Evening journal., 1895-10-03

Dir. Rogers Died with Glass of Tn
known Poison In His Hand just as lie
Had Dismissed His Clnss-He Was an
Expert on Poisons.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass, oct. 3.-Elliott A.
Rogers, instructor OF chemistry at Har.
ward college dismissed his class i'm Boylos-
ton hall I'm his usual manner and turned
toward an adjoining room. A glass bealer
containing some chemical was IN his
hand and In tho other was piece of pa
per on which, as subsequently appeared,
was written.
cit Is as IL should be. "
Before the members OF the class had all
PASSED through the door Instructor Rogers
uttered grdan and sank to the iloor His
students rushed TO his side TO find him
dead.
The tragedy is n dense mystery None
of the students knew what chemical was
in the glass hcakcr that hc held in his
hand whom he closed the lecture Nobody
knows the Significance of tho words on
the piece of paper which he held In the
other hand
His friends scout the idea Of suicide and
assert that the vapor arising from the un-
known chemical must have affected his
hcnrt.
Professor Rogers had everything to live
for Honor and distinction in his chosen
profession were before him, and yet there
are circumstances which seem to indicate
that he took his own life.
Made Dangerous Experiments.
Il seems evident also that his tragic end
was the elimination Of long course of
experiments with cyanide Of potassium.
Ho had worked assiduously all summer,
and the opening Of the term found him
broken in health and ill prepared for the
wlntcr's work. During his college course
nc was close student, and after gradua
tion he sought to rocuperate abroad Even
then he had begun a careful investigation
into the action Of various deadly chemi-
calls and whom he returned from his con
tinental tour he resumed this study with
renewed ardor.
OF late he had appeared despondent,
and nc avoided his former acquaintanoes
80 studiously ms to attract attention.
IL was noticed that he was very pale
when he entered the classroom Mednes-
day, and it was commented upon by the
students. He conducted his class as usual
however and thon took up the mysterious
beakor with its deadly contents IL Is be-
loved by many that the words on the
scrap of paper indicated the completion Of
certain experiments.
IL is known that Professor Rogers was
deeply Interested i'm quick acting poisons.
He knew thoroughly the action of every
gas and poison and every chemical combi-
nation upon the heart He knew just how
many fractions of a second it would take
Co still the beating of the heart after the
administration OF the poison. So it seems
highly improbable that death was the re-
suit of AN accidental inhalation of poison
Gus vapors.
Professor Rogers had been experiment.
ing with cyanide of potassium, noting
carefully It's action ON various metals.
Whether or not he had discovered a new
chemical action will probably never bo
known. He did not speak after being
stricken. Death was instantaneous Cy-
anide Of potassium acts in just that way,
so il is highly probable that that was the
poison that caused his death.
If that be SO, &c is doubtful II the autOp.
sy will throw any light on the matter for
it is well known that that poison leaves
but one slight trace Of its work, and that
Is not always distinguishable. Examiner
Durell will hold tho autopsy today
His Great Ambition.
Mr.. Rogers was about 30 years OF age.
He came TO the college from Worcester
He graduated in 1891, and since that time
he had travelled extensively In Germany
and other foreign countries He studied
chemistry while abroad and was consider
ed one of the shining lights in this
branch of education. lie was summoned
toIlarvard this term TO act as instructor
in chemistry and arrived In Cambridge
few days before college opened lie inn
mediately hegan his urduous studies nnd
expressed himself TO aoquaintances and
professors as highly elated with his pros
poets.
His ambition was To become leader in
his chosen profession. When college open
ed, he entered with great vigor into his
work and was thought highly Of by the
professors as an instructor. The students
too, speak very highly Of him.
During Rogers term at college he
studied exceedingly hard, and at his grad
uatiun was near the head of his class I'm
chemistry. Hours that should have been
devoted to recreation and rest were by
him given 10 studying the fascinating ANAL
ysis ot metals and the various substances
germinated and brought into effect by the
combination OF acids and other materials.
The deep problems OF this branch of soien-
tino research were thus disclosed TO him
as to no other student in his class But
tho strain was too great, and he was COM
pclled TO desist from the arduous task he
had set for himsolf-to lead the world In
chemical knowledge.