Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-12
HE DIED ON THE WAY
Robert Preston Expired While Being
Taken to the AlmShOuSe.
TOOK CHLoRAL AND MORPHINE.
Evidently Insane, and Had Been an
Inmate of Ore of the State Hos
pitais-Believed to Have becn
from Abingdon.

Robert Il. Preston, who. from all ap-
Dearances. resided in Abingdon. and had
been an inmate Of one Of the State hos
pitfalls. took two kinds of poison yester-
Jay afternoon at a boarding house on
Ross street. and died in the ambulance
a few hours later while being conveyed
to the almshouse.
Death was quite sudden and followed
an attack made upon Dr. Branch, one Of
the almshouse physicians, who was in
charge OF the patient. DR.. Branch was in
the act Of rubbing the dying man, when
the latter raised himself to a sitting
position, and grabbing the surgeon by
both arms, called him black scoundrel
Before the physician could free himself
from the strong grasp of Preston and
insert the hypodermic injection, the mad
dened patient fell back dead.
\ PECULIARLY SAD DEATH.
The circumstances attending the death
Of Mr.. Preston were peculiarly sad.
The ambulance was called about $3.50
o'clock to 1904 Ross street, where Mrs.
Peek keeps a clearinghouse. There on
the third floor was found the stranger,
covery. Drs. LabenOurg and Branch
found Or. Warmer of st. Lukes Hos
pital, in the room when they entered. he
having been sent for before the ambu-
lance arrived. DR.. Warmer had found a
bottle of choral half emptied and a box
of morphine pills on the manteipiece, and
II is supposed that the suicide took a
mixture Of these deadly poisons When
first seen by Or. Warmer the man was,
TO all appearance, beyond recovery, but
stimulants were used freely, though with
out avail.
The choral bottle originally held four
ounces, and 1t is supposed that at least
two ounces had been swallowed. Seeing
the condition OF the man, the physicians.
after holding a hasty conference, decided
to remove him to the almshouse, where he
could be better treated. Accordingly the
patient was placed in the ambulance and
left in charge Of DR.. Branch. DR.. Laben-
burg not being on duty, and only
attending in the first instance because he
happened 10 be near by and saw the
ambulance drive up TO the house. left the
ambulance at Eleventh and Broad streets.
STANTON AND WILLIAMSBURG.
For the most Of this time Mr.. Preston
had been unconscious. but occasionally
he would remark as the ambulance
slowly rolled along that he wanted to go
back 10 Stanton. Finally he asked DR..
Branch IL he was not being taken 10
Staunton, and shortly afterwards he died
under the circumstances already related.
In Prestons pockets were found letters
addressed TO Robert r. Preston, Abng-
don, Va" and others were addressed
TO him at Williamsburg, in care of Dr.
Moncure, the superintendent of the State
col fk,s
names were found among the dead man s
possessions. Notably. among them was
that Of young lady of Abingdon, who is
evidently a cousin Of the deceased.
Preston was a tremendous man, weigh
Ing something over 200 pounds. and was
about 80 years old. He came to Mrs.
Peeks clearinghouse about noon yes
terday and applied for a room in which
to spend the afternoon and night. He
was at first refused, but afterwards the
hostess accepted the price In advance and
assigned Preston to the room in which he
took the poison.
HE GAVE ANOTHER NAME.
Preston told Mrs. Peek he would take
his meals out. and spent very little time
about the house i'm the afternoon.
explaining that he wanted to see the
town. Mrs. Peek noticed that the mans
N~N'''' WIZ 'Ni oAibf anu Idi lliuldIly so
when she asked him his name. After
some hesitancy he told her that It was
A. ID. Bradley. but he refused to say
where he was from
When the evening came Preston re-
tired very early TO his room, saying
that he felt very sick. The servant first
noticed the loud slumbers Of the new
guest, and reporting the matter 10 Mrs.
Peek, an investigation was made. Find
ing Preston very hard to arouse and
suspecting that he was at least very IN.
message was sent to ST. Luke's Hos
pital asking them to send over a physi-
clan. DR.. Warmer came, and upon his
suggestion the ambulance was 'phoned
for.
Coroner Taylor will view the body this
morning and decide whether an inquest
shall be held