The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-02
Suicide of KohIer, the
Wine Merchant.
HE WAS WEARY OF LIFE.
Swallowed Morphine at DR..
Loryea's Place.
T WAS HIS SECOND ATTEMPT.
He Was Dissipated and the Company
of Which He Was President Had
Curtailed Ills Privileges.

Charles .kohler, one OF the most pr0ml-
nent wine merchants and manufacturers
on The Pacific Coast, committed suicide
yesterday BY swallowing a large dose of
morphine at DR.. Loryea's Turkish baths,
on Post street, between Grant avenue and
St0cktOn street. -. !. -.
sKoher's: death was. by mo means a
shock to. his Intimate friends, for it was
known to- them that he had grown weary.
Uf life. Many months ago they. heard HIM
say that life was not worth living and that
man:had. better be dead than alive. -. :.
He.was IL: slave to the liquGr: ha bit. and
judging from certain runctnres on his:
body, had been addicted. to the use of tho
byp0dermic syringe. =.
About nine months ago, KohleT's friends
induced him to take the Kelley treatment.
but in hscase it was Intellectual. and when
he returned from Los. Gatos he was appar-
emily as :misanIhropic as he was when he
departed: - 3. :.
:. Kohler was man of splendid physique,
above 6.feet2 inches in height and formed
symmetricaly. His talent as a man of
business vas .as genarally recognized as
i. was bis "deplorable enslavement TO liquor.
He bacamesthe head of: the firm. of
Kohler. & Frohling when. his father, who
was. at one time q School Director. died.
The firm built the great vaults at the cor
ner. of Second and Folsom streets, and
whensi with several other firms organized
asa company the deceased was. elected
president. :: -. =, =. ~. = Il.
:. Some lime ago. pro badly ON account of
Ills: dissipa' fdn,@ the company took. from
Kohler the right to draw creeks: He COM,
plained,Gf this. a. few days ago after boz
row ing: some money from G. II. TobiD.
the. manager Of "Tobe2' s" resort on: Post
street. FIX. : -. -. :
He. said. that be could not understand:
why they had treated him So. a day: OF.
TWO later he called upon Tobin again and
Said that: the company had agreed tore
store. his. privileges. If he would take the
pres deney OF the *Winemakers' Union
and. strictly. attend TO business. =. :: ::
Some weeks ago Kohler attem pied to take
his life allowing morphine. at Lor-
yeas baths, which was one of his .iavorite
resorts. -Loryea found him lying. uncon-.
scous one, of the rooms. and with the
assistance. OF, another physician and an
electric battery, restored him te:conscious-
ness. r. = -.
Kohler looked reproachfuily upon his
sayiors and coolly informed them thatthey
had labOred.in vain. - =
"Ihaye told you,''': he said to Loryea,
''that one is better dead, and l will make
better j5b of it next time. -"
Kohler.was as good as his word. Late
Monday night be called up.his old friend
Tobin and. after swallowing cocktail,
entered. the Dath, which is in the. same
building. ~. =. -. -
Lnrvea conYersed with him. until /
o'clock yesterday morning. when Kohler
went out, saying that ne would go to his.
residence at 1882 o. Farrell street. =. ~:
He was then apparently in a cheerful
mood. shook. hands with the: bathkeeler
and Wished him and his attendants
hanDy. new year. :'.'.> :: -:
Kohler returned . to the baths at 8 30
O'Clock yesterday morning and told Lor-
yea thht, be proposed to spend several
hours there, ~. 1888. -. =
AIlthe rooms on the lower floor were
occupied, and: he was taken to little
aperg ment in the third story and stripped
by an ATTENDANT. =. -. - :: :.
.Loryea Ylsiteed ;Kohler several times
during. the day in: the little room, and
observed that his patron was very de-.
spdndent.; - ....=.e.
Late in the Afternoon an. attendant re-:
ported that Kohler was unconscious and
breathing .stentorouslY. Lofyea at once.
determined that tie wine merchant had
made ano ther-attemptt rid himself of the
life that was a burden. :':.:' ~ =
He. summoned DIR. Rogers and they
la5ored for an hour fagelating the patient
ana using the electric battery. H.: :: :: =.
= The: trea tment was Intellectual and Dir.
Martin. Regensburaer was called into the
little:room " here Kohler lay. His efforts.
at restoring the: man to- Consciousness
were as ;uinavaillng as thoseof Drs. Loryea
and. Rogers. H." :. ..
An,idotes: and restoratives> were given
in vain, and at midnight Kohler died. !.
A flask half full of whisky and NOR
phine was found in the dead mans
pocket, and ii was the opinion of the
physician that he had swallowed an ounce
of the drug. III. e. -.
The coroner aud the brother of. the de-
ceased, with whom he. lived, were notified
and the body was removed TO an under
Kohler was about. So. years old and un-
married. He is supposed to have been q
man of large means. =. =. =: