Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-11-24
SUICIDE?
The Death of II. Smith supposed TO nave
p.,n Tho work OF his Own Hand

The Death of H. s"" S"fr -,
peon the Work OF his Own hnh"'
Nh. late hour ut which the GAZETTE
man mot the searcher for the coroner
Thursday night Il oiclock) prevented
Tho obtaining of full particulars OF the
death. The parties were in TOO big
hurry to stop and give the full facts,
and n reporter who went to the Plaza
house could only get the information
int ali that the clerk knew was that
smith was found dead In his bed
Yesterday 1t was learned that
uhiie the information was
given by the parties met the night be-
Torc that Smith had died only half an
hour before. on the other hand he
had actually died before 10 o'clock.
Yesterday morning an inquest was
held, and IL developed the TACT that
three-ounce phial, labeled laudanum,
was found in the dead mans pocket.
The Jury came ~ the conclusion that
he died from dose of laudanum alt
ministered by his own hand. Yes
terday GAZETTE man called at the
plaza house and talked with Mr..
IL. NJ. Duncan, who was on
duty during Thursday evening.
Mr. Duncan said that Smith and y.
! w. Winsett came to the Plaza severa.
days ago and had been there OIL ano
on since. They were from Dallas and
40 was he. For that reason Smith
called him Dallas. He had been out
with them two nights. Smith drank
! heavily. The two men had been at
tending the races, but got broke and
went 10 Dallas after more money and
came back. About half-past five
o'clock Smith and Winsett came in,
Smith looking very heavy about
the eyes, and said dallas,
can you give me ROOM
want to go to bed.o He told him he
could. Winsett tried to prevail on
him not to 30 to bed then, but to wall
until after supper. He insisted, how
ever, on going to bed. Before they
went up Smiths partner spoke OF go
ing to Dallas at > o'clock. About
O'Clock Winsctt came down and went
out. What time he came back is not
| known, but DIR. c. a. Eastman, the
night clerk, says that Winsett cam,
| down between o and II
o'clock and said that Smith
was having Il fit. Eastman
| west up and Smith was conscious
He complained of hurting in his
stomach, and called for water, which
was given him. The doctor though
nothing was the matter with him bu
h,issipation and still says he think
that's what allied him. Later tn
young man with Smith, Winset came
down and stated that he had dice
within half an hour from his first com
plant.
Winsett told Mr.. Duncan that Smitl
had told him in the afternoon wheI
informed that he was goin
to Dallas at two o'clock tn,
next morning that he, Smith, woul'
be dead before that. Winse,t did no
stay 10 the inquest. although he di
moi leave on the Monday train. III
left the house just before the corone
came, knowing that the inquest woul
he held. He could not be found b.
the reporter and had not been back t
the Plaza at 10 O'clock last night. Tn
remains of Smith began mortifyin
yesterday in the middle of the day
: Physicians who examined them 81
that he certainly died from laudanuI
3 or morphine poisoning. Mr.. Turne
to whom the corpse was turned owe
was telephOmed 10y Tom Hargus frol
Dallas to hold the body till furth,
orders. II was therefore cmbalmed b
, Mr.. Turner. Smith was about twent,
/ six years old. lie has II brother /
? Forney and two sisters Mt Sherman.