Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-21
A SAD OCCURRENCE.
One OF Savannah's Most Promising
Young Men Cuts His Throat and
Shoots Himself Distressing TER
mtnatiOn of a Case of typhoid
Fever.

Yesterday afternoon the relatives and
many friends of Mr.. Oliver J. Miller, who
was employed as a clerk in the house Of
Messrs. Branch 81 Cooper, were shocked to
learn that he had cut his throat with q
razor and shot himself In the head with q
pistol in his room at No. 90 Tattnsll street.
Investigation into the report proved that it
was but too true, and that the unfortunate
Young man had really committed self
destruction in the manner above described.
| l. is the opinion Of his physician, DIR. FALL
CANT, however, that it could not he called a
case OF deliberate suicide, as Mr.. Miller had
no cause In the world for committing such
an act The doctor is confident that it was
done while the victim was suff ring from
temporary alteration OF mind, the result OF
an attack of typhoid fever.
From all We could gather regarding this
sad occurrence the circumstances attending
it are as follows: Several days ago Mr.. NIL
Ter was taken down with typhoid fever, and
though the disease had not assumed serl-
Gus form, and bis symptoms were all favor
able, still It had a depressing effect upon
him, and had, as is usual in such cases,
to a certain extent affected his brain.
His family did not consider him
in a dangerous condition, however, and he
ing while he was bv himself in his room. he,
without the knowledge of anyone, suddenly
arose from his bed, dressed himself, and
went out upon the streets. Later in the day
he returned to his room, and shortly there
after, about half past five o'clock In the
afternoon, be committed the fatal deed.
Dr. Falnpaut reached his bedside about an
hour after, but it was too late.
Il. bad died about fifteen minutes before,
having fingered three-quarters OF an hour
IN a state OF Inconsistencies. All the cir
cumstances attendant upon the case go to
sustain, beyond dispute, the DOCTORS theory
that It was a case Of alteration OF mind
through disturbance of the brain, caused
bv the dread disease from which he was q
sufferer.
We met DR.. Falligant last evening, and
procured from him a statement OF the case
and his views thereon, as follows:
"Mr Oliver j Miller called at my office on
December 14th, complaining Of a dull,
heavy pain ia the brain, attended with some
fever. for which gave him proper remedies
and advised him to go home and go to bed,
snd If be did not feel better in the morning
to send for me. 1 did not hear from him
again until the morning Of the 18th. when
message called me to his bedside. His fever
bad evidently been running several days,
and the same heavy pain In his brain, with
the advanced pulse and temperature, led me
to suspect that his case was one of cerebral
typhoid. The following notes OF the case
explain themselves:
''Dpcembar 17-10a. m pulse SO, tempera-
ture 1033l; $50 p. m, pulse SO, temperature
1O415
December 1s-11:9O a. m, pulse 100, tenn
perarure lO411; 6 p. m, pulse lO3, tempera-
Iure 10415
"Decembqr 19-1O:8O a. m, pulse 90. tenn
pera'ure lO3H; $50 p. M, pulse IS, tenn
perstHre 104
December 2O-1O a. m, pulse "a, tempera-
ture 1O2.
about $50 p. m. yesterday evening
called again and found him dead, he having
cut his throat with bis own rsZor, and af
forwards shot himself through the brain
with his own pistol. o. inquiry, | was in
formed that during the day he had been out
IN the streets, and had committed
the deed in the afternoon after his re-
turn to his room at 90 Tattnall street.
1t is very clear that his condition on the
street was that of a case of walking ty-
| pboid.' His mind had been very much
depressed during bis illness, and as late as
| this morning he questioned me anxiOusly
| as to bis prospects Of recovery, which
assured him we're good"
The sad termination OF this case fur
nishes a dearly bought lesson OF the danger
/ Of leaving such cases alone IN their rooms
without watcbful nurses, and of the further
| necessity of removing from their rooms any
instruments of any kind with which, under
/ transient mental alteration, patients might
| DO themselves bodily harm. The funeral OF
Mr. Miller takes place this afternoon at 3
/ O'Clock