Daily Republican., 1879-04-07
DEATH BY POISONING.
Alexander Cummins Commits hui'
eide Trouble supposed 10 bo the
l,AmNA


Alexander CummiEs Commits Hoi'
de-Tr0uble supposed 10 bo tho
Cause.
Last night between nine and ten
o'clock as officer Dowlin in company
with officers Bidwell and Parady were
proceeding along in the vicinity Of
Tenth and Orange streets, they saw a
man sitting on pair OF steps above
Ninth. There was a colored man pres
ent who informed them that the man
was going to kill himself. Upon ex-
aiming him they found bottle of
whiskey between his legs, which the
officers threw away. At the suggestion
of the colorsd man they found another
bottle and also little vial, about two
inches long, which from the smell the
officers thought it contained paragoric.
These they also threw into the street.
On being taken to the hall he emphat-
ioally insisted that he wonld be a dead
man before morning.
On arriving at the hall the man was
recognized and found to be Alexander
Cummins, well known in this city as a
formerly successful business man. He
did not say that he had taken poison,
but continued in his protestation and
wagsred 500 that he would die before
morning.
The general opinion was that he was
intoxicated; and this real cause of
Cummins condition did not become
known until it was too late to offer him
relief. DR.. Ogle endeavored to alleviate
the mans sufferings but without sue.
oess, and the unfortunate man died be-
tween one and two o'clock. The Coro-
ner held an inquest this morning,
when it was discovered that the suici.
dal act had been deliberate one. The
evidence adduced revealed the fact that
Cummins was with William Taylor at
the saloon OF John Byrne, on Tstnall
street above Fifth, yesterday Sunday
afternoon, and that he had been laying
on the settee.
After talking about the murder Of
Demby he got up and began to talk of
himself; che had fully made up his
mind to die that night" He had a
vial with him, but said he would not
let anyone know what was in it," Mr..
Taylor asked him, but the reply he rs-
ceived was that it was none Of his
lTaylor's] business. About seven
o'clock in the evening he informed
Byrne, the proprietor Of the place, that
he "had only two hours to live," and
bade us all goodbye. He also said that
he had some fish in the market which
could be disposed of.
When TIE vial was picked up in the
spot where it had been thrown, it was
found to be ons-third empty. 1t was
about two inches long aud was labelled,
"Tincture of Aconite Root-Smith &
Painter, druggists, Seventh and Mar
ket streets" Cummins had no perma
nent residence, but lived from place to
place. He gained livelihood by ven
ding fresh fish and kept stall in the
market at Second and King.
There was found 1851 cents aud a
ouiicn ol keys IN MS pockets. lie gave
no reason for the commission of his
rash act, but it is thohght that his
mind was temporarily derangad
through trouble. He had been mar
ried, and was the father of two
children, both boys, named Alexander
and John, the former about seventeen
and the latter twelve years of age.
His family relationship had been an
unhappy one, and it WAS this existing
unfe!icity that the action of divorce be
tween hiT and his wife which is
thought to have had a depressing effect
upon him was granted by the last Leg
islature. The verdict of the Jury as
in accordance with the above facts.
The body lies at the undertaking es-
tabliShment of J. A. Wilson awaiting
removal by sthe relatives.