The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-09-02
DEAD AT HIS OFFICE
DR.. Ferree Dies Within Two Hours After
Leaving Friends at the Dispensary.
Some Physicians Say Positively His Life Was
Ended by Heart Disease, but others Think
the Strange Conditions Suggest Suicide.

Early yesterday morning q man ana
woman drove in a carriage to the Office of
DR.. +. NJ. Ferree, l04 North Meridian street,
to procure q check for a trunk which the wo-
man had left at the doctors Office Saturday
afternoon, and which he had promised to
send to her. Receiving no reply to their re-
peated knockings at the Office door, the
man, who could see through the win
dow that some one was lying upon
the sofa, mounted the window sill
and looked oyer the transom into
the room. Lying stretched at full length
upon the sofa. his arms folded across his
breast, his face livid with the hue of DEATH,
he saw the body of the Doctor, and, with
a Mortified exclamation, jumped down
and burst open the door leading into the
Office.
summoned, and, with DIR. Hodges, made an
pronounced life to be extinct;
in fact, Ii body was then
the Doctor had died at least an hour or two
before his body was discovered. The
news of the Doctors death spread rapidly,
and it was spoken of as a case of suicide,
the statement going so far as to carry with
Park avenue, near Sixth street. But it is
claimed by some Of the Doctors profession
al friends, who gave the matter Immediate
attention, that the cause of death was heart
trouble. DR.. Ferree lately told several of
them that he was suffering in that way.
One of these friends was DR.. WOODBURY., of
the City Dispensary, who, at the request of
the deceased, made an examination a
short time ago and found him so affected.
At the residence. No. 5H North Tennessee
street, of County Treasurer Sample .Loftin,
step-father of the deceased, it was learned
that Doctor Ferree had frequently COM
planned to his relatives of the trouble his
heart occasioned him, and only aday or W
ago told his mother. who also suffered from a
similar complaint, that he expected they
would both die from the same cause.
DR.. Berwick, of the City Dispensary, who
has been an intimate friend of DR.. Ferree
death was caused by heart disease. On
Saturday night DR.. Ferree called at the
Dispensary, and while there complained of
a terrible pain in the region of the heart to
DR.: Berwick. The latter then had occasion
to leave the office To attend a poisoning
case on Court street, which occupied his at
tention for three. or four hours. On re-
turning to the Dispensary, end
going upstairs to his. room. he
cnpying a portion of his bed, instead OF go
ing home, as was his expressed intention
earlier in the night. After sleeping until
4 o'clock. yesterday morning. the deceased
got up and dressed, awakening DR.. Ber-
NlChs III dCCOlIlDduiCu iii oONh y o
where they remained talking for the space
of half an hour. DR.. Ferree then left for
his office, telling DIR. Berwick that he felt
thoroughly played out, and would sleep
until the following afternoon, and that was
the last time he was seen allve.
1t is within the range Of possibilities that
death, owing to the weak condition of the
heart, resulted from over-excitement pro-
duce1 by troubles. For some time he has
been subject to fits of dependency. caused
IN nnnngIflnn IN his nrOnOSQd InarrIaQa tn
the lady mentioned above. 1t is also known
that on Saturday last a young lady, Miss
I Walden, arrived in the city from Green
castle and proceeded to the Doctors office.
1t was stated by her to the coroner that she
left a check for her trunk at the Doctors
office, and that early on Sunday morning
she tried to gain admittance to the office.
as she intended to return to Greencastle.
hurst open the door and was the first to
make the discovery that the Doctor was
| dead.
Early on Saturday night. DR.. Ferree was
driving about the city In a hack. but with
| out company, and he is also supposed to
have been slightly intoxicated. Ii this is
so, it would explain the probable manner in
which he came by slight bruises on the
face. Another cause for these, and perhaps
the true one. is the story told by DR.; Ber-
awakened. by DR.. Ferree on Sunday
morning they had some fun together throw
ing pillows and shoes at each other, and in
this manner the bruises and scratches
| might have been inflicted. One thing
which is peculiar is the reticence of the
medical profession to speak of the cause OF
| the Doctors death. Those whohaye known
him intimately ascribe it to heart disease,
while others, and of high authority, state
that it is undoubtedly a case of suicide.
| But the pOst-mOrtem examination, which is
| to be held this morning, will enable the
| public to ascertain the true facts regarding
| the cause of death.