Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-03-08
An Attempt at Suicide.


by the announcement that Mr.. VIM
Il. Billmyer, well-known resident
of this vicinity, had made a tragic
and almost successful attempt at sui
eide in Hagerstown on Sunday night
by taking an ounce and a-half of laud-
anum. The Hagerstown Globe says
that Mr.. Billmyer, accompanied by his
wife, with A. NJ. Shepherd and R. D.
Shepherd, of Shepherdstown, and
Mrs. A. T. Larrabee, of Baltimore,
arrived in Hagerstown Saturday even
ing from New York, stopping at the
Hamilton House. Sunday night the
entire party, excepting Mr.. Billmyer,
drove to shepherdstown. Mr.. Bill
myer expected to go to his home on
the midnight train.
The would-be suicide showed signs
of being under the influence of liquor.
John Baker, the night clerk, was in
the toilet room at the time the lauda-
mum was drunk. Mr.. Billmyer took
the bottle containing the poison from
his pocket, raised it to his lips and
deliberately drained the vial of its
contents. The laudanum contained
about eight grains of morphine. After
drinking the potion, Mr.. Billmyer
remarked to Mr.. Baker that cts all
over" The clerk did not understand
him, when Mr.. Billmyer thrust the
empty bottle under Mr.. Bakers nose
and said, Smell this bottle and you
will know what I have taken. He
requested the clerk not to say any
thing about what he had done to
anyone. Mr.. Baker did not pay
much attention to him, thinking that
he was accustomed to taking lauda-
mum.
Mr.. Billmyer walked into the lobby
and sat on a sofa for awhile. He
called to the clerk once more and said
he thought it was all up and that he
was going to die He requested that
his body be sent to Shepherdstown.
After this he fell into a quick sleep
and dark color came into his face.
These symptoms alarmed Mr.. Baker
who, for the first time, began to think
there was something wrong, He
aroused him several times from the
stupor into which he had fallen and
speedily called William Cook, of Cook
Bros. drug store, who attended Mr.
Billmyer and forced an emetic down
his throat, but the dose did not have
the desired effect
Several gentlemen at the hotel
aroused the stupefed man and started
to walk around with him, hoping to
revive him in this manner. They
walked down South Jonathan street,
but when at Antietam street Mr.. Bill
myers legs stiffened to that degree
that he could not walk and it was
found necessary to carry him back to
the hotel, where he was taken to his
room.
DR.. C. B. Boyle was summoned
without delay. AS soon as he had ex-
amined the patient he pronounced his
condition as serious. DR.. A. S. Mason
was also summoned and the two ply
sicians worked hard until II o'clock,
when hopes of recovery were despalred
of. Mr.. Billmyer had relapsed into
Inconsistencies. The poison had be-
come absorbed by his system and the
dose which contained eight ounces OF
sulphate of zinc which Mr.. Cook had
given him was without effect. 1t IS
said he had not eaten anything of any
consequence for several days. 1t Is
alleged that Mr.. Billmyer attempted
suicide on Saturday evening by en-
deavoring to drink laudanum, but his
wife knocked the bottle from his lips
as he was in the act of drinking.
All that was possible to save the
man from suicides death was done
He was provided with every comfort
and necessity. At 2 o'clock in the
morning all hopes were given up and
several times it was thought he was
diving. About 4 o'clock, however,
he took a turn for the better, and i'm
mediate danger was passed. He has
since gotten much better, and although
weak and i'll from the poison in his
system, he will undoubtedly recover
unless unforeseen complications should
ensue. His wife has been with him,
and other members of his family were
in Hagerstown each day this week.