Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-08-07
JOHN N. DEcKER's A
Report Of the Coroner Of East Car
roll Parish,
Correspondence Commercial Herald.

corresponding commercial Herald.
LAKE PROVIDENCE, La, July 81, 1885.
Your correspondent has been shown
a copy of the Post of your city of
recent issue containing a special, dated
Lake Providence, relative to the death
OF John Nelson Decker and a local
referring to his death, etc.
The i~nsinuations made by the Post,
as well as the special, that the report is
not believed by many while others
insist that If Decker be dead it is only
another murder. These statements to
say the least are unkind, untrue and
uttered without any proof whatever.
The citizens OF this community are
law-abiding and Lake Providence will
compare favorably with any town
or city in the preservation
OF good order etc. I have
been furnished by DR.. F. r. Bernard,
our coroner and parish physician, a
statement Of all the facts connected
with the death Of the late John N.
Decker, to which is annexed the sig
natures Of the gentlemen who served
as jurors at inquest. All the parties
are gentlemen of high standing and
unimpeachable characters, and the
opinion Of DR.. Bernard is beyond a
question, and l present herewith the
official document signed by DR.. Ber-
nard and the jury which speaks for it.
self, and is endorsed by this entire
community.
LAKE PROVIDENCE, July 31st, 1915.
An article appeared in a recent issue
of the post" published in your city
strongly insinuating that Mr.. John N.
Decker (son-in-law Of the late General
Sparrow who was found dead in his
room on Saturday last at the old fami-
ly mansion on Arlington plantation
was murdered.
In justice to the truth and facts in
the case as well as to myself and the
gentlemen who composed the coroner's
jury, L desire to refure the im%putation
which has been cast upon this commu-
nifty by replying through the columns
Of your valuable journal.
On Saturday, the 25th inst, about
dark, ! was summoned professionally
in great haste to the Arlington resi-
dence to see the deceased who was re-
ported dangerously ill. Upon my. ar.
rival at Arlington l vas greatly sur
prised to find the patient lying supine
and dead upon the floor in his
room between his bed and the wall.
Acting. then, in my official capacity
as coroner, I made a full and scrutin-
izing investigation Of all the circuln-
stances and facts connected with his
sudden demise, and became personally
and thoroughly satisfied as to the facts
causing his death.
On a table in his room l found a
half bottle of spirits, an open pocket
knife gummed and smelling of opium,
and upon removing his pillow, | found
four ounces of opium gum from which
a considerable piece had been removed.
Further examination revealed the ex-
istance Of two and a half pounds of
the drug which the deceased had pur-
chased in Cincinnati and which was
carefully packed away in his valise.
Though l did not make an autopsy,
yet the absence of all external injuries
and other circumstances clearly con-
WINGED me and pointed conclusively to
a case of self-poisoning by the use Of
Thinking it highly necessary
for all parties concerned, to say moth
ing of the duty devolving on me
officially as coroner, 1 proceeded
on Sunday morning, the 26th inst,
impanel a jury composed of some
Of u most intelligent citizens, who
repaired with me to the Arlington
mansion, and made a rigid and lengthy
investigation, and from the lucid
and probable evidence derived, they
rendered a verdict that the deceased,
John N. Decker, came to his death by
an overdose of opium, administered
by himself, without suicidal intent.
These T the facts, which l state
and distinctly, without fear of
contradiction.
1t is a mournful reality that misteri-
,us murders are of frequent occur
renee in every section of the country
out there is no necessity for a public
journal to presume evils that do not
exist, and which are calculated to be
to the commercial and So
,ial interests of the country, as in the
Instance of the item published in the
Post.
1t is the duty Of the press to protect
from calumny rather than
make false and scurrilous statements
md insinuations.
Where the Post derived its informa-
ion that there was a probability of
mother murder we are at aloss to COM
,rehend. In all likelihood this sensa-
ional rumor must have originated in
he editorial sanctum of the
POST, and in conclusion / will positive
J venture to assert that John N.
Decker was never murdered, and the
POST which published the sensational
.rticle is erroneous and unjust in pub
such glaringIy and false impu- !
against this community. :
Very respectfully, I,
f.. r. BERNARD,
Parish physician and Coroner for the parish Of {
last Carroll, La. Z
We the undersigned citizens of :
- n.1r41a.nn 0@l ,.n,.Ia.. -n AL |