Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-09-16
DEATH OF DR.. MAaEE.
The Miserable EsdinE OF . once
PromtsisE Career Dissipation,
Poverty aud suicide.

The Leadville (Col.) Chronicle Of the
10th instant gives the following particu-
lars Of the sad death Of DR.. Magee. .
well-kuown resident OF Gold Hill. he
had resided here some five or six years
and o. one time enjoyed q good practice
and quite a reputation as physician
and surgeon. His appetite for strong
drink. however. finally led to his ruin.
He left here for Lsadvills. but . few
days ago. and the t%slsgraphsd news Of
his death so soon was received with
much surprise by all who knew him,
none supposins that he had committed
suicide. The Chronicle says:
The tragedy OF today il . sad one. A
man in the prime Of life. upon whom
the highest advantages OF education had
been lavished, o member OF . noble pro-
f~sssiou, and one Who might have proved
an ornament and q most useful member
Of society finds existence too heavy Q
burden to carry, and In desperation and
despair took his great leap In the dark.
Four days ago . gentleman giving his
name as DR.. T. ]. Magee came to this
city FROM Gold Hill. Nevada. and took
furnished rooms at the boarding.ho u
Of Mrs. Susan Gregory. ct the corner OF
Fourth street and Harrison avenue. Hs
was a man OF less than forty years Of
age, and had come to the camp almost
psnniless. but brave and hopeful OF suo-
cess.
The evening after his arrival hs hired
an express wagon to bring some trunks
from the depot, and accompanied the
driver to identity his property. When
near the depot the team attached to the
wagon became frightened from some
cause. and, lurching suddenly to n
side, threw the doctor out. he struck
the ground with much force and was %.
riously bruised about his right eye. For
q while he appeared partially stunned.
and then recovering somewhat climbed
upon the wagon again, went to the
depot. and after securing the trunks 70.
turned to his room.
During the day he appeared to suffer
greatly from his injury, and ate nothing.
but drinking. however, freely. Yester-
day. however. he seemed to feel better.
aud took some food. He continued his
drinking, aud during the day appeared
considerably under the influence Of
liquor. In the evening he called at
Mrs. Gregory's room, and handing her
u prescription requested that she get 1t
allied. The following Is q copy Of II:
"Chloral Hydrate.
"Potass-bromide q q |.
IN. sig. Use as directed.
"DR. MCGEE"
The prescription was allied at Miller's
drug store aud brought to the doctor,
who requested Mrs. Gregory to mix II
in half a pint Of water. This was at
about 7 o'clock In the evening. and after
the drug was prepared he swallowed a
portion, probably about Q fourth Of 1t.
The prescription. as will be noticed.
calls for equal parts OF bromide OF pc.
tassium and chloral. The amount 10 48O
or ms. A full dose for an adult ID $50
grains, and this, unless under unusual
circumstances. would probably prove
fatal. The two drugs form . very well
known nervine. and their use IL familiar
to almost every one habitually addicted
to the use Of liquor.
At about 8 O'Clock the doctor came to
Mrs. Gregory's room and remained
until a few minutes OF IL. His pain
seemed to have disappeared and hs was
in . very cheerful and talkative mood.
While in the roo hs drank halt q
tumbler OF whisky, and when he left,
said that he believed he would 60 directly
to bed.
This was the last time he was seen
alive. Early this morning . young man
named O. A. Goblin. clerkina in the
hardware store below the rooms, came
up stairs and complained that water was
,rickling through the ceiling. The place
was directly underneath DR.. Mages's
rooms. and the young man was directed
there. He found the door unlocked,
and, pushing IL open discovered. to bis
surprise, the doctor lying huddled In q
corner upon the hoor.
Not at that time realizing his condi.
ton. but supposins him to be sick. he
lifted him upon the bed and went to
summon aid. When this arrived II was
ascertained that the doctor was dead.
The empty bottle which had contained
the fearful dose OF chloral and potassia
told the fearful story. Further invssti-
CATION discovered an empty half. pint
whisky bottle which had been full the
night before.
The doctor. when found, was In his
underclothipg. He had evidently walked
q step or two from the bed and then.
overcome by the poison. sank upon the
door to die. The water trickling through
the ceiling was occasioned by the over.
turning Of the water pitcher. which had
been left beside the bed.
The question Of motive was clear.
The Doctors medical knowledge would
have enabled him to know that the dose
which he was taking was necessarily
fatal. Sick. discouraged. and with the
chains Of o damning habit fast upon
him, it is scarcely to be wondered ai
that IN the desperation OF the moment
he snapped the cord Of life.
DR.. Magee has been Q practicing ply.
sician at Gold Hill. Nevada, but his sx.
csssive dissipation always stood In the
way Of success. About q year ago his
wife, to whom he was devotedly at
taehed. left him and procured a divorce.
Since then his dissipation has been aug
mented, and at no time has he been free
from it.
As far as 10 known the dead man had
no property a his trunks, which have
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