The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-30
SENT TO HIS RELATIVES
The Body Of W. A. Greer Taken to
South Carolina Last Night.

The Suicide Was Well known Among
the Detectives of the City and Has
Done Some Good Detective Work.
He Lost His Position With the Street
Railways, Which Resulted in De-
spondency and His Rash Step-A
Subscription Taken UP for Mrs.
Greer.
w. A. Greer, an account of whose taking
laudanum with suicidal intent appeared
in yesterdays MORNING NEWS, died about
2o'clock yesterday morning at the resi-
dence of Mr.. r. E. Lee, No. 2l0 Brough-
ton street.
1t was believed night before last that
Greer would die, as he had taken the lau-
danum over an hour when the doc
tor was secured, and it was impossible to
do anything for him. He had then fallen
into deep sleep from which he was
never awakened. DIR. r. G.. Norton ex-
erted his utmost efforts to bring the dy-
ing man back to consciousness, but it
was impossible.
Greers suicide was the result of des-
pondency over being unable to obtain
work. He came to Savannah from Au-
gusta about four months ago, and until
the day of his suicide resided on Ander-
son street, near Barnard Monday, hav-
ing obtained a room from Mr.. Lee on
Broughton street, stating that he desired
1t only temporarily as his wife was going
to Charleston in few days. he moved in
there.
STREET RAILWAY DETECTIVE.
During his residence in Savannah he
has been in the employ of both the street
railway companies as a detective, and
has also done some work as a government
detective in locating counterfeiters and
people who use the mails for improper
purposes. He had lost his position with
the railway companies and had practi-
cally nothing to do.
A few days before his suicide, while de-
spOndent over his inability to obtain
work, he told his wife that he was tired
of life and that he was going to shoot
himself. She thought little of it at the
time, thinking that he would soon get
over his i'll humor.
THE FATAL POTION.
Monday night he grew more desperate
and under some pretense purchased two
ounce bottle of laudanum from a BrOugh-
ton street druggist. This was about
o'clock. He evidently drank the entire
contents of the bottle while he was on the
way from the drug store TO his room, as
the bottle was found on the street empty
yesterday morning. 1t was about 0:30
o'clock when he went to his room and re-
tired. He began to act strangely, and his
wife suspected that something was the
matter with him. He had become drowsy,
but told her just as he was retiring that
he had taken laudanum, and would be
dead by o'clock in the morning.
This frightened her, and she ran for
Mr.. Lee, telling him she thought her hus-
band had taken laudanum. MIR. Lee at
once summoned DIR. Norton, but over an
hour had elapsed between the time he
took the fatal dose and the time the doc
tor arrived.
BEYOND HELP.
Greer was then in deep sleep, and it
was impossible to awaken him. All efforts
to arouse him proved futile and he died
about five hours after having taken the
deadly drug.
Coroner Dixon was notified yesterday
morning of Greer's death, but no inquest
was held, as the man was attended by a
physician. The body was shipped last
night to point IN South Carolina just be-
yond Columbia, where some of Greer's
relatives live and where he will be buried
Greer, IL seems, had been a good man at
his business and came to Savannah from
Augusta with the highest recommended
tiOns.
He leaves no children, but his wife was
left almost destitute. Greer had lust
paid Mr.. Lee, who is the manager for
Thomas & Maxwell, furniture dealers,
balance that he owed him on a suit of
furniture.
FUND FOR MRS. GREER.
Through the efforts of Mr.. Isaac
Beckett a handsome fund was raised for
Mrs. Greer during the day Greer had
assisted Postoffice Inspector Bulla in
number of cases before Mr. Beckett as
United States commissioner and the lat
ter befriended him in several instances.
Upon her husbands death Mrs Greer
went to MIR Beckett as a friend and he
and Sheriff BlOis and Mr.. f. P. Salas in a
short time raised handsome fund for
her relief.