The herald., 1896-06-06
EXPIRED IN THE HOSPITAL
Maurice de Lopatecki, Journalist and
Engineer
Attempted Suicide Some Months Ago Over q
Love Affair-An Exile From His Native
Country-Destitute and Sick
Maurice de Lopatecki, civil engineer

Maurice de Lopatecki. civil engineer
| journalist and scholar; we'll
read man of good birth and
antecedents; who spoke fourteen
different languages; who had trav-
eled extensively. although but "a years
! of age, died in the city receiving hos
pital yesterday afternoon at $40 as the
result of a mysterious disease, or poi
son, the nature of which has not been
| fully determined. His body is now a the
rooms of kregelo & Bresee, where Cor
oner Campbell will hold an inquest this
| morning.
Lopatecki was a Pole, raised in Rus
| sia, an uncle of his being a prominent
general in the army of the cZar. He
also has cousin who is now understood
| TO be nghting under the insurgent flag
in Cuba. He had been in America about
nine years, and had been in Los Ange.
les once before about a year ago. About
Tour months ago he came to this city
from British Columbia, where he had
been engaged in surveying.
While up there he had become engag-
ed to beautiful girl, who was said %
have Tilted him and married a rich man.
over which he continually brooded. Soon
after coming here, while rooming in the
Schatte block on First street he one
day wrote several letters to his friends,
took big dose of morphine and lay
down to die. The letters reached their
intended, and his room was broken into.
he was found unconscious on the bed
ana physicians summoned, who pumped
him out and saved his life.
AT that time Lopatecki had been
drinking heavily, but after his recovery
lmbibed but little. He seemed never to
have recovered from the effects of the
poison and has been sick ever since
could eat but little and seemed to be
giraa9aailY va geStfHgs, Wea himself by writ
ing for the local and San Francisco pa
pers but he finally was reduced to
straitened circumstances.
He had become acquainted with the
Gibbons boys, who run a saloon and
lodging house at 93T1a East First street,
while he was rooming in the Schatte
block, and finally they took him in and
cared for him. He was given a room
over the saloon and his friends did all
they could to help him. Lapatecki did
little. or nothing and seemed sick and
listless He slept nearly all the time
Mr.. Gibbon stating that he was about
only two or three hours out of the
tWenty-four.
Yesterday morning Lapatecki came
in Bart Gibbons room at 4: 80 and woke
him up. Asked how he felt he replied
first rate; he thought he was going to
recover. When the bartender went
down stairs Lopatecki followed and took
a seltzer sour, read the papers a little
/ While and went back to his room At
! $50 Mr. Gibbon heard the sound of a
heavy fall upstairs and ran up to as
| certain the cause. In the closet he
iound Lopatecki, who had pitched over
/ into the bath tub, striking his forehead
and bruising it.
He was in convulsion and when Glib
bons lifted him Lopatecki seemed as
! though about to attack and bite him.
Dr. Davidson was called and attended
him, and thought he must have taken
! some sort of poison. A thorough search
of the premises was made, but nothing
FOUND OF that nature Then the patrol
! wagon was called and the patient taken
TO the receiving hospital
| Dr. Bryant was also of the opinion
that some drug was the cause, but failed
to assure himself of the fact absolutely
Lopatecki had convulsion after convul.
sion, between the intervals of which he
! would apparently sleep only to partially
rouse and have another spasm.
his breathing was stertorous as one
who is affected with morphine poisoning
or brain trouble. The spasms contin
ued all day, the sufferer gradually grow
ing weaker until he died at $40 in the
afternoon. From close observation o
the case DR.. Bryant expressed it as hi
opinion that there had been an effusiol
of blood in the brain and that this wa
the cause of death. The autopsy thi
morning will probably definitely de
termine this supposition.
| Lopatecki was possessed of consider
| able property in Poland, left to him b.
his relatives, but was unable to claim o
at least secure it on account of bein
| practically an exile from his native land
Articles which he had contributed to tn
eastern papers on political abuses il
Russia caused him to fall under the ba
of that government and his property wa
virtually confiscated. 1t is said tina
Senator Mitchell of Oregon had interest
ed himself in the case, as Lopatecki'
counsel, and has been for some time en-
deavoring to secure the exile his prop
erty rights Lopatecki also owned a lit
tie property in. this city or suburbs, bu
has left no will TO far as known.
He was fine looking man, tall, c
| good form, with clear complexion, heav
mustache and generally refined air. II
made many friends here. No letters {
, Indications that he contemplated Su
eide were left and his friends are pos
tive that his death was due to nature
causes, or at any rate from the afte
effects of the dose of morphine take
| cayaral months ago