The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-02-01
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY |, 1883.
SUICIDE IN MANNING.

About 10 o'clock last Friday morn
ing, Mr.. Mike Hammell went to Din
kins l. Co.'S drug store, and asked fol
ten cents worth of laudanum. DR..
Dinkins asked him if he had been
drinking any that day, to which he re-
Piled that he had not tasted thing
that morning. BE said he could not
sleep OF nights, and asked Dr.: Din
kins what was dose. DR.. Dinkins
told him not to take more than twen-
ty drops. As the bottle was handed
him he asked Dr.. Dinkins if half IN
the bottle would kill man. DR.. Din
kins told him It would unless the man
was accustomed to drinking it Mr..
Hammell then went to his shop, and
in about half hours time be called a
negro workman to him, and told him
he had just drunk bottle Of lauda-
mum. The negro Immediately repor' e
ed the fact to the drug stores. DR..
Dipkins at once went to him, carrying
powerful emetjc with him. When
be got there Mr.. Hammell said: 'Lit-
tie did YOU think, DR.. Dinkins, when
I got that lardanum, what I was go
ing to do with it. I have swallowed
it all, and feel it now in my bowels.
You needn't try to do anything for
me. [ have no reason for it, but I
want to die, to quit this green earth
and 60 to better world" Dr.: Din
kips Immediately administered very
large dose of bypo, but to no effect.
DR.. Brown also came to his assistance,
and everything was done that could
be done. The dose Of laudanum, how,
ever, was so large that in about three
hours he died.
Mr.. Hammell had been drinking
very hard for about six weeks, and of
= late had been very restless, and gave
other evidence that he was il an ab-
normal condition. He had during lie
few days pre- ling his death, been
up a great deal of nights, wandering
about the street, and had remarked
that he was almost afraid of himself.
So much drink had unbalanced his
MIND, and he committed the fearful
deed which .ushered him before the
great assizes.
Michael Hammen was born in hah-
way, New jersey, in 1888, and was
therefore 6fty-fve years of age at the
time of his death. He came South il
1854, and subsequently located at
Bishopville, in Sumter Co., S. G: Be
ing frst-class mechanic he followed
successfully his occupation until the
breaking out of the war, when he vol
unteered and enlisted in the service,
Joining the company commanded by
Captain Alexander Colclough. This
company marched in April 1861 to
Charleston. He re-volunteered for
Virginia in June 1861, and became at
tached to Captain Coker's company.
4 good workman, he was likewise a
gooo soldier, and among the battles
in which he was engaged were the
battles of Seven Pines and the battles
before Richmond. At the battle of
Fraser's Farm he fell, shot through
the shoulder, and was so seriously in
iured that be was returned kome IN q
helpless condition. He was subse-
quently discharged from service, but
in April 1854, he appeared before the
examining board and was accepted
for light duty. After the close Of the
war, Mr. Hammel moved to our town
and continued his residence here un-
til the time of his death.
Mr.. Hammen was quiet and unas-
suming, but a patriotic, honorable,
lust, and true man. 4 kind and af:
fectionate husband and father, and IN
his death the community loses one o.
its best citizens. He leaves wife
and three children to mourn their
loss. The family have the sympathy
of the entire community.