Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-22
LAUDANUM'S VICTIM.
DEATH ON SUNDAY OF Mr.. NORRIS
SCHROEDER AT FORD'S HOTEL.
Too Frequent Draughts Of q Poisonous
Potion tho Cause Of His undoing.


Mr.. Maurice Schroeder died about .
o'clock Sunday afternoon at Ford's Hotter
from the incautious use of laudanum.
The deceased was Of German parentaee
and'was about twenty-eight years OF age
and was travelling for the leaf-tooacco
house of Becker Brothers, No. 4l9 east ho,n-
bard street. Baltimore. and had been ID tne
habit of visiting this city for several years
He came here on his last trip on Tuesday
and went TO Fords as usual, where ne was
assigned TO Room SO.
LIQUOR AND LAUDAHUM.
Mr.. Schroeder was known as regular
drinker, but, as far as the hotel people op-
served, did not seem 70 be particuiaI,y u,
under the influence of liquor during the
week, but on Saturday night he was no
ticed sitting in the Office and wearing a
very diseonsolate look.
Sunday morning he did not go TO break
fast. but sent a servant down TO the once
with the request that a glass OF milk Dc
brought to his room.
Mr.. w. C. Mcdowell, the clerk, gave the
servant an order for the glass of milk. IN
few minutes the man returned 70 MI.
Mcdowell and asked for an order Tor an
other glass of milk. and upon Mr.. NC.
Dowell questioning him he learned tnat
Schroeder had been taking laudanum,
whereupon he directed the servant to get
the milk and himself Immediately pro-
ceeded to Schroeder's room.
WANTED no DOCTOR.
Upon MIR. Mcdowell entering the room
Mr.. Schroeder greeted him cheerily. and
asked that the clerk direct the servant 10
4 l.. ICsoI ~ skoh #
the servant had brought him pitcher OF
warm water when he applied for ice water;
This Mr.. Mcdowell did, and he asked
Schroeder if it was true he had been taking
laudanum. The latter said it was.
TALKING CALMLY.
Schroeder was then sitting on the side OF
the bed, and was perfectly rational.
He talked about the matter with perfect
unconcern, and said he didn't sleep any the
night before. and for that reason had taken
the laudanum so that he might get nap.
Mr.. Mcdowell asked him how much he
had taken, and from the lntimation he
gave of the quantity the clerk was at once
alarmed and said:
" am going down stairs ana Will senu
doctor to you"
mo- said Schroeder, "don't do that !;
l don't want any doctor. L have taken
laudanum before many time and 1t Is not
going to do any harm, and L Will get up
and come down there myself"
He protested vigorously against any
physician being sent for, but MIR. NC
Dowell. after quieting him on that score,
as soon as convenient made an excuse to
withdraw from the room and went to the
Office Of DR.. Riddell and got him TO go
forthwith to Schroeder's room. By this
time Schroeder had undergone a great
change and was unable TO sit up and was
hardly conscious.
DOCTORS USELESS.
DR.. Riddell applied all the usual rene
dies. including ipecac and astomach-pump,
but he failed to affect the stomach or reach
the poison.
Realizing that the case was q very dan
eerous one, DIR. Riddell requested the clerk
10 telephone to DIR. Edward McGuire at st.
Luke's Home to come to the hotel for con-
sultation.
DR.. McGuire responded, and he and DR..
Riddell continued their efforts to cause the
patient to discharge the poison from his
stomach; but all TO no purpose.
As last resort DR.. Carrington. Of st.
Luke's, was telephoned to bring galvanic
battery, and this, too, was used, but with
out avail, and about o'clock death ensued.
Coroner Taylor was summoned and made
an investigation. from which he reached
the conclusion that it was not suicide but
overdosing.
PERSONAL.
Schroeder was q man who weighed be-
tween one hundred and seventy-fve and
two hundred pounds. and was OF strong
physique.
In his room we're found four laudanum
yials. all OF which he had emptied.
Some of the drug he had bought him.
l.. l. saxat &c In ttfrF
chase.
The aggregate quantity was three ounces;
all of which. it is conjectured, he had
taken between Saturday afternoon and
o'clock Sunday morning.
Some of these doses he mixed with
whiskey. He would take about half al
ounce at a time mixed with whiskey.
THE SUICIDE THEORY.
Mr.. Mcdowell is sure the deceased did
not commit suicide.
His idea is that Mr.. Schroeder had been
in the habit of taking laudanum when he
was sleepless, and IN this instance. did
not calculate the effect of dose upon dose.
When MIR. Mcdowell first saw Schroeder
the latter was altogether sensible; nothing
in his conversation or looks indicated that
he had aimed at self-destruction; on the
contrary deceased said what be wanted to
do was to take nap and that he would
then be ell right.
THE BODY.
When the illness became alarming Mr..
Mcdowell telegraped to Becker Brothers
at their place of business in Baltimore, in
forming them of the condition of their
representative. and later on teiegraphed
them of his death They communicated
with the Schroeder family, who telegraphed
the hotel people and instructed them to
have the body prepared for burial, which
was done.
Mr.. George Goght, member of the firm
by whom deceased was employed, arrived
in the city last night. This morning he
will return TO Baltimore and take with him
the dead body. He states that Mr..
Schroeder had been with his house only
two months. and that he leaves father and
mother and wife, but no children. De-
ceased was born in Baltimore twenty-eight
years ago.