Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-07
SUICIDE.
E. Waiburg, a Well-knOwn Cotton
Buyer, Shuflss Of the Mortal
Coil by Means of Two
Ounces Of Laudannm.
A Most Deliberate Case Of Self.
Slaughter.

A Most Deliberate Case Of Self
Slaughter.
In yesterdays LEDGER appeared the
notice Of the attempt to commit suicide
by Edward Warburg, cotton-buyer. Mr..
Warburg lived until 5 o'clock last even
ing, when he sank rapidly and died. The
case of suicide was one Of the most de-
Hberate on record, every movement look
ing toward that end being perfected and
accomplished secretly and successfully.
The bottle Of %laudanum, two ounces, was
purchased the day before out on Poplar
street, at Harrison's drug store. The
letter addressed to Mr.. W. B. Gslbreath,
President Of the Cotton Exchange, with
directions to Mr.. Neiderer to deliver it
before he announced his (Warburg's 81
death, was evidently written on Wednes-
day by Mr.. Wsrburg at his cotton Office,
as in his bedroom no pen, ink or paper
could be discovered. On Wednesday be
was at his Office and around town cheer
full as usual. he was at the Cotton Ex-
change in the afternoon and laughed
and talked with his friends in the usual
manner. At IL o'clock at night be sat
and talked with General Cotton Green
for a considerable length Of time in front
Of the insurance Office on Madison street,
aud later in the night he visited Lubr-
mans beer saloon on Monroe street and
drank a glass or two Of beer. This
was about one o'clock, aud to his nu'
merous friends and acquaintance who
met him during the day, afternoon and
night, he seemed 10 be in the best spirits
the gayest Of the gay; and all this was
assumed, as be had already accumulated
in his bedroom the emblems of death
the paraphernalia of the grave. Leav
ing his friends and, as it were, the busy
world, lie retired to his room, which il
situated in the third story, rear end, o
the Neiderer building on Madison street
corner OF Second alley. Nothing ap
peared to have been disturbed around
the room. His clothing was removes
T and placed on a chair and on the floor
aud on the table we're placed tn
" letter" and the deadly bottle of lauds
t mum. he did not pour the two ounce
e of life. stealing liquid into a glass, b
8 cause no glass in the room had an
= traces Of lsudanum in it, but he place
the vial 10 his mouth and drained th
narcotic to the very dregs, leavin
e about one. fourth Of a teaspoontu
d which was retained in the vial b
y the shoulders Ct the glass bottle. q
then lay down to pleasant dream
1 This must have happened about 2 or
o'clock, because the physicians saw hi
!, at half.psst II o'clock next day-and v
believe it is a medical fact that if Il
stomach pump and other remedies al
applied before FIVE hours have elapse
in cases Of attempted suicide by laud
mum, the general rule is that the life
} the patient will be saved; but in th
U case the drug had time to become q
sor5ed into the system, producing drow'
ness and ~insensibility, so that with Il
suicide in such cases,
e Ellis little life is rounded with a Sleep"
d The letter addressed to Colonel Ga
breath was not opened until after M
G. Warburg's death had taken place. VIII
that letter contained Mr.. Galbreath r
u fused to make public, but it is believe
to have related the cause or causes f
|" committing the rash act, and the
B. causes are believed to have been ina
D. cial embarrassments incident to cote
. speculations, it being the third inanci
N difficulty hat he had become involve
in during his residence in this city sin
. the close of the war.
u Mr.. Warburg was engaged in the col
mission business in New Orleans, pI
L vious to the war. He remained there, al
in that city Joined the Confedera
's' army by attaching himself to a bate
Of artillery in General Villipigus's co.
u mand. BE served in the Translates
sippi department, and engaged in &c
n eral Prices attack on the Federal breal
u works and forts at Helena, Ark, whe
y he losta leg. Since the war Mr.. WI
~ burg resided for a time at New 0rleal
II and then coming to Memphis, he engag
III in cotton buying. At one time he "
the heaviest and boldest cotton operat
in the city, and lost heavily. Beoomi
Gu hopelessly involved be took the bar
rupt law, and then again went to work
Gu build up his broken fortunes. A {
years after this, his principal book-keeI
- and confidential clerk, Mr.. Ahre,
i turned out to be thief and deiaulter
d an unknown amount, and not long aft
ward Mr.. Warburg become involved hi
ny self, but got through somehow by CO
promise with his creditors. He went
Europe, and returning, commenced
cotton business again. He represent
re houses at Bremen, Antwerp and Liv
ot pool. The Liverpool house was a colt
commission house., and Mr.. Warbr
made heavy advances in cotton shipI
L L.,no npr;n0 tho nracapk q