Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-06

J. L. Shropshire, cashier at the Birming- ham freight office of the Central Railroad of Georgia, committed suicide yesterday by taking an overdose of morphine.
 Monday he was at the railroad office dis charging his duties as usual, and nothing out of the ordinary was noticed about him. He was at the office Monday night until about 10 o'clock, at which time he left, presumably to go home. Where he spent the remainder of the night no one seems to know.
 SECURES ROOM.
 Between and o'clock yesterday morn ing MT. Shropshire went to the Metropoll- tan hotel and secured a room, registering under his real name. He was assigned to room No. g, on the first floor, and is sup posed to have retired immediately after be- ing shown up. A great many railroad men stop at the Metropolitan who work at night and sleep all day, so nothing was thought of the guest retiring at that hour and desiring to sleep all day About 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon MT. Lesser, the proprietor Of the hotel. went up to Mr. Shropshire's room to awken him. He rapped several times on the door, but heard no responses. He noticed that the door was locked and the key on the inside. He returned the with pass key, by which the key was pushed out of the lock and the door opened. Entering the room the porter
 CALLED THE SLEEPING MAN
 several times and then shook him. but was unable to arouse him. He so informed MT. Lesser, who went to the room. When he got there he saw at once something was the matter, and immediately telephoned for Dr. Burke. Dr. Parke was also sum moned, and together the two physicians worked faithfully to restore the man, who, however, they saw was
 BEYOND HUMAN AID. pump was applied, but to no avail. The unfortunateiman' stomach was washed, but no poisonous substance was taken therefrom. It had been absorbed and dis tributed into the system.
 From 5:10, the time of Dr. Burke's arr rival, until o'clock, when the patient wa3 pronounced dead, the physicians worked faithfully and used every means at their command to restore him to life. But 1t was useless. The poison had done it's work well.
 Dr. Parke said to an AeE-HERALD re- porter that from all the indications the poison must have been taken from six to ten hours before death.
 h one of the bureau drawers was found BOTTLE OF MORPHINE. but the greater portion of the drug had been used. No letters, nor anything else 10 indicate the cause of the suicides rash act, were found in the room. He had simply gone there, taken large dose of morphine, retired and died. That was all. TWO LETTERS. He did write two letters, however, before going to the hotel, in which he made known his intentions, and in which he is supposed to have stated the cause or causes that drove him to the mad deed. One was to his father, aud the other to MT. A. H. Stevens, freight agent of the employed. Neither of these letters could be obtained by the reporters, and their contents were also withheld. But 1t is re- ported, and the indications tend to corrob- crate the report, that MT. Shropshire was SHORT IN HIS ACCOUNTS
 with the railroad company. It is stated that he admitted as much in his letter to MT. Stevens, though that gentleman would neither deny nor affirm the rumor. The rurnor was generally believed to be the cor rect theory of the suicide.
 The contents of the letter to his father are unknown except to the family.
 On going to the office yesterday morning MT, Stevens found the letter addressed to himself, and after reading it notified the other officials, and immediately search remained for the hotel man to locate him.
 The report that the Central's cashier was missing got abroad and it was generally believed he had killed himself. Auditor Fowler of the Central, who was in the city, went to work early yesterday morn-
 CHECKING UP HIS BOOKS,
 but whether he found any discrepancies in them is not known. The officials seen by AaE-HERALD reporters last night declined to give out anything in regard to the mat ter, contenting themselves with the mere statement that nothing definite was known, and they didn't care to be quoted in the matter until a thorough investigation had besn made.
 THE BODY REMOVED.
 AS soon as the physicians pronounced the patient dead Warner & Smiley, the undertakers, were notified and prepared the body for burial. It was removed to, their establishment on Twentieth street.
 SHORT SKETCH OF DECEASED. x
 J. Linwood Shropshire came to Birming- ham nearly thfee years ago from Eufaula. He was one of the most popular young men in Birmingham, moving in the best circles of society, and had the entire conf dence of his employefs. Before coming to Birmingham he lived in Epfaula, and was for a number of years assistant cashier of the Central Railroad company at that removal to Birmingham he held trusted position in the East Alabama National bank, and only resigned that position to accept that of cashier of the Central in this o o Sans ai sss if Was ass sassd sss ss an upright and hopest man and faithful to his trust. Until the reception of his letter by Mf. Stevens yesterday morning no sus. picion of dfslf6desty ever Tested upon him,
 He lived with his father and mother Oh Eighth avenue between Nineteenth and Twentieth streets. He was about 27 years of age.
 BELONGED TO TWO LODGES.
 He was chancellor commander of Hines lodge, No. S1, Knlkhts of PythiRs, and was Hnoisit. Free and Accepted Ma.oP:. TheSe two lodges will have charge of his
 Hs Wis member of tbe Southern club,