Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-21
nE INTENDED TO DIE
Edward Parsons Ends Bis Exlslalte
With q Dose oi Laudanun.
He Would Not Drink an Antidete.
and Dodged the Police for senas
rime-An EFFORTS of the Physseians
Proved Unavaiiins.


Edward Parsons. painter well known
about town, committed suicide last nishe
by drinking one or more ounces Of Iauta-
mum.
He swallowed the drug. an ounce
draught, In the drugstore Of r. p. Reevs
& Co.. on Marshall street between sixth
and Seventh streets. about $50 O'clock,
and was corpse In less than an hour
and half.
Parsons had been on spree for some
time, his system was wrecked. and no
was thoroughly determined to end his ex-
istence. He told his friends early In the
afternoon that he was going to commit
suicide. but they paid no attention what
ever TO him, thinking he was jesting.
When he had emptied one bottle or lauda-
mum at Reeves he coolly called for am
other and positively refused to take a
mixture that the druggist tried to give
him as an antidote.
Parsons, before losing consciousness In
sisted that he had taken two doses cr
laudanum, and thar II relieved OF the
second the first one would accomplish his
purpose. Coroner Taylor thinks IL very
doubtful whether the man took mere than
one dose.
WANTED TO KILL. RATS.
Parsons entered Reeves drugstore In
perfectly calm manner, and asked Mr.. J.
$. Heaton. one OF the clerks. for an ounce
OF laudanum. remarking that he wanted ID
kill some rats. The clerk unsuspectingly
filled n vial with the liquid and labelled
II poison" In the mean time Paraonx
had taken seat on a stool by the coun-
ter. and upon being handed tho bottle he
Immediately put 1t TO hts mouth and
swallowed It's contents before the clerk
had time TO realize what had happened.
After taking the draught the suicide
calmly arose and asked for another bottle
OF the same liquid. The clerk having
taken in the situation replied, Certainly"
and going behind the prescription counter
was mixing up some zinc sulphate and
tncture of bark. when Parsons appeared
behind the counter and coolly declared
that he would not touch any such lauda-
mum as that. The drug clerk wss trying
TO get the suicide to yomit by dosing him
with the zinc sulphate. and the tincture OF
bark was simply being added TO give the
mixture the appearance OF laudanufu. Par
sons then spent q few moments trying 10
persuade the clerk TO sell him some moro
laudanum, but upon being positively re-
fused he remarked that he had taken
dose before this. any way
DODilNG The Ot flCEftS.
During this latter conversation Captain
Reeve had sent a messenger to tho Be-
cond Station, but O short distance away,
and soon Officers Redford and Foster were
upon the scene. They found that Parsons
had fled, and II was with some trouble
that the officers succeeded in catching the
man. who, In his effort to get away. re-
sorted to dcdging about the stalls In tho
market. Upon being captured Parsons
fought like a tiger, but was nnaily iahoed
In the station-house.
Captain Angle had In the mean while
'phoned for the ambulance which ar
rived in a few moments after the suicide
had been lodged. While waiting for tho
arrival OF the ambulance, Parsons con-
tinued to resist the officers, and pro-
claimed In loud tones that II was useless
to send for medical assistance, as he had
taken two doses. Upon the arrival OF tho
ambulance, DR.. LabeEberg, the surgeon,
IN charge went 10 work on his patient,
and succeeded In making him vomit part
OF the laudanum but II could be plainly
seen that the drug was fast taking erect
and when the man was driven from the
station-house at o'clock he was really
in the throes OF death. Arriving at tho
almshouse, work was resumed upon tho
man. but he died shortly before O'Clock.
WAS DETERMINED TO DIE.
Diligent search was made last evening
TO ascertain where Parsons got his first
dose of laudanum, but without success.
It was learned however. that Parsone
was in John Donati's saloon, corner
Seventh and Marshall streets, shortly
after O'Clock, where he had been asIsep
for several hours. He told Mr.. Donati
that he was going to kill himself. and
asked the loan OF a quarter but was
refused, and only received a jestins laugh
In return. the barkeeper believing Par
sons. who was a good friend OF his. TO
be Joking. Parsons had been drinking
hard for two weeks. He had been work.
ing in Waynesboro' for Mr.. Ford re-
Gently, and returned to Richmond only
about three weeks ago.
Parsons was s years Of age. leaves =
wife and three children. They live at the
foot of the viaduct running to Barton
Heights, or just under the brow OF tho
hill. near First street.
Coroner Taylor viewed the remains at
the almshouse last night. but decided an
inquest unnecessary.