The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-13
SWALLOWED cARBOLIC ACID.
The Son of Ex-Tax Collector
O'Brien.
HAD A SUIT AGAINST HIS FATHER
iii Health and No Money Assigned
by the Young Man as Causes
for the Deed.

"Thls is clear case of suicide. Ill
health and NO money the cause"
These lines were penued by John W.
O'Brien, son of ex-Tax Collector O'BrieD,
in the saloon. 222 McAllster street, few
minutes before he swallowed a dose Of
carbolic acid, between and 7 O'Clock last
evening. The note was addressed, ITO
DR.. j. A. Hughes, City and County Cor
oner."
For the past two or three months
O'Brien had occasionally visited the sa-
loon. About 6 O'clock last evening he
went there and told John d. Ennis, one
OF the proprietors, who was attending the
bar. that he had an appointment with Sam
Crowley, at O'Clock. He waited till twenty
minutes past 6, he and Ennsi standing
chatting at the door.
II am afraid Sam is not coming" he
said to Ennis. Can I 90 into the rear
room for few minutes ?'
Certainly" said Ennis.
O'Brien went into the room and in few
minutes he came out and threw small
vial on the bar. remarking, 81 have swal-
lowed the balance" Ennis picked up the
vial and saw it was labeled "Carbolic
acid" There was a small portion in the
vial.
Ennis thought he was joking and asked
him what he meant.
II have taken it. be replied, 'to get off
this earth.'' Then he walked back into the
room. Ennis followed him and when he
saw the card addressed to the Coroner and
O'Brien's lips turning black he became
convinced that he had swallowed the acid.
Ennis sounded the alarm and O'Brien was
hastily driven to the Receiving Hospital.
DR.. Costigan promptly applied the ne
cessary remedies, but O'Brien died on the
operating table ten minutes after reaching
the hospital
Besides the note addressed to the Coro-
ner he had written two other notes on the
backs OF cards bearing thu name of E. P.
Mogan. attorney-al-law. 26 Montgomery
street. They were not addressed, and
were as follows:
II had my health wouldn't care, but you
know what 1t Is TO be without either money or
health.
Kindly post letters. I owe BIZ White So,
Sam Crowley 81, John A. Russell Jr. 65 cents,
George Mitchell 81, Attorney Mogan. bor-
rowed money. SIS, and fee. My last will is
that these be paid.
In his pockets were found letters written
TO him by his father while he was in Los
Angeles and subpenas for E. B. Calender,
Ed Arnold. John A. Russell, clerk of the
Board of Supervisors, and others in
suit of j. W. O'Brien VS.. Thomas O'Brien.
E. Z. MOgan, attorney for the deceased
in the suit now pending, was seen at his
residence, 723 Fourteenth street, at late
| hour last evening and manifested the
! greatest surprise when told of mis- clients
| suicide.
| He at first refused to believe that the
] young man had taken his own life, but
when confronted with the facts in the case
| his face assumed a CHASTITY pallor and he
sank back into large armchair completely
| overcome with aStonishment.
When he had sufficiently recovered he
gave complete version of the trouble
which had caused father and son to sepa-
rate and the SubseQue ut litigation which IS
now pending before Judge Seawell in De-
partment of the Superior Court.
He said that O'Brien came to his
office about the 18th Of last month and
narrated the trouble which had caused
him to leave his parental abode but few
weeks previously.
ITO all appearances the young man told
me straight story he continued. 81
closely examined him on every point and
failed 10 detect the least variance from his
statement and. being quite satisfied that I
had good case against the father. I drew
up the complaint, which was filed about
the first of April
when Thomas O'BIien took charge of
the Tax Collectors office IN 1889 he gave
his son Joe position as deputy with a
salary Of $50 per month. One of the con-
ditions laid down by the father was to the
should be held by him in trust, a small al
lowance being granted weekly for pocket
money.
after serving in this capacity for two
years the yhung man was transferred to
the position OF clerk in the office. his salary
being then reduced to 500 a month.
Two years later Mr.. OBrien's term ex-
PRED and the son began looking about tor
some occupation whereby he might better
his condition. He finally found an open
ing in business which would require
some capital, and upon application to his
father for the amount desired was re-
fused, and consequently was forced to
give up his plans aud wander idly about.
"Since that time he has repeatedly de-
manded the money which justly belonged
to him, but 60 no avail, and seeing no other
way out of the fficulty. he determined to
sue for the amount due, which reaches
nearly $4,000.
Shortly after the filing of the suit
Thomas O'Brien put in an answer in
which he admitted having received $4,000
from his son, though not as trust, but
absolutely. He further claimed TO have re-
turned this amount and that he was in
debsed in no way to the plaintiff in The
action.
The case was set for this morning and
both sides put In an appearance. hut as
the days calendar was overrrowded a
postponement was granted till tomorrow
be in his usual jovial spirits, and when I
left him. shortly after l p. NJ, he promised
to be on hand sharply with all his wit
neSses."
Mr. Mogan could give no reason for the
strange conduct of his client, other than
the effect brought upon him through lis
leaving home, which ne said had given
rise TO melanchOlia which at times man
ifested itself in his strange manner.
The young mans partially for drink was
well known, and when the $4,000 shortage
in the Tax Collectors office was located in
OBrien's term the son was much exer-
clsed over the matter, strenuOuSlv main
tanning that there was no deficiency.