The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1875-09-23
WATERS DEATH.
1t was Caused by an Ovredcse OF
Morphine.
4 Post MOrttm Examination OF
His Body Reveals the Fac:
That Two Pieces of Wire We're
Embedded in The Skull.

Aswa stated in THE TINES of last Sun
day morning, the death OF the ex-conviet
Thomas J. Waters was caused by an over
dose of morphine, administered by his own
hand. At the coroner's inquest, held BY
Justice Mckee at the State Penitentiary,
where Waters died, Mr.. George Mckinney,
upon whose farm the deceased had been
formerly employed, testified that upon the
recommendation of Warden Hopkins, of
the Kansas State Penitentiary, he had hired
Waters to work for him upon the farm
that the deceased being in somewhat delicate
health he did not allow him to do much
save small jobs in the garden that Thur
day morning Waters left suddenly without
informing any one Of his intentions,
and did not return until late
in the afternoon of the same day; that
upon being interrogated as to where he had
been he stated he had been into Leaven-
worth where he had bought some medicine
for the fits, which he felt to be coming
upon him when asked if he knew how to
use the medicine he said he did, but did
not say what the medicine was; that de-
ceased did not eat much and retired to bed
early; that about half past eleven O'Clock he
(McKenney) was awakened by a rapping At
his door, but upon opening it saw no one
there; went into Waters room and found
that it was he who had raped; got some
cold tea and bread which deceased wanted,
and then retired to bed again; got up at the
usual time and got his breakfast; deceased
did not come down and upon going to his
room found him sleeping so sound
ly that it was impossible to wake
him secured the services Of a physician,
but all efforts TO resuscitate him failed; a
bottle containing a small quantity Of NOR
phine was found in one of his pockets; he
was removed from his residence to the
State Penitentiary, where he died.
DIR. Carpenter, after the coroner's jury had
sat upon the body and delivered verdict
to the effect that the deceased had come to
his death by reason Of an overdose of NOR
phine, made a post norton examination,
and discovered two pieces of common
broom wire embedded in the skull also a
piece Of glass, which was, however, merely
lying on the skull, just underneath the
skin, although the latter had grown over
il, hiding it from view This ex-
animation was made by DR.. Carpenter
merely for the purpose of ascertaining
whether pieces of the wire which Waters
had driven into his head last fall still re-
manned, the general impression being that
they had all been taken out. How it was
that he managed to live with the wire in
his head is mystery that none of the ply
sicians can unravel, Is it must surely have
penetrated deeply into the brain. Waters
had, during his lifetime, taken pieces of
wire, and in the presence of nurses and at
sendants at the penitentiary repeatedly
thrust them into his head and drawn them
out again, Boosting of the feat and declar-
ing that ii could not kill him.
Waters was monomaniac upon this sub
iect OF self-destruction, and three years
ago he was sent to the asylum
for the insane at Osawatonie, from where
he was returned to the prison in a years
time, as cured. During the latter three
years of his imprisonment at the peni,en-
tiary, he was not required to do hard work
of any description, being employed as an
attendant at the hospital.