The Leavenworth weekly times., 1878-11-14
DESPAIR AND DEATH.
An Ex.SoIdier Weary and Worn,
Ends His Life With StH chnine.
The Miseries of Il!-Hsalth too Great
TO Withstand-The Core
ner's Inquest.
An SOLDIERS SUICIDE

Yesterday morning, shortly before 10
| o'cIocK an eN-soidier named Patrick Keenan,,
| residing at No 2z7 Cherokee street, near the
| corner Of Third street, died from the effects OF
| strychDine, taken with Ine lntcnt 10 Kill
| himself. pny ysician was called after IL was
| discovered that he had IN reality taken pol
| SOD, but the u.adIy ug had done ITS work,
| ana he DIED shortly after the physician ar
rlSed. Keenan, was
FAR GONE WITH CONSUMPTION,
| so much so a. TO be unable to work at his
,rgde a. "A cooper, and having recently been
discharged from the poor house, II Il said De-
c.use he would not work, being unable 10 do
| 20, he became discouraged, and seeing notn-
/ lls but pTlvatlOn, want and suffering before
him ne took the shortest route Ia the I'M
SnOwI, pr, f-rring To ny io whatever llis
| there may be IN the word beyond than suffer
| from those mere. Keenan, had been solder
! in the reg Lar army, and having
COMMITTED SOME BREACH or DISCIPLINE,
I was sentenced to a term OF Imprisonment in
The United States military prison al fori
leayenwOrth. About a year and nail ago
lie was OlS charged irUm confinement IN the
prison Hnd came 20 Tins citS. where he went
10 work AT hi, tiade "A cooper. Getting out
OF wOrK here he went TO various surround
ing Towns. finally coming back here, when,
being sick and unable 10 work he was sent 10
! the county poor house. a short time ago he
was sent away from there and csIne hack 10
the city, but had been doing nothing since.
he was a comparatively young man and very
good Ioo.lng. He has "A sister al Cincinnati,
who has been IN ioImcu oil hls oeath-
BEFORE THE CORONER.
Coroner Lyncn empanneIed a jury and
held AN inquest IN the room where he died.
Tue follow ing Is the more important portion
oI the evidence given beio.e the jury:
MICHAEL TIHRSEY's TESTIMONY.
Michael Tierney, being duly sworn, de
roses and says: / knew tn deceased; his
name WIS Patrick Keenan,; knew him for
abo 1 a year and halt knew him v hen a..
lived inithe house adjoining theone he Is now
-. A. ..a IT. a bat hI
had Deen soldier and had been discharged
from the United States Military Prison at
Font Leavenworrh, lie was a cooper and was
working at his.tfade. knew hlm to, ,havebeen
confined In the county jail and to have been
discn .rged from there He went TO Kansas
City and Ho ton To find work, returning TO
this city about three months ago He was
then very poor and sick and got him into
the Door house. HereturDed la'I week from
the poor house and Then went to Platte City
where he worked at his tade. On my re
turn from brea kfasJ about eight O'Clock this
morning found him endeavoring TO get up
from his bed on the floor, but he could not.
got him back on his side on the bed again.
He asked me Tor up OF Office and eaveit
To him. and afterwards 1 gave bin cup OF
sweet milk. He told me during that time he
had taken strychnine and was then appar-
enr,y suffering from pain. then sent Tor a
physician who could not come, and then 1t.
Brock VINO had heard OF the case, came AM
prescribed for him. knew he was wretch
.dly poor and had not the IN ans TO buy him
a coffin. He has no relatives In this city.
THE PHYSICIANS STATEMENT.
DrJ W, Brock WAS sworn and deposed as
follows: l was called In this morning about
$50 O'Clock and found the deceased lying on
a pallet on the floor in convulsions. he was
conscious. asked him what he had taken
and he said strychnine. then sent Tor an
fIdotes Immediately, but he q led in my pres
ence before they arrived. He died IN less
than ten minutes after / saw him.
C. BOYER.
&C Boyer testified that he knew the de-
ce ased during the time of his confinement
in the L. ). military prison at Fort Leaven-
worth.
THOMAS LEMONS.
Thomas Lemons being duly sworn says:
/ know the deceased. sleep up stairs in the
room over him and come into my room this
morning by the the back door. This was
about O'Clock. did not see the deceased
at that time. Think ! saw him when he was
struggling in death. have heard him say
very frequently that he would rather be out
of this world than IL II. He left the poor
house because the Superintendent wanted
do 80.
c. Geiger testified that the diseased came
TO his house and registered as Schroeder. He
was very consumptive and coughed a great
deal. l cot him an order to go TO the poor
house.
THE VERDICT.
The Jury in the case returned verdict TO
the effect that Keenan, came to his death by
means of poison administered by his own
hand.
The body was buried yesterday afternoon
at the expense o1 the county ,.asThe deceased
had nothing Of his own