The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-27
Cornelius West jr., Takes Dose
of Strychnine.
DEsPoNDENCY THE CAUSE
HE THOUGHT LIFE WAS NOT
WORTH LIVING.
ST am Dying, Mother, Forgive Your
Boy,"-Was Only Twenty Years
of Age and Cripple-No Inquest
Necessary.

Cornelius West, jr., residing with his
parents at $50 East Third South street.
committed suicide early Christmas
morning by taking 80 grains of strych-
nine.
1t was about 4:S0 o'clock in the
morning when Mrs. West. his mother.
was awakened by groans coming from
her sens bed chamber She went to
his room to ascertain the cause and
was met with the reply: Il am dying
mother; forgive your boy"
The suffering boy complained of
pains in the stomach, and his mother
believing he was suffering from a Sc
we're attack of cramps, sent for ply
stefan, Dr. Douglass responding. But
medical aid arrived too late. Ere the
doctor reached the house young West
had passed into the great unknown
beyond.
The deceased was but 20 years of
age and a cripple Some few months
ago he met with an accident and It
was found necessary to amputate his
left leg a few inches below the hip
joint. He had to resort to clutches
after this and grew very Respondent
oftentimeS remarking to his parents
that life to him was nc longer worth
living. His parents did not take very
serious thoughts of these threats, sup
posing they were not of a serious ma
ture, but subsequent developments
proved differently
Young Vests father is a contractor
and for some time it has been the
sons duty to pay off the workmen-
Thursday afternoon he went to the
bank and drew out the money as usual
to pay the men. In checking up the
fr7rr hi fo 70
marked on his having drawn a few
dollars more than necessary. state
of affairs that was admitted by the
son. The father demanded the money
and upon finding that it had been spent
took the boy to task for his careless
ness. Young West took the reprimand
seriously, although there was no real
occasion for him to do So In the even
ing he went up town with chum
named Jack Luke and among other
places they went to a drug store,
where West purchased some strych-
nine, saying in explanation TO MI
Luke that the deadly drug was for a
friend who was troubled with rats in
his barn. The incident was thought
no more of as West was known among
his companions as a, Straightforward
fellow, always truthful and honest and
none had an intimation that he in
tended TO do away with his own life
a circumstance winch goes TO snow
that the unhappy deed was premedi-
tated occurred, according to his chums
story, during the early part of the
evening. Cornelius met a young lady
friend whom he invited to accompany
him to the theatre next Monday night.
The invitation was accepted and young
West thereupon remarked that if he
did not take her to the theatre per-
haps she would have an opportunity to
attend his funeral.
The unfortunate boy. did not start
to go home until nearly o'clock
Christmas morning. He was then in
company with Will Jones, residing at
Fourth and streets. who invited West
to go home and sleep with him. mo,
1 guess I'll go home and go to bed"
was Vests reply and the two sepa-
rated. The succeeding happenings were
as related above.
Coroner Offenbach was notified soon
after the demise and was at the house
in short order. He decided that no
inquest was necessary. the empty bot
tie of strychnine on the shelf telling
too plainly the cause of the sudden
death.
The family and friends of the de-
ceased are naturally much grieved over
the death. Young West was of a jov-
ial disposition and it was this that
caused his parents TO consider the
threats upon his own life but the out
bursts of periodical fits of dependency.