The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-15
WITH HIS THROAT CUT.
a SUPPOSED SUICIDE DISCOVERED
IN A VAULT.

Thomas White, Colored Timer from
Charleston, Supposed to Have Killed
Himself in a Fit OF Delirium-He is
Found Nearly Dead in Vault on
Montgomery Street.-The Coroner's
Jury Finds Verdict OF Death From
an Unknown Hand.
Thomas White tcolored) from Charleston,
S. c., was found in vault at No. 99}S Mont
gomery street, yesterday morning, about 6
o'clock, in an exhausted condition from the
loss of blood from a jagged cash in his
throat, and unconscious from the noxious
gases. He was with difficulty taken out,
and he died without regaining conscious
ness He was supposed to be about % years
OF age. Coroner Dixon was notified, and
summoning a jury held an inquest. The
verdict was that the deceased came to his
death by some sharp instrument in the
hands of parties unknown to the jury.
The verdict occasioned a good deal of
surprise when the evidence was considered
The coroner, DR.. WeichSelbaum and the
majority Of those familiar with the case
believe that the verdict should have pointed
TO the dead man as a suicide, his self
slaughter occasioned by the delirium of a
high fever.
Sifted down, the evidence Of Mary willy,
the woman at whose house White was stay
ing, and the testimony Of the attending
physician, DR.. w eichselbaum, and that of
Stephens. friend Of White. point to the
theory of suicide as the more plausible, and
the facts developed in the coroners inquiry
are substantially these.
CANE HERE FROM CHARLESTON.
Thomas White, the dead man, and J. L.
Stephens, timers, came over to Savannah
fromC Charleston about six weeks ago in search
Of employment, and secured board at the
house of Albert Wylly (colored) at No 9955
Montgomery street. Last Sunday White
was taken sick, and, as he grew worse, DR..
Welchselbaum was called on and prescribed
for him. Mary WILLY, owing to Whites
impecunious condition, paid for the medi-
cine On Wednesday, as White got no
better, the physician again visited him and
another prescription was left. Wednesday
night White was delirious, and
Stephens remained up with him until
! o'clock yesterday morning. A part of the
time it required other occupants OF the room
TO help hold the patient in bed. At l o'clock
White got easier. The delirium had appar-
emily passed off, and Stephens lay down
and fell asleep. Between and O'Clock,
when Mary WILLY got up, her first thought
was Of the sick man, and going to the door
she inquired how he was getting along. 1t
was then learned that he was not in the
room. A search was made around the
place and White could not be found. The
woman then went to the watercloset, and
there she discovered that a glass fruit jar
had been broken in the closet, and there
were traces of blood on the floor. She re-
moved the broken bits of glass aud washed
up the stains, and Pirkney, one of her
roomers, suggested that White might be in
the vault.
FINDING THE BODY.
The floor was taken up, and the man was
found there. Sergt. Reilly was notified,
and sent police detail, and under its di- |
rection some negroes removed White from |
the vault DR.. Weichselbaum was again |
summoned, but was unable TO save the |
mans life 1t is the doctors opinion that !
the Jagged wound which was in |
Whites throat was self-inficted with |
piece of the broken glass. The hemorrhage |
was not great, no artery being cut, and the |
wound not deep. but the foul gas and expo |
sure contributed as much or more to
Whites death than did the wound There
were measurements taken of the opening in
the seat by the jurors, and it was found that |
White could have very easily dropped him
self down in the vault.
A collection was taken up after the in |
quest TO defray the funeral expenses, and a |
sufficient amount was raised to enable |
Stephens to take the remains of his friend |
to his home in Charleston for burial which |
he did last night