The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-24
TAKING POUNDS OF POISON
SUICIDE or ONE or BOSTON'S MOsT
NOTORIOUS FORG ERS
Convict whose swiudler Aggregated over
Half Million Dollars lie Follows
True md Beloved " lie to the Tomb

True and Beloved " ifc to the Tomb.
mon, the boston Herald.
On Thursday afternoon. james A. Coo,
state Prison Tor forgery, committed sui
eide by taking mum &c acid aud Paris
IN '' tie bronze shop p'' Of aho fucker 'I m,
ufar urlnR Company. Cue has been emplOved
to do the writing of this firm. As soon IA his
condition WIS discovered he was taken to tho
hospital and Efforts made - save his NE The
acid caused INN intense suffering, aud ne begged
for death to tut an end TO his agony About
D O'Clock Yesterday morning he Giod.
COe. on entering the prison, was set az work In
inc cOttOn-tie shOp, and was engaged there Tor
several months when he was removed TO the
office u the Tucker Manufacturing Company.
Tie had more privileges than most Of the con
victs. YESTERDAY noon, az the dinner hour. Coo
ate lot Of chrome green. ana was confident
That he would soon die. The substance, how
ever, did not have the desired effect. and Coe
In the afternoon, visited some workmen In
charge Of tho muratic acid. and told one u
them he wanted half tumbler OF the acid.
The man asked him II he wanted II diluted
and COG told hun that he wanted IT Of full
strength. Coo took the acid and carried 1t to
the once WHERE he WORKED, and when there lie
drank thc mud Zoe s!id that the reason he
committed the act WAS that all was dark before
him aud no could only see that course to bring
himself and VIE together. He said that he was
sunerug the tortures OF hell. and only asked
That he might die. lie sad he did not think Of
the effect Of the acid when he took it, but still
he did not regret whnt he had done. He was "a
ie r. old. lie Is spoken OF rs good prisoner
Coe was indicted, convicted. aud sentenced to
under false pretences. Coo occupied an en-
vlable position in society, being a member Of a
churcn, and moving In the best circles. He was
a prominent broker. and was among the heaviest
oreratprs at tho stock board and on the street,
Whlle MS piuer was considered ny bankers and
business men Us gut edged. The amount 81 his
swudlings was between $5OO.00O and $GDOo0D;
tut aside from their extent, the most noticeable
lea ure OF his operations was the buugliug man
ner IN VIII ch they were done. The manner Of
his cheating = to purchase certificates Of
stock for one or two skates which No would
AZ. IA a. l
lateral security for mo. CIV borrowed. Banks
and busiress men were alike victimized.
The Grand Jury found ten indictments against
Zoe, but he was tried ON only one, the nrst count
of Which ch rged him with cheating aud de-
Co.. Of London. out Of $1,000, by utteriug to
MN certificate supporting to he OF lO1 shares
OF the Chicago. Burlington and Quincy Railroad
COMPANY and the second count alleged the
cheating Of a stat street broker named John
Ferris, out OF 5000, 10y borrowing that amount
OF MN and giving rs collateral raised certin-
cate OF 100 shares Of the Eastern Railroad Com
pmy's STOCK. At the first trial. IN June. 1873,
the jury disagreed, but at the next trial, m 10
count and acquitted on the first. Motions to
9dash The Indictment we're made by his counsel.
Gen nutler and Benz. Dean, Esq, ana were
OVefruled. but certin exceptions were sent 20
the supreme Court. These exceptions were
oNerruied, and on the STU Of September. let
zoe was sentenced To state prison for ei9ht
Years bv Judge Putnam.
since Goes imprisonment his wife has pa
uenty awaited In the hope that some action
would be taken on the part Of the Governor
ana council which would result iu his speedy
release. what little money sue possessed, after
the wreck OF her husbands PROPERTY. had
slowly disappeared. and IL }. said that she pad
out portion OF It to en- bile parties to take
measures looking to an ultimate pardon of the
latucr Of her children. She was assured, aud
feit great confidence IN the assurance that Coo
would hc pardon'd On Thanksgiving Day. last
mouth; Out finding that the prospect for Ms
pardon WAS diminishing. she ravr way to grief
and those VINO know her best say she uied
broken hearted.
Uoon the death Of Mrs. Coo. gentleman who
resided m the vicinity Of her late dwelling i'm
south Boston Visited the state Prison and mad
an interview with tne unfortunate prisoner ON
beng Informed Of tis wife's death. Zoe stag
gefcd as n about to fall senseless, ana. "a rec3v-
ering. femarArd to the friend: An. Wtl! ru
soon follow her. ShC T. not long before me. %
Coe loved his ~ lie. aud she was ms greet iron
during his imprisonment. Friends mad eudea,-
ored to inuuce her TO obtain a divorce from the
condemned man, but she rejected heir counsel
ami renamed true to MIN She loved. knowing
TINS. Coe f,li keenl, her loss, and determined ~
end nis lite.
Yesterday afternoon an autopsy was made on
the body ty DIR. Lattimer. the prison physician.
Inc bowels were found to be filled WI. h solid
cakes OF Paris green, there being az least two
pounds showing that the deceased had taken "A
large amount OF the substance, which Of Itself
would have produced death. The stomach wa.
Hs black A. tar. and tesem bling IT, The acid had
eaten On the coat M Of tne stomach aud IN some
puris penetra.rd through it, The left lung
showed that The deceased was COn~umptive. tho
lower portion Qf tue lung having healed l. l.
thought that n he had not committed suicide
ne would have died IN one or two wears Of con-
SUMPTION. Mhlle the autopsy WAS IN progress
the undertaken arrived with casket 10 receive
/ the remains. The ctsket WIS Of rosewood. with
silver ~ Ouutings, ana on the inside WAS a plato
upon which was inscribed the flowing
James A. Coe, died Dec. -. 1876 AGED - years "
After the autopsy. the remains were placed I'm
the casket and taken 10 the residence - Mr..
Hatch, A6 East lhtid street, South boston,
where funeral services Will be held this morn
Ing after which the remains Will be taken u
his wife.