Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-17
Bring to an Untime'y End Book
 Agents Life.
THOUGHT TO BE SUICIDE
to Kill Himself the Day Before, But Put It
 Off for Awhile.

With his body cold in death W. G. Reese, book agent, was found yesterday morning in bed in his room at Mrs. Perry 8 boarding house at No. 2130 Fourth avenue.
 The deceased evidently camesto his death by an overdose of morphine and cocaine, but whether this was taken with suicidal intent is not positively Known, but 1t is thought that such was done with an intent to suicide. st
 When his room was entered yesterday morning an almost empty two-ounoe nor phine bottle was found on table by his bedside, and the supposition is that he took internally almost the entire contents of the bottle before retiring.
 Reese was about 2S years old and was a person of good appearance. He has been a book agent for some years, having been here iu that line of business about four years ago. About week ago he cam ) from Atlanta to this city and went to Mrs. Perry's boarding house, where he engaged a room and board, saying that he would be in the city for three or four weeks, and that he represented the Atlanta office of the N. D. Mcdonald Publishing company of New Orleans. He was selling dictionaries aud other books, and during this week made one trip outside the city.
 RsFrom all accounts for the past several months he had been drinking very heavily until he went into the Keeley institute in Atlanta. Having, it Is said, graduated at this institute only short while since, he went 10 travelling again, but always seemed weak and nervous. It fs also said that he began drinking again, and also took up the morphine habit. In fact, from what could be learned, he was almost physical wreck and lived mostly on stmulants. a~-
 Late Friday afternoon he went to bis boarding house and said that hewas very sick. He looked equal to his assertions, for he was exceedingly pale and apparently very weak. He appeared like man who had lost all hopes h the world, and all hopes of ever accomplishing anything in the future. When he walked into the hall and said he was sick he pulled out knife and put it to his neck, saying that he had a great mind to kill himself, whereupUn one of the boarders screamed and he dropped the knife.
 He went out again and came in with a friend by the name of M. Kern. MT. Kern and John Perry of the boarding house, after being begged, went and purchased 10 cents' worth of cocaine for Reese. With an instrument he put portion of the drug in his arm and laid down on the bed. After awhile be asked for morphine. He had 2 bottle among his effects and took doss' at the same time, saying that be hoped mo one would say that he was addicted to the use of the poison.
 About 7:30 o'clock Mr.. Kern went out, and returned about two hours later to see how Reese was resting. He was found to be asleep, and after that several visits were made to the room by Messrs. Kern and Perry. At all times he was found asleep.
 Yesterday morning between 4:30 and 5 o'clock MT. John Perry went to Reese s room and found him dead and his body perfectly stiff. Authorities were notified and the DO dy removed to the undertaking establishment of Warner & Smiley. A telegram was sent to the Atlanta office of the Mcdonald Publishing company notify ing them of his death. Yesterday after noon about o'clock Coroner Dnsenberry received telegram from J. H. Reese ot Atlanta ordering the coroner to forward the remains of the deceased to Atlanta. The body will be prepared and shipped accord. ing 10 the order received at o:55 o'clock this morning.
 An investigation was begun yesterday afternoon, but will not be finished until tomorrow morning.