The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-11-04

Some excitement was caused, though
not great deal OF surprise was eX-
pressed by some people, when it be-
came known last evening that John
Brown, the veteran Market street pho
tosraphcr, had nearly succeeded in
committing suicide by taking six
drechms OF iaudanum. The cause oil
the attempt ia said to be business
troubles and shortage, said to amount
Isl, 100, in his account with the local
lodge Knights OF Honor, Of which he
was long time the financial recorder
Mr.. Brown was at his gallery at 0
o'clock yesterday morning, ana Wnlie
there did some work on negatives. lie
did not tell where lie was going when
lie left his PLACE OF business, and at the
noon hour he did not turn up for DIM
ner. Henry Jones, OF Twelfth street,
saw him going across that thOrouGhinre
about . O'Clock in the afternoon, when
he entered the entrance TO the frankiln
Insurance building, and was not seen
again until discovered at Gas o'clock
last evening by Custodian Boali, who
takes care Of the lodge rooms oil the
Knights OF Honor in the third story OF
the building. He opened the place up
for meeting OF the auditing commit
tee and tho lodge, which werp 10 take
place last night. He had only entered
when lie gaw Brown lying on the
floor in the rear par. OF the room,
his head propped on some lmproViseu
cushions. He went to him
TO SEE WHAT WAS THE MATTER,
but failed to arouse, aud upon investisa-
ton found that he was either dead or
very near it. Bcal at once notified Or
ficer Scally and others. A physician,
DR.. Dickcy, was summoned, who short
~ appeared. !. was found that Brown
was not breathing, and ut first it was
supposed that he WAS dead. Ihls
proved to be a mistake; al ounce vial,
almost empIlcd OF its contents, taudi-
mum, proved that he had taken THIS.
A stomach pump WAS brought into re-
QUESTION, but none OF the fatal drug
could be extracted. lie had taken Six
drachms oil the eight on an empty
stomach, probably shortly after he en-
tered the lodge rooms, and 1t had been
entirely absorbed into his system.
Powerful antugonistC remedies were
given the nearly dead man, and after
time signs OF returning animation be-
gan to appear Tue physician stated
that had lie been there five minutes
later efforts OF resuscitaton would have
been without avail. Only u lingering
spark OF life remained. lie was worked
with by friends for several hours aud
ut 10 o'clock it was eaid that he would
probably recover, though his system Is
not capable o. responding readily on
account OF weakness caused by q
similar attempt lie made on his lie ut
his photograph gallery on Market
street, on October I'd. just month ago.
Brown made another attempt on his
lie last summer, during the month OF
July; trying to shoot himself, the scene
being on the river bank. No blame can
attach to the druggist for selling the
man the laudinum, as it is usual Tor
photographer TO secure most any chcln-
icaI, and laudinum is used in one or Two
Photographic preparations. The sale
was properly registered by the druggist,
as required by law.
At il o'clock last night Mr. Browns
condition was somewhat worse, tho re-
SEPARATION being very faint, once in TWEEN
ty.iive to twenty-seven seconds BY
constant rubbing OF the body, however,
the danger was 0verted and ut midnight
the respiration was once in ten seconds.
1t was decided that he be removed to
his home on the Island and at o'clock
the patrol wagon took him over.