The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-29
HAD A TICKLE BRIDE
WILLIAM e. BROWN ATTEMPTS SUI
eide ON HIS WEDDING DAY.
Four Times, He Said, Mrs. Minnie
Swain Set the Day-she Changed
Her Mind.

In a moment Of dependency. caused by
reverses in love. William E. Brown, aged
fifty years, residing at No. 8 Henry street.
attempted to kill himself last night about
s O'Clock. He had been paying attentions
to Mrs. Minnie Swain, a widow, for the
last year, and not long ago says he Sc
cured the promise of marriage. The day
was set for the marriage, but when the
time came Mrs. Swain said she was not
quite ready to be married, and asked that
the day be postponed. AS he says she
promised faithfully to marry Brown, he
was content, thinking that 1t was through
some whim that she postponed the date.
The marriage was set for a few weeks
afterwards, but when the day came Mrs.
Swain again said she did not want to get
married, but assured Brown that she
would certainly marry him within a few
weeks. This, is as Brown tells it. Brown
still believed her faithful, and the day of
the marriage was set for a third time.
The time dragged heavily on to Brown,
but finally the day arrived and all was In
readiness for the marriage. when. for the
third time. Mrs. Swain said her heart did
not prompt her to get married. Brown
was by this time very uneasy, but as he
is very ardent for his age. again implored
her to marry him.
His pleadings had .heir effect on Mrs.
Swain, and she consented that the marriage
be set for yesterday morning. No great
preparations were to be made. The two
were simply to go to a minister. or one
qualified to perform the and get
married. Brown awoke yesterday morning
with all the buoyancy Of youth In his veins.
He was a man of fifty and his love a wom-
an in the ~forties, but that made no differ
ence. He loved her with the passion of
a first love In the morning he left his
home, bidding his daughter. his only child,
an affectionate goodbye. saying it would
not be long before she would nave a moth
er. When he left his home he was happy,
but when he returned in the evening he
was haggard and seemed to have grown
ten years older. To those who questioned
him he made no reply.
broached he. flushed and grew uneasy.
Finally, his daughter. who is twenty years
Of age, and very pretty, asked him If he
fourth time Mrs. Swain had refused to
spair. He said he had no wish to live any
longer. His daughter told him that she was
still his child and that she loved him, but
but told her tina it would be better for her
IL she was alone and he out or the world.
His daughter saw that further argument
was useless and left him brooding to him.
self. Soon afterwards he was heard to
leave the house and walk away with a de-
He returned in about fifteen minutes and
went into one of the back rooms. Directly
he went into the front room where Tessie
Rolls, who lives with relatives In the same
house, was reading. He talked in a friend
ly manner to her and seemed in the best
of spirits. Miss Rolls noticed that he held a
She asked him what he was doing with
the paper. Brown, without speaking, bur
looking directly into her eyes, held the pa
per In such a manner that she saw on one
side the words. Morphine. Poison She
then remembered his strange actions OF
where he had been while out of the house.
Brown replied that he had only been out
for a short walk on a little bus ness.
that was in the he paperY" asked MISS RoIiS'
oh. nothing" replied Brown. you will
learn in the morning."
Brown refused to talk any more on the
subject and, after a few remarks as to the
condition of a sick woman residing In the
neighborhood, left the room and went into
the back yard. He returned to the room.
but only for a few seconds. After holding
the paper label high in his land so that
Miss Rolls could see 1t very plainly he
steps were heard on the stairs leading to
his room. His daughter, who had been out
on a little errand. then came into the room.
passed between herself and Brown. Miss
Brown Immediately went 10 her fathers
| room and saw him lying on the bed. He
was breathing heavily and she saw at once
that he had taken the drug. She saw the
label lying on the floor and she hurriediy
left the house and summoned Or. :. e.
Crosse. DR.. Crosse arrived about . o'clock
and worked with Brown for an hour be-
fore he placed his patient in a better condi-
ton. Late last night DIR. Crosse thought
Brown would recover
Both Mrs. Swain and Brown are highly
respected in their neighborhood. Mrs.
SWANS husband died some years ago.
Browns wife died several years ago. and
he often stated it was his one aim OF life
to provide for his daughter.