The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-04-09
THE POISON ROUTE.
Albert Bemis Commits Sui
eide at the HurfOrd.
He Visits the Hotel With Officer
McCOrt,
To Get Some or His Clothes and While
Talking
To Landlord Simonds Drinks 8
Quantity OF Deadly Poison.
Bemis Had Been in Jail For Attempting
to Kill Miss Carrie schweitzer--.His
Attack On Attorney Charles o. Upham.
LFrom Saturdays Extra Edition.

Albert Bemis, who has been confined in
the county Jail for the past week on a
charge of shooting at Carrie Schweitzer
with intent to kill her committed suicide
at the Hurford House about half past four
this afternoon.
Bemis owed j. A, Simonds, the Hurford
landlord a board bill and stated that he
desired TO go 10 the hotel, get some of his
clothes and arrange matters in satisfac-
tory manner. Accordingly Officer An
drew McCort consented to accompany
Bemis from the Jail to the hotel.
On arriving at the hotel, Bemis, Officer
McCort and Landlord Simonds went at
once to room ga on the third floor, which
was formerly occupied by Bemis. After
talking awhile with the officer and land
lord Bemis requested Mr.. McCort to step
into the hall saying he had some private
business he wished to transact with Mr..
Simonds. The officer obliged him and
left the room. Bemis continued talking
to Mr.. Simonds, and finally walked over
to the dresser and swallowed the contents
of q bottle. Hecontinued talking regard
ing business affairs and asked Mr.. ST.
monds how the people felt toward him.
Befnis appeared to be perfectly natural
and for time Mr.. Simonds did not notice
that anything was wrong. Finally he saw
the bottle labled poison and at once real
lied what had happened. He rushed out
of the hotel and summoned DIR. Post, who
did all in his power to revive Bemis, but
the effort was unsuccessful, and shortly
before o'clock Bemis expired.
The poison was cyanide Of potassium,
which is one of the most deadly poisons
known. 1t is thought Bemis took large
quantity of the deadly fluid.
Coroner Openhimer was notified and
in company with NEws-DEMoCRAT re-
porter, viewed the remains. The body
will be removed to the undertaking rooms
of Ramsey q Co., and the township trus-
tees will probably take charge of the re-
mains, as Bemis is without friends or
money.
Bemis came to Canton sometime ago
and has been employed at the Hampden
Works. He has been in numerous scrapes
since his arrival in this city.
Some months ago he went TO the office
of attorney Charles G. Upham and be-
cause Mr.. Upham refused to misrepresent
divorce case in which Bemis was the
plaintiff, to the court, that individual be-
came very much excited. and would not
leave the room until Mr.. Upham knocked
him down with q poker. Bemis' wife is
in the county hospital at Lancaster, Pa.
He has not provided her with the necessi-
ties OF life for sometime past.
His visit to the residence of Miss Carrie
Schweitzer, last Saturday night, and the
attempt made on her life at that time by
Bemis, are facts familiar to readers of the
NEWS DEMOCRAT. The young lady GER
tainly had narrow escape.
1t is supposed that Bemis worried over
the trouble, and as he saw no escape from
a term in the penitentiary, decided to end
his existence.
Among the things found in Bemis' room
was a small bottle about half full of laud-
anum but evidently he had not taken any
of this.
At the Jail among the prisoners Bemis
was considered practically insane. He
was continually talking about his troubles
and was much exercised over a board
bill which he said he owed at the Hurford
house. He has repeatedly stated to the
prisoners with whom he was in daily con-
tact since his incarceration, that he would
rather die than live under the disgrace his
recent action caused. He stated to a fell
low prisoner this morning that If he
"could once get over to his room he would
make matters square all round," He has
made this remark before but no particu-
lar significance was placed upon it. He
evidently went to his room for the express
purpose of ending his existence.