St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-08
Suicide of T. s. McManus, a
Wholesale Confectioner
of st. Paul.
The Startling Vision Which Greeted
the Clerks in His Store Yes
terday Morning.
How 1t Was Done, the Supposed Causes, a
Previous Attempt and Sketch OF
His Life.

bolt upright in a chair which occupied posi-
ton by his private desk, with head thrown back
and feet resting on a couple of stools, was the
form of Mr. McManus, cold and rigid in death.
Lying OF the desk were his pipe and tobacco
box, empty half pint flask labelled rive
Whiskey,' and three notes addressed to his wife
while handkerchief lay in his lap. The young
who had made the startling discovery
called ina couple ef the employees who had by
this time put in their appearance and messen-
ger was sent to bring DR.. II. r. Wedel, the fam
lily physician. The notes addressed to his wife
were gathered up and sent TO Mrs. McManus,
who for the past few days had been guest at
Mrs. Fuller's boarding house on West Fourth
street. Her grief on hearing the sad intelligence
most touching, and the sacred sorrow and
emotions Of the moment may for obvious reasons
be passed over in silence.
Meantime DR.. Wedel arrived, and upon exam
nation Of the body he said that life had been
extinct at least five or six hours. Coroner
Quinn, who had also been summoned, put in a
speedy appearance and while there was NO out
ward sign or evidence Of violence. and for reasons
which will appear later in this narrative, pro
nounced it a case Of suicide. The body was
.hereupon removed to the undertaking rooms of
Leigh & Co, on West Fourth street, to await the
the family.
The news Of the tragic ending of so honorable,
respected and worthy Il life spread very rapidly,
and all sides was heard nothing but express
sions of regret and sorrow, mingled with senti-
ments Of sympathy for the bereayed and stricken
family
In several respects the abrupt termination Of
life, the possessor of which had been intel
ind audu in nc IatiO In is
family and the world, offered a seemingly
strange paradox, and the query was naturally
made why did he do it, what combination of
circumstances could impel him to commit the
deed?'' TO those who are conversant with the
world and the physical conditions of the man the
question is one that offers q comparatively easy
solution.
1t is due the kind and gentle wife and help
mate of the deceased and his family, on whom
the blow falls with much crushing force, to ex-
plain that so far as can be learned, his domestic
relations the happiest that can be imagined
he a kind and generous father, devoted and
loving husband, and no shadow of marital in
felicity had ever darkened the threshold of their
happy home.
THE REASON FOR THE ACT.
For more than two years past Mr.. McManus
has been constant sufferer from acute dyspep
sia and heart disease. At times he would suffer
the most poignant pain, and during all the period
named he has been under the care of physicians,
finding only temporary relief. 1t is suspected
also that recently the malady from which he
suffered partially clouded his mental vision, and
more lately he has been haunted with the idea
of financial ruin. 1t is thought that his business,
which was very extensive, has fallen off lately,
as has all branches of trade, and he may have
been pressed somewhat for ready money.
In this connection prominent gentleman and
friend of the deceased said yesterday, that while
ne may have been slightly embarrassed, his mind
was in such condition us to make nearly all
trouble OF this kind imaginary. However, it is
evident from what could be learned that he had
meditated the act for u week or two and that he
had prepared for it accordingly.
THE FIRST ATTEMPT. d.,
Some weeks ago he rented his handsome home
on Ramsey street and sent his family to Gin
cinnati, where they expected to remain visiting
friends for the remainder of the summer. At
the beginning OF last week his health grew
worse and manfesting symptoms of gastric
fever he teegraphed for his family
The family made haste to return, reaching st
Paul week ago yesterday. Having rented their
residence for year they secured board ut the
establishment above mentioned.
On the evening of the same day Mr. McManus.
secured four and one-half grains of morphine
and repaired to the second floor Of his store
used for packing and storing goods He pro-
ceeded to take several doses, or, in fact, all of
the drug, any one of which would, no doubt,
been sufficient to produce death had he not been
discovered. Hearing an unusual noise in the sec
ond story, one of the employees went up stairs to
rtoin : a md McNf
lying on the floor in apparent agony
Drs. Ritchie and Wheaton were called in and
they at once discovered that he had taken the
drug, and powerful emetics were administered to
counteract its deadly influence. The physicians
worked with him the most of the night and after
the emetics had done their work he was made to
walk the floor for several hours this being the
only means of saving him. Since then, Dr.
Wedel, his physician, has given him constant
attendance, and it was hoped that he was recov-
ering in both mind and body.
THE FATAL DOSE.
Last Wednesday he at the store nearly all
day attending to business, and during the day he
received several calls from friends, and among
others entertained his wife.
With regard to the exact nature OF the drug
which took him off some doubts are entertained,
and in view of the reticence of the family and
no inquest has yet been held, the facts cleaned
from various sources may be stated as fol-
lows:
During wednesday he sent a message to the
drug house of Merrill IL Ryan and ordered q
quantity of havoring extracts used in the man
ufacturing Of candles. Among other things he
ordered two ounces of prussic acid, the deadly
influence Of which is well known, it being one
of the few drugs that produce almost instant
death.
According to the best information he was last
seen about 9:45 O'Clock Wednesday night At
that hour he dismissed a couple of gentlemen in
charge of the wholesale department and they re-
tired for the night leaving Mr. McManus alone
in the store by his desk. What transpired after
wards is OF course mostly conjectured. As no
trace Of the drug could be found it is supposed
that he wrote the letters alluded to at the begin
ming of this article, after which, it being then
about O'Clock a. M, he put the
drug into the whisky and drank il
AS stated, death must have been instantaneous
This is the theory OF Coroner Quinn and other
experts but its correctness cannot be fully known
until after the autopsy, which may be held to-
day.
THE LETTERS
addressed to his wife were of farewell charac.
ter, and showed that he was at least partially
sensible Of what he was about TO do. They were
disconnected and in scrawling hand, while one
OF the missives was written on the back of $
draft. He bid his wife and children a fond fare
well, saying that he could not endure the physi
cal strain longer, and he advised his wife in set
Ting his business affairs TO do nothing excepting
BY the advice OF an attorney
DR.. Quinn Is himself so confident that it is s
clear case, OF suicide that he hardly deems it ad
yisabe to hold an inquest.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE
Mr.. McManus, was about ftty-three years o
age and he took up his residence in st. Paul
about 6fteen years ago. BY profession he was
druggist and chemist and therefore knew III,
pr5nerties OF the drug he is sunposed IN hay.