarter grain mOrphia pills, WitnrS, loaning him
| = 10 pay for them. The attendant at the drug
tore, smith NJ. DccVrrS cOlOrcd. did not wish To
| ,cll the morphine, but Mr.. Key said his aunt
| Mr.. HriScOc, would see they wrTt prop 'rly adj
mini>Iercd. ON Sunday morning Mr.. Key, speak
ing To the witness on several ocC;l ions, spoke
about committing suicide. He s;l!d he wanted
| the pills away.
| Mi Key went to bed sunday afternoon. and
returning. at II. NJ, found Mr.. Key i'll his q. 81
| bed. Key looked strange, and witness having
asked HIM what was the matter he said Good
| bye, John. I've committed suicide" Witness
did not believe this. rs Key had told him he had
thrown away the pills While celebrating over
tn" matter NY Jun q az, and staggering To hl-
own bed, called Tor drink, which Was brought
/ him. \ colorc,i waiter whom Key had promised
10 give some clothing reminded him nt the pro-
mise, and hr said, 't'O away and wait until to-
morrow and tnrl! you can hay" mine, for WON
need them any more About Il quarter before
/ twelve o'clock TIE occupants of the room both
went 10 their beds. Mir. Mccormick, n friend
entering soon afterwards. looked at key, and in
rel t'u~r To MIR. Stodirrt> suggestions OF apprc-
Ac'i>iuns for Key, said. lie j. only ecping
>DudIv and will doubt feel b.rt.riu the morn
| ny. Witness th"n fell asleep. but on awakin2
| IN the morning about eight o'clock, he observed
tir peculiar color Of his friends features. lie
touched hi> hand and feeling it, icy GOODNESS
urc'1nc afraid and ran down stair, 10 tell the
a,t-i p,"pi" II" thought Key was dead but was
afraid 10 convince himself OF the fact.
| While Mr. :>to,idrrt was giving his testimony
pnr -! the Jury men, who stood ut the foot OF the
bed upon which til" corpse lay. became, very FAINT
and had Ia leave the room
! smith VI. DcrYrr~, the colurcd attendant III
'nle man. \ Eu@cl> store WI D" i an cNISrltnc-
II, corrphor;,t!U- what Mr.. SJoddcrt had said IL
| regard to the purchase of tn" morphia Irlls Oh
saturday, night; He added that Il" would not
have, sold the pills tut for he promise ;hat they
Would h. handed over To Mr.. Bri>cOc. or 10 the
care of Mr.. Stodleri. /. was not the habit of the
huls>" To sell potent drugs indiSCriminat"lN, but
! II was customary t. let odd customers have what
| they called FOR. lac had kuo~a Mir. Key for
| twenty Years, and hal known his father before
| lJm. II" purchased IL quarter grain nnrphi;,
pills. Tn" label showed the number of the pills,
! and the directions wrrr. TO b" taken ON" ext rH
! hour. II i>supppscd Key took them all at once.
! tn' pill box. which was empty. wtS found in the
vest pocket al Key, with IL note, written on Il
lip "i i0I~.r, rs follows:
| '~un,I'y. october -. lS7j-I die in peace with
mankind. wish | r. Sm.t TN. Of Virginia, To take
| special CaTsr If the affections and cares oi my
poor and afflicted family. NM. -. KEY.
| The jury rendered n verdict of suicide 10y an
excessive dos, OF morphiH.
! MI. Key Was about iuTty-tiVc years of age lie
| was the son -. the late II. e. southern Key. oi
! l1uuauilown. Md. He married Miss Coleman.
an AlaiEsIul E.!y. and before the war owned an
| state in Louisiana. lie WAS in lNiH connected
! with thu \vN York Hotel. in New York city.
| ~" had tlsb been connected with the ~. Charles
| Iuttl ]. NV orleans During In, war he WAS -
| luarteTma>tcr, with the rank If Major, in the
| 'or:i.t"rat" service, and after the war resided
tnr some Time mt nlnutnwn. Perry county, Ala
| He came To iatli mDrt. snort while ago
| rom Mobile. His father WAS tn" second cousin
I Francis =. hey. author ui the >tr-~Isti1gIcd
| iianurT.