Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-06-19
SHE HAD TO SEE HIM DIE.

SHE HAD TO SEE HIM DIE.
, David Scott Atkinson Takes FataI lose o.
Morphine in His Wife's Presence ano
Threatens Her With Death if She Inter
feres.
Chicago News.
A suicide occurred early yesterday
morning in Logging house at IL South
Clark street, under exceptionally peculiar
circumstances. Among the roomers al
the place was David Scott Atkinson,
!, north side saloonkeeper, ard his wife
For some time Atkinson had been afflicted
with species OF melancholia, and recent
business reserves, together with dark
suspicion of his wife's fidelity, has con-
tributed to aggregate his malady. lie
was subject to frequent fits of depression
during which he would drink heavily.
His behavior during these spells was
most violent, and his wife relates that on
one such occasion the strength of twelve
men was taken to hold him.
When he wasslesponden the invariably
did two things. He refused to eat and
he abused his wife. Not two weeks ago,
in the same room where the tragedy OF
yesterday occurred, he excitedly charged
his wife with unfaithfulness and threaten
ed to kill her. Losing control of him.
self he hurled revolver at her in his
madness, and he was only prevented
from attacking her by the kindly appear
ance of neighbors, whom Mrs. Atkinson's
outcries had awakened.
Since that night he had been especial
ly gloomy and irascible. Hewas going to
the dogs, he said, and he didn't care how
soon he got there. His wife had seen
him in similar frame of mind so often,
however, that she did not especially re-
mark his conversation or his conduct.
He had been drinking during the entire
week past, and on Tuesday he drank
all day. His wife was, therefore, some
what surprised when at o'clock yester-
day morning he came home in an ap-
parently pleasant frame of mind. He
spoke to her with unwonted kindness,
undressed leisurely and got into bed.
He neglected, however, to turn out the
light.
Dave, are you going to leave that
light burnil g?" asked his wife.
EYES," he replied, shortly; Give some
thing to attend to-"
Then he got out of bed, took a small
parcel out of one pocket of his clothes,
a knife out of another, and said calmly
This is morphine, Theresa dear. I am
going to lie right there and watch me go
into hell. You will keep perfectly still,
or shall be compelled to kill you I am
about to punish you as a wife never,
never was punished by her husband be-
fore"
"My Lord, Dave" exclaimed Mrs.
Atkinson sitting up in bed in wild af
fright and apprehension; "don't do that.
Don't kill yourself here. Let me out,
at least, so that I won't have to see you
die"
Eyes, and you will call for help, and I
won't be able to make finished job of
this" said her husband darting furtive,
cunning glance at her. Oh, no." he
continued imperturbably "you don't
know me. I have made up my mind to
die, and die I am going to. You shall
see me draw my last breath"
Having taken large quantity of the
drug he laid the paper on a chair by the
bed, and solemnly delivered the follow
ing ante-mortem speech to his terrified
wife: ''Theresa, I am going to die. You
will miss me. You think that have
been a cruel and jealous husband, but
you have not loved me as wife should
You have not been true to me. I am
going to punish you"
| At this point Mrs. Atkinson inter
rupted: "Dave, for Gods sake let me
up! Let me leave the room," she cried
mo, you lay still, and don't talk SO
loud-no one must hear me-" was the
suicides Imperative response.
| Atkinson then got into bed, and his
wife attempted to get out. mo, you
DON'T he said, stopping her. ''You lay
still, if you don't want to 60 to HI
with me. I shouldn't like to kill you, if
I can help it,
Then he suddenly got out of bed
again, saying: "That dose wasn't
strong enough-guess I'll take anoth-
er," and with that he deliberately took
some six or seven grains more of NOR
phine. After placing his revolver under
his pillow he sat down on the edge of
the bed and held up the revolver, which
he had kept in his hand all the time,
triumphantly to his wife.
''Say, wife, wouldn't you like to get
this key?' he asked.
His spouse replied by grabbing dex-
terously at the key.
Quicker than thought the morphine
eater hurled her back across the bed and
savagely told her that if she made anoth-
er such attempt he would kill her as he
would dog.
'Don't try me that way again." he
continued, glazing at her luridly; 81
haven't any too much love for you, and
if you fool with me again all HI won't
save you. You have got to see me die,
and you might as well make up your
mind to it. Guess amt taken enough
yet"
Then the man stood up and emptied
the remainder of the morphine into bis
mouth.
The three tremendous doses of the
deadly drug now began their work. The
victim lay down on the bed, stretched
himself at full length and breathed hard
and irregularly. Feeling for the key,
he clasped both hands about it and held
all his remaining strength. He gazed