Morning journal and courier., 1880-11-30
Death by Suicide.

COIOred Woman Takes StnHchnine and
 Dies-The COroner's Investigation and
 Verdict of the Jury.
 colored woman named Eliza Thompson, about 65 years of age, committed suicide yesterday by taking strychnine at 46 Ashmun street, about noon, and died in great agony shortly after l o'clock. Acting Coroner Hugh Daley was notified, and after inquiring into the facts he caused jury to be sum- moned as follows Frank M. Lovejoy Cfore- man), B. F. Ess, D. H. Walker, w. A. Coun- tryman, Philip Goodhart and N. A. Parker.
 The jury with the coroner proceeded to the late residence of the deceased, where they heard the following evidence, which explains in detail the cause of the woman's rash act. After viewing the body the jury heard the following witnesses:
 Mary Scott testified as follows: I was born in Lancaster, Pa. have lived here six years. The deceased had been in the hospit- al fifteen months. Previous to that she had been in the almshouse about year. Her daughter resides in Fairfield county. Her daughters name is Margaret Davis. SShe is widow. Her daughter came here last Thursday. The deceased expected to go to the poorhouse in Lancaster, Pa., but was sick and Dr. White got her permit for her to go to the poorhouse here. She got up this morning and came to my room. She said she was already to go to the poorhouse and she wondered if they would come after her early. She said she had found five cents and would go out and get little snuff. She went out and was gone about ten minutes Came back about a quarter past 12 o'clock and came in my room and asked for tea and gave it to her. She went into her room and sat down by the window, and soon after she called me and said I am cold and am go- ing to die. I told her she would not die, and she said yes, I shall. Tell Margaret Cher daughter) to be good girl. I called Mrs. Stuart and I said she has been taking some- thing. She finally told me that she had been to drug store and bought five cents worth of strychnine and had taken it. She did not say any more.
 Emily A. Stuart was next sworn. She said she never saw the deceased until she was called to the house to-day. She found the woman in great paroxysms, twitching of feet and hands. The deceased finally acknowl- edged that she had taken strychnine. Said she was tired of being taken from the poor house to the hospital, and she wanted to go to sleep and sleep her life away. She said the glass from which she had taken the strychnine was in the closet and found it there arrived about quarter to 1 o'clock and think she lived about half an hour. She suffered greatly.
 Frank Thompson testified am @ drug clerk in the store of N. J. Beers on Broad way. I recognize the woman as the person who came into the store about Il o'clock to buy strychnine. She said she wanted it to kill rats with. I sold her two grains and marked it Poison in 8 full bold hand. I told her that strychnine was very poisonous. She said she knew it. She did not appear in the least nervous and smiled when I gave it to her. We are not in the habit of giving strychnine to everybody who orders it. I have seen her frequently in the store, having sold her snuff. had no idea that she intend ed to commit suicide.
 This concluded the evidence, and the jury rendered a verdict that the deceased came to her death from strychnine administered by her own hand.
 Word was sent to the deceased woman's daughter at Fairfield by letter informing her of her mothers death. Should she not arrive this morning the remains will be taken in charge by the town authorities and buried in the town lot.