The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-01
HE TOOK RAT POISON
RICHARD ASH, A VETERAN SOLDIER,
WRITES A LETTER AND DIES.
His Love for n Widow Across the
River-Tallx of His Coming
Marriage.

Richard Ash, a veteran soldier, died at the
City Hospital yesterday afternoon at l
o'clock from the effects OF rat poison, self
administered. Every incident seems to point
to suicide, although the old man declared
that he had taken the poison by mistake.
But little is known of the suicides past
life. For fifteen years he boarded with ''Si''
Hunter the keeper of a restaurant. AT the
present time Hunter has restaurant at No.
10 South Illinois street. His lodging house
was across the street, at No. S11a, where Ash
had a room with two of the walters in the
restaurant. Mr. Hunter also lived in the
building. Yesterday morning when he arose
to go to the restaurant, at $50 o'clock, he
found Ash in a semi-conscious condition out
side his room. Mr.. Hunter presumed that
Ash had been INDUCING in one of the occa-
siOnal "sprees'' to which he was accustomed
to give way, and thought nothing Of finding
him in that condition. He assisted him to
his room. Ash said that he was not feeling
WELL Mr.. Hunters son Harry went to
breakfast at $50 o'clock. After he had fin
ished the meal he was directed by his father
to look after Ash The SON went to the old
mans room, and found him lying upon the
floor nearly nude. He had relapsed into
se.ni-consciousness again. The boy worked
with him for a while, and finally got him
partially revived. He complained to the boy
that he was very i'll. The boy hurried back
to the restaurant and told his father that
a physician should be summoned. Mr.. Hun
ter was about to go to Ash's room when an
other ledger ran up excited.y and told him
that Ash had taken poison. When Mr.. Hun
ter got back to Ash's room he was lying
upon the floor again. 1t was with difficulty
that the old man was revived sufficiently to
talk. He declared that he had not taken
poison, but consented to have a physician
summoned. Mr.. Hunter hastily searched the
which about one-third had been taken. He
found a glass smeared with the deadly stuff
and also knife which Ash had evidently
used in mixing it. SEEING that the man had
tried 10 end his life, Mr.. Hunter found a
policeman and sent him to the room, mean
time telephoning to the City Dispensary.
DIR. BoaZ, from the City Dispensary, adj
ministered stimulants and used the stomach
pump. The man was too far gone for his
life to be saved, and after working with him
for some time DIR. BoaZ sent him to the City
Hospital, where he died.
Mr.. Hunter says that he can imagine no
reason for Ash's act He was in fairly good
health. He was bricklayer, and made con-
siderable money at his trade. Ash drew a
pension that was quite sufficient to supply
all his wants. At the City Hospital a letter
was found upon his person, addressed to
4Helen." 1t reads: "You insulted me last
night for nothing. I took you home like =
man. / would rather be dead than living
Goodbye forever. Goodbye: take good care
OF yourself
No one knows who Helen may be- 1t is
said that Ash visited an estimable widow
across the river He often TESTED with
young Hunter about his approaching mar
riage, and once said that his sweetheart's
name was Helen" More than this ne
would tell nothing about his friends. Mr..
Hunter says that IL Ash had any living rela-
tives he never mentioned that fact.
Before his death Ash told the hospital
physicians that he had a son, Michael liv-
ing on Massachusetts avenue, and that his
niece, Annie Ash, lives six miles east or
town. No one had appeared to claim the re-
mains at o'clock last night, ard Coroner
Castor ordered the body removed to Whit
sets morgue.