Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1884-07-12
Suicide of Doctor Fish,

Yesterday morning Mr.. J. A. Cline,
the taxidermist, living on Macy street.
near the covered bridge. discovered the
dead body of man under the willows
near the bridge. A boy saw the body
at the same time and notified the police.
who notified the Coroner, and an inquest
was held at IL o'clock, at Ponet 4 0rr's,
when the following testimony and ver-
dict were given:
DIR. j. Harmon, County physician,
sworn, testified that the man who was
found was DR.. L. Il. Fish, that he talked
with witness about three or four years
ago, and said he was insane. He called
ON me several times. He had been an
electrician. Then he disappeared. About
O month ago he came again and told me
that he had been to his native State,
Maine, for his health, thinking that
change Of climate would do him good.
He was out of money and asked to be
admitted to the County Hospital. The
case was interesting and | called in DIR.
Maynard. His opinion was that the
man had softening OF the brain. He
knew it and said he desired to die as he
never would be useful TO himself or
others. He said he would commit suicide.
l took him to the hospital a month ago.
He left yesterday morning, l don't know
when. He had been taking great deal
of bromide. gave him little. A week
ago he disappeared one night, and was
found in q field near by. He told the
Steward he tried to kill himself, but
didn't succeed. intended to send him
to the Asylum. Ispoke to the Sheriff
about it. 1 didn't want to put him iu
Jail, but only to have him examined and
kept at the Hospital until some prisoners
went up. Last Saturday he quoted down
and was less restless. He wanted to
come to town on Monday for his electric
batteries and some clean clothes. l
thought he went for poison. He got back
at eleven o'clock. He asked me il there
were any show to get well. In his book
was written in several places his
intention to commit suicide. He
said the Doctor nor the Steward
would know. Day before yesterday |
saw him, DIR. Maynard saw him
yesterday. Then he disappeared. Mott.
fled the police to arrest him as crazy and
described him. but they didn't find him.
The bottle on the body contained poison.
From appearance suppose it was strych.
nine. He was sixty.four years of age,
and had been thirty years in California.
A. j. Lenox, policeman, sworn, test
flied that at nine o'clock in the morning
newsboy came to the police Office and
said that there was dead man on the
river, south Of the covered bridge. under
the willows. | went to Ponet & Orr's
and went out with two other men, aud
found the body Of the man $50 yards
south Of the covered bridge. He was
laying at the root Of willow bush, lying
on his right side, his head lower down
a ravine. His hands were gripped, and
he had evidently suffered intensely.
found him at l0:l5 A. NJ. Found On
empty morphine bottle. Recognize the
body. Never saw him before.
j. A. Cline, sworn, testified that
he was a taxidermist, and
lived on Macy street. Saw the body
about 81 o'clock this morning. Some
people came to the house and said that
a dead body had been found near the
river, along a willow fence. When got
there newspaper boy went to the police
office. Identify the body. A boy saw
him yesterday afternoon, when he said
he was sick, and the boy gave him some
water. live one hundred yards away.
He had laid there dead all night.
The jury rendered verdict without
leaving their seats, as follows: I'VE.
the jury, decide that deceased came to
his death by taking poison while labor
ing under temporary insanity"