Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-06-22
WAS IT sUIcIDEi
W. W. Woods Of Barber County is Pound
Dead in Bed At Wichita.

News was received here Monday that
w. W. Woods, n stockman of this coun-
~, had committed suicide at Wichita,
Kansas, Saturday evening, June 18th.
A telegram had been sent to Mrs.
Woods at Kiowa, and from there the
news came here.
From parties who were in Wichita at
the time the death of Mr.. Woods was
announced, and from the Wichita
Times we learn the following particu-
lars:
lie arrived at the fremont House,
Wichita, on Tuesday, the 18th inst, for
supper, and was drinking hard during
the remainder Of that week. Thursday
he was out all night according TO the
statement of Landlord Young, and
came in at O'Clock Friday morning
very much under the influence Of liquor
He went TO bed some time Friday night
and did not get up for breakfast,
though he answered the porter's call
twice in the morning. Saturday even
ing the clerk told the landlord that the
man I'm ''36' (Woods) had not been seen
during the day. The porter was sent
up to wake him; found the door locked
and on looking over tho transom could
detect no signs Of life in Woods. The
Coroner was notified and he was the
first to enter the room. lie found
Woods dead in bed, with a glass of wa
ter sitting near with n sediment in the
glass; also an empty box which had
contained morphine pills, lying under
the bed; and near the bed was a two
ounce bottle labelled "Laudanum.
Poison" empty. The pockets were
searched and found TO cotain Sl2.4O
cash; letter directed 10 Mrs. W. w.
Woods, Kiowa, Barber county, Kan.
and several other papers, including a
statement showing that he had a bal
ance of 81 ,O7O.I3 at the Wichita Ma
tiohal bank Of Kohn Bros.
Tho letter referred to, directed to his
wife was a. follows:
"TREMoNT HOUSE,
Wichita, Kan, June 10, 1888.
Dear Julia:
/ have been trying TO write you a
cheerful letter this morning-pardon
me but i cannot muster sufficient de-
ception to do So. am weighed down
with grief and despair. Can ONLY see
the shadow of hope and aspirations
once cherished. / hope Robert Lucas
will enjoy the few dollars he gained by
turning traitor to the best friend he
ever knew. Yours Truly,
w. W. WooDs.
The coroner empaneled fury and
they inquired into the case, returning
verdict that deceased came to his
death from an overdose of morphine
administered by his own hands.
The evidence of the porter was to the
effect that he saw deceased about 6
o'clock Friday evening In the hotel
with box of sugar coated pills in his
hand. and on being questioned said he
did not feel very good and was going TO
take some Of the medicine. Later the
porter saw hiM i'm front Of the hotel
reading q newspaper.
III. Il. Allen. clerk I'm ROwe's drug
store near the fremont house, testif-
cd 10 selling the box Of morphine pills
to a stranger Wednesday afternoon.
He says:
HE came in The store Wednesday
afternoon and asked 10 look at dis
pensatory. / let him take IL. He sat
down in the store and examined the
book about fifteen minutes. He then
laid the book on the counter and thank
ed me and went out. again saw him
after supper. He came in and asked
for some morphine. Iasked him what
use he wanted OF il and he said ;ad
been drinking and could not sleep at
night; he said he had been taking
laudanum and it constipated his bowels.
asked him what sized doses he had
been taking and he said between thirty
and forty drops and 1t did not affect
him 50 he could sleep at night and
about noon he felt 80 sleepy that he
could hardly keep his eyes open. told
him II he used morphine he had better
use 1t in pills as there would be no diff
ficulty In getting dose. He enquired
how to take them and I told him 70 take