Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-04
HIS SLOW DEATH.
4 FORGER'S QUEER DETERMINATION
After Betraying His Father and Wrecking
Their Firm.

ATLANTA, GA, March 2-It will be re-
mephered tina! Jonathan L. Adams, junior
member Of tire cotton firm of S. B. Adams
" Co, of Macon, was entrusted by his
father, ths senior member, with the entire
management of the affairs of the firms
business. He conducted the came for
nearly ten years successfully, bat eight
days ago was discovered to be forger Of
false cotton certificates for many Thousands
Of dollars. He was jailed, made wha5 res
utution be could sud at once began to re-
fuse food and seeing viaitors.
1t was Thought that in day or two he
would eat, but 81 day after day went by
his friends began to Fe seriously alarmed.
He vas uader bond Of nearly $4,000, and
WAS permitted at last 10 be taken home
under the hourly supervision Of four
guards from the Jail. This was four DAYS
ago. Still be refused food. He became
deliri0us, and two weeks passed by with
or, a mouthful Of food having passed the
lips Of jonathan L. Adams, forger and de.
faulter. At this stage Of the case the mat
Ter began 10 assume IA importance entire
ly disp;opOrtionate to the mere incident of
be crime.
1t began TO bo talked about. "Adams'
long fast" began TO be scokeD Of every
where, aud people By hundreds tried TO get
q sight OF the man who Yves trying TO com
NIT suicide by the horrible process Of star
walton. The details Of the failure Of this
old firm, which has existed for nesrly forty
ears have already been reported. After
Jonathan Adams had been removed TO his
home medical attendance was sought, and
two skillfnl physicians were constantly by
his bedside, but 1t was ia vain that they
enGeav0red to force him 60 eat, or to snug
Gle nourishment o him under guise OF
medicine which would alleviate the pains
which were racking his eDfeebied system.
Thus two weeks went by and Adams be-
came delirious.
Tho correspondent was told a narrowing
tale by one OF bis relatives. While deliri-
Gus he inces5antly called for food Weak
torst and wine and Water were brought
him again and again. Hs dashed it aside,
but at length he was induced 10 est some
thing. A physician then gave him an in
lection Of morphine, end he slep.. On
awakeing he was offered iogd again, but
violently resisted To ire phyai ian's
questiol as to whether he did not eat las;
night, hs answered no. ''But you did"
the doctor said, 'for l gave it to you"
II did rot, " replied Adams, 20 whom NOR
phire had restored cOnsciousness, "and I
will die beiore I eat. 1 will never survive
thia diegrscs, never Brig nue. no food, or
will curse you and die. I deserve to
die"
Thus thu prisoners long fast still con-
tinues lie ID daily growing weaker, and
las frequent fits Of deliriUm which Opiates
only will check. His case is the talk Of
the whole State, AID the opinion seema to
gain ground that he is not shamming. as
was iIs5 thought, to arouse sympathy, bu;
ID In dead earnest.
What the result will be the physicians
VIII not cay, though enc of them is report
ed to have said that the time had come for
extreme measures, and that they would do
az the 6oators did 20 yOuDg fellow con
demne1 10 death in Virginia, who refused
food and force him to drink brandy and
haafau a.1u