Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-03-03
His SLOW DEATH.
A FORGER'S QUEER DETERMINATION
After BeTaying His Father and Wrscking
Their Firm.
TIE GUILTY NAN TRIES TO STARYE
Himself to Death-A Slow Process of Self
determination.

ATLANTA, GA, March 2.-It will be re-
membered that Jonathan L. Adams, junior
member of the cotton firm of S. B. Adams
& Co, Of Macon, was entrusted by his
father, the senior member, with the entire
management Of the affairs of the firms
business. He conducted the same fer
nearly ten years successfully, but eight
days ago was discovered to be g fOrger of
false cotton certificates for many thousands
of dollars. He was jailed, made what res
titution he could and at Oncs began to re-
fuse food and seeing visitors.
1t was thought that in day or two he
would eat, but as day after day went by
his friends began to he seriously alarmed
He was under bond of nearly $4,000, and
was permitted at last TO be taken home
under the hourly supervision of four
guards from the Jail. This was four days
ago Still be refused food. He became
deliriOus, and two weeks passed by with
out 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 to assume an importance entire
ly disprOportionate to the mere incident of
the crime.
1t began to be talked about. adams
long fast" began to be spokep Of every
where, aud people by hundreds tried to get
a sight of the man who was trying to COM
nit suicide by the horrible process of star
walton. The details of the failure of this
~ oh hao kaA H.
years, have already been reported. After
Jonathan Adams had been removed to his
hons medical attendance was sought, and
two skilltUl physicians were constantly by
his bedside, but il was in vain that they
endesvOrsd to force him to eat, or to snug
gle nOurishment him under guise of
medicine which would alleviate the pains
which were raeking his enfeebled system.
Thus two weeks went by and Adams be-
came delirious.
The correspondent was told narrowing
tale by one of his relatives. While deliri-
Gus he incessantly called for food. Weak
toast and wine and water were brought
him again and again. He dashed it aside,
but at length he was induced to eat some
thing. A physician then gave him an in
lection of morphine, and he slept. On
awakeing he was offered food again, bat
violently resisted To the Physicians
question as to whether he did not eat last
night, he answered no. 'But you did. ~
the doctor said, "tor I gave it to you. y
Il did not, " replied Adams, to whom NOR
phine had restored consciousness, ''and 1
will die before I eat. 1 will never survive
this disgrace, never. Bring me no food, or
will curse You aud die. l deserve TO
die
Thus the prisoners long fest still con-
tinues He is daily growing weaker, and
has frequent fits of delirium which opistes
only will check. His case is the talk Of
the whole State, and the opinion SCENE to
gain ground that he is not shamming, rs
was first thought, to arouse sympathy, but
is in dead earnest.
What the result will be the physicians
will not say, though one Of them IS report
ed to have said thst the time had come for
extreme measures, and that they would do
as the doctors did 10 yOuug fellow con-
demned to death in Virginia. who refused
food, and force him to drink brandy and
beaten eggs.