The morning call., 1890-10-13
AN AWFUL FATE.
Pursued by the Phantom Of Re.
morse.
How It Drove DR.. Patton From State to
State Until Finally He Com
nitted Suicide.

Tomorrow DIR. W. C. Patton, physician
of IrontOn, Mo-, who has been stopping in
ST. Louis awhile, leaves for San Francisco
to take charge Of the effects of DR.. John
Patton, his brother, says the Star Sayings.
This Is the last chapter in a story that tells
how a bright, promising scion of an old
Kentucky family was pursued into his pre-
mature grave by the phantom of invisible
remorse. And until now even the first
chapter Of the story has never been told.
Even the Governor of Louisiana was instru-
mental in hushing it up, to shield the son of
an old friend.
A few days since the San Francisco papers
that reached st. Louis contained brief an
nouncement that DR.. John Patton, formerly
of Ironton, Mo-, had shot himself to death.
1t stated that no cause for the deed was
visible, the deceased having appeared in
good health and spirits. OF course the I'M
pulse was not visible, for even the news
paper mans eye cannot perceive the specter
Uf unrest that drives man over the cont-
nent, among strangers and from prosperity.
From Southeast MisSourian the writer
met the story was learned from first to last.
About twelve years ago Mr. John Patton
appended M. ID. to his maine. His family
was among the leading ones of Iron County.
All the bows were brilliant handsome and
remarkably popular. which is everything in
the matter OF gathering up practice and
sheckels. DIR. John soon went to DAr-
borne, La. A few Old friends were there,
among them one Brown, cold
blooded wretch when drinking, warm
hearted man when sober. In 1882 churn
the train before he was abused by one Scott,
a friend of Browns. Scott and Brown
were drinking. Scott suddenly drew muir
derous knife, and holding the peddler down
by main strength deliberately slashed him.
After time he released the peddler and
went away. Brown had watched the whole
process and haunted the poor fellow when
he cried for help; and when this man
crawled on Browns porch to die. and begged
for water, Brown refused it, and started to
kick the dying man off. But it was too much
trouble.
Did the merciless brute call down the
vengeance of fate by that deed? That has
been often asked by the few who know the
whole story.
A few months later Browns daughter. a
lovely maiden of 10, was taken i'll. After
DR.. Patton had attended her a few days he
not save your girl. If you can get any other
doctor TO take the case or to help me, l am
willing, and will help all can"
Nonsense" replied Brown. "If any
doctor can save her, you can, and if she
dies, all right"
girl medicine, the father came in. From the
affectiOnate father drink had transformed
him TO a brutal 6end. After few words
he seized the sick girl, dragged her from the
bed, and forced her head into hot stove.
The physician was amazed, but only mo-
ment, when he rescued his patient, although
he was little person, and the father big,
| Overgrown. muscular man.
I'm whip you for that" said Brown,
with fury.
SIS you ever dare to I'll kill you," replied
the plucky doctor. Then he drove the ia
ther from the house, called help and left
neighbors to guard the child from the infu-
rated parent. The child recovered health,
but her beauty was gone forever The
crlsped hair. blistered cheeks and SCARED
neck never could recover their prettiness.
There was another man who had an inter-
est in the girls spoiled beauty. He was a
lover of as fiery. brave spirit as the Pat
tons. And the first thing the neighborhood
knew the lover had whipped the father I'M
mercifuly.
That episode kindled passion for re-
yenge in Brown. The next time he met the
Young doctor July 4, 1883 he sided up and
knocked him down. This was in the rear
of a store. The doctor had just handed the
clerk revolver Stepping behind the
counter in way to guard against the bully
getting out, he pushed the clerk aside, got
the gun and fired, as be said afterward, Ito
merely wound him."
But the bullet struck the femoral artery.
No one thought he was badly hurt. Brown
sneaked off, went home fell on the way and
all alone dragged himself to the same porch
where the peddler had died and bled to
death in the darkness that followed.
Finally, to fulfill the law, the Governor
was compelled TO take cogniZance of it as a
crime and offer a small reward. He delayed
though till the doctor had time to reach
Westeryile. Reynolds County, Mo.
There lie remained and pr0spered until
last year, though it was evident to all that
there was a crushing load on his conscience.
Ii CHANGED that an old man named Hughes
came to West Plains. No., near by. The
doctors parents lived there. They took pity
OIL the old man, took him and nursed him
through sickness. He learned Of the sKeie-
ton in DR.. John Patton's closet As soon as
he recovered the migrate told it to the peO-
pie; told them there was $1,000 reward, and
then went to D'Arborne, where a new
Sheriff, unfriendly to the doctor, was given
his address. The doctor got word. Leaving
his cattle, his little farm and his family, he
took some $500 and fed.
The doctor went TO Cincinnati. He sent
for relatives. They tried to induce him to
return and be sequestered. He started to,
but the demon of remorse adding its force TO
the fear of disgrace by arrest drove him on
and on. First into one State, then another,
then Canada, then Cuba, then California.
And at last worn by unrest tortured in
mind, and desperate, lie lay down on a
sofa, put Il pistol to his ear and ended it all.