The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-01-11
By THE sTRYcHNIHE ROUTE.
John Willis swaiford shufiies OF
in the Old Way.


Yesterday afternooa J. W. STAFFORD
committed suicide al the Bartlett house
by taking stryehEine. In the morning
al about Ii.s1 STAFFORD applet for
lodging, stating az the time that
n vas suffering intense pain
IN bis abdomen. After sitting in the
Office By the fire = few fnouaents be
suddenly asked 20 be conducted TO his
room. He had registered himself a.
John w. Stafford. telling the propsi-
etor be wogld pay hina at about
O'Clock. when he expected 10 obtain
some funds from friend at the Bruins
wick hotel He was assigned to room
No. -. and asked TO BE called at 30
p. m.
swafford vas awakened at that time
by the proprietor. who found him in
bed in a half-consciors state. He
remarked that he would not
get up at present, but
would arise after awhile. About 3 30
O'Clock, loud screams aud groans were
heard emanating from SwafFord's
room. Upon Mr.. Bartlett's entrance.
Swaford asked 10 have a doctor called
at once, stating that he was suffering
from poison. which he had swallowed.
DR.. Noble having been hastily called
asked him what he had taken.
"Stfychnine, was the answer.
What for7'
''0h, am tired of living"
Dr.. Noble found that the man was
too far gone 20 be able 10 do anything
! for him.
After some commissions, during
which the man suffered terrible agony.
he drew his last breath and lay back
on his pillow dead.
A bottle OF strychnine half full was
found under the bed. where the suicide
had thrown it, His body and few ef-
fects were taken charge of by the cor
oner, and as soon as his relatives can
be heard from the inquest will be held
The suicide was a native of Ken
lucky and IS years of age and a car
! penter by trade. His full name was
John Willis Swafford. He has been
on the Sound for some time and was
last employed at Thomas Johnson's
sawmiil at North Seattle.
The man Is given an excellent repu-
/ tatioa by Mrs. ). A. Johnson OF Ellens-
burgh. in whose house he had roomed
for some time. Mrs. Johnson is now
on visit 10 this city. STAFFORD had
borrowed her gold watch, chain, and
ring, and had pawned the former for
IS; nevertheless Mrs. Johnson is OF the
opinion that STAFFORD was suffering
from temporary fit of insanity, when
he took the poison. and that he fully
/ intended To return the jewelry. He
had iniirnated that he would take his
life several times and had also written
the following which has been obtained
from Mrs. Johnson:
wHArooN, W. T.. Jan. /, 1889.
! Mrs. :. a, johnson, EtensbHrgk ~ T.
To-day ends my life. am too unhappy TO
live.
have led miserable life | pawned
your watch In Seattle, and | viii send you
something 10 keep as a mcmento. / will
be buried here. have a friend that will
| leave letter for IN my room. and viii di-
rect him what 10 DO with my body. when
in the other world will visit You Good
bye and God bless you and pity me- Your
distracted friend.
! i. ST. send you the check for the
| watch, and you can have MI. Johnson get
II for You.
Teli'the broker the whole thing and
think he will give you the watch when
In the other world viii help you II can.
swAFFoRD.
Swaiford also wrote to William
ellison of North Seattle ON January
| that he intended taking his life. but
assigned no immediate cause for il.
lie had borrowed several small sums
OF money from different persons in
Seattle, and had not repaid any of
them.
Mrs.. johnson, in company with a
| PosT-ISTxLLiGEYcER reporter, Iecog-
nized the body at the morgue last
evening, and stated that he had told
her that he had a married sister
named Mrs. Laura A. Bradford living
on Battery street in North Seattle,
and also brother, DIR. james Swat
ford, who resides somewhere in
British Columbia No cause can be
assigned for the deed, except that
Swafiord was financially embarrassed.
and had worried and brooded himself
into a morose mental condition.