Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-17
DRINK AND THE GRIP
Claim as Their Victim Bright Young
Attorney of Warren, Pa.
VIM. G. TRUNKEY'S SAD SUICIDE.
Before His Mania He Intended to Join q
Kelley Institute.
NEWsI NOTES FROM THE THREE STATES

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH.l
YOUNGSTOWN, March 16.-William Gar
rison Turnkey, leading attorney of War
rem, Pa, and son of leading iurist of
PENNSYLVANIA, committed suicide here this
morning by hanging. He came here ten
days ago, suffering from protracted de-
bauch and was placed under the care OF
physicians, who gave him Turkish baths,
and he was recovering rapidly.
This morning he eluded an attendant, and
when found he was hanging near the bath
rooms with life extinct.
The deceased was 81 years old and leaves
a wife, daughter of Robert Cochran, of
Franklin, Pa. Yesterday he telegraphed
relatives he was recovering from the grip
and would return home in day or two
Turnkey was prominent Mason, and the
knights remplar here will escort his re-
mains to Franklin, Pa, tomorrow for in
terment YESTERDAY he said:
eff 1 get through this all right I intend
going to an institution where they will take
the appetite for liquor away"
The condition in which the body was
found indicated that Turnkey had deliber-
ately premedltated the act, and was will
ing to undergo the torture of a slow stran-
gulation. A slender clothesline, on which
towels were hung to dry, ran along the cor
ridor of the bathrooms, fastened to small
waterpipe. Selling the loose end. he
formed slip moose, thrust his head into it,
and the weight of his body pressing the
cord on the neck caused death. His feet
were on the floor, and he could easily have
released himself had he desired to do so.
The Victim Well Provided For.
His clothing was of the finest texture his
under garments OF silk, and the jewelry he
wore indicated that, aside from his love for
LIQUOR, he was man of refined tastes He
was well provided with funds, carried
numerous railroad passes, and in his satchel
was found large photo of his father, Judge
Turnkey 1t is probable that upon awaken
ing, he was seized with a suicidal mania,
and. seeing no one near, slipped into the
corridor and committed the act of self-de-
structlon.
1t was learned tonight that he left home
two weeks ago to go to Mercer, Pa, and it is
probable that from ther e he came here, as
he arrived at the Tod House Saturday morn
ing, March s. and WAS then suffering from
debauch.
special telegram to THE DISPATCH from
Warren, Pa, says: About two weeks ago
w. q. Turnkey, who was administrator OF
his eSIate III McECcr Count0,
went to the latter place on business OF the
estate. Last Saturday j. III. Doniy, his law
partner, received a telegram from Mercer,
stating that Trunkey was i'll with the grip
Mrs. Turnkey wired she would go to him,
and the next day Donley received this tele-
gram, dated Youngstown. 81 am down with
the grip. Doctors think will be out in two
days" Nothing further was heard from him
until the notice of his death.
Pleasant Family and Social Relations.
Last fall he had a severe attack of the grip,
from which he had never fully recovered.
His home life was happy, and he had a fine
business. He was in good circumstances,
was a bright lawyer and stood very high at
the bar, and was a social favorite. There is
no known cause advanced here for the sui
cide except sufferipgS from the grip.
Mr.. Turnkey was born in Franklin in 1855,
being the only child of Judge Turnkey, and
Heyjrick, coming to Warren in 1882. He
was member of the leading law firm of
Freeman & Turnkey until last year, when
he went in with J. II. Donley. In 1887 he
married Miss Mary Cochran, daughter of
:he banker. Robert Cochran, of Franklin.
He was leading member of the Prcsby-
terian church and its treasurer, his char
acter being above reproach. He was promi-
nent in Democratic politics, being for q long
time Chairman of the County Committee.
and at the last election was mentioned for
Judge of this district He was also attorney
for the Western New York and Pennsyi-
vania railroad.
Mrs. Turnkey is overwhelmed with grief,
and to-day went to Franklin, where the
body will be sent, and where the interment
will take place.