Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-21
VAST SUICIDE9

A week ago last Thursday the GLOBE an
nounced the sudden death Of Mr.. Patrick
Byrne, at the residence of his cousin, Mr..
William Byrne, No. II Minnesota street. In
abiding to the affair particular stress was
laid on the mysterious circumstances attend
ing his death, which was ascribed by Dr..
Mcdonald, the attending physician, to
organic disease of the heart. Within the
past few days, however, reporters for the
GLOBE have diligently sought more satis-
factory salution of his sudden taken off, and
the investination has resulted in the most
astonishing results.
From information at hand, it is now gen.
orally conceded that the death of Patrick
Byrne was superinduced by far different
means than the natural methods of dlssolu-
tion. 1t may be stated, on no less an au-
thority than Coroner Davenport, that death
resulted from the use of ten grains of strych-
nine admin nistered by his own hands, and
taken with the deliberate purpose of COM
mitting suicide.
On Thursdry, the 18th inst, there came
to Dayenport's drug store, on Wabashaw
street, man giving the name of Frank
Peters. He called for ten cents worth of
strychnine, and stated that he wanted
the poison to kill gophers.
He YVES circumstantial in the matter, and
registered the name of Frank Peters, No.
81 Aaker street.
The afternoon of the day on which the
poison was bought Patrick Byrne drank q
glass of water at the residence of his cousin,
and In few minutes afterwards he was a
corpse. Coroner Davenport, who examined
the remains, stated at the time that the
corpse was perfectly rigid, and bore the ap-
pearance of one who had died from the eff
fects of poisoning by strychnine.
DR.. Mcdonald, who had attended deceas-
ed for slight indisposition, thought differ
emily, and on giving certificate Of death
the deased was decently buried.
Suspicious was not aroused until last Sum
day, when two women visited Davenport'b 3
drug and requested the privilege of inspect
ing the sales Of poison. They scanned the
book and on coming to the name Of
Frank Peters one of the women exclaimed,
"the man who bought this poison died on
Minnesota street, and his real name Is Pat
rick Byrne."
The case was then taken in hand by Cor
| oner Davenport, who first discovered that
there was no such house as No. "a Acker
street. Extended inquiry revealed the fact
that young man named Peters had boarded
on Acker street, but for the past few weeks
he had been living With his father, Mr.. 81. j..
Peters, in the Sixth ward. It was also dis
covered that Peters and Byrne had formerly
resided as neighbors at Rosemount.
| This much being learned o reporter fol
the GIoBB called on Mr.. VIM. Byrne, cousin
Of deceased, In hopes of procuring some clue
to the mysterious females. Mr. Byrne was
surprised at the information, and close in
quiry revealed the fact that the strange
females were not members of his family
Coroner Davenport, who has been active in
his efforts to throw some light on the mys-
terious affai,, visited the residence of Mr.
Peters, in the Sixth ward, last evening.
The young man was positive that he had
never purchased any strychnIne and to prove
his assertions he accompanied the coroner &c
Davenpor. Is drug store, the proprietor OF
which stated that he was not the man. TC
make assurance doubly cure Mr.. Peters ac.
companied the coroner to McMastsr q
Getty's drug store. where Byrne had tried te
buy the strychnine, but Mr.. Getty failed to
recognize him. On the other hand the de-
scription of the man who bought the poison
tallies exactly with the appearance of Byrne
DR.. Davenport expresses the belief that
Byrne committed suicide but as the remains
were buried in Rosemount, the county will
propably not 60 to the expense OF ordering
q post mortem examination.