The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-01-07
JOSEPH B. N CULLAGH DEAD
EDITOROF THEST. LOUIS GLOBE
DEMOCRAT KILLED BY A
FALL.
FELL FROM HIS BEDROOM WINDOW
His Head Struck Rock Below Where
He Was Found Dead Yesterday
Morning by Servant-He Had
Been Ailing.

st. Louis, Dec. 31.-Mr. Joseph b. Nc
Cullagh, editor of the st. Louis Globe
Democrat and one of the best known
newspaper men in the country. is dead
as result of fall of twenty-five feet
from the second story window of his
apartments at the residence of his sister
in-aw, Mrs. Kate Manion, at 1887 West
Pine boulevard. The body which was
cold in death and clad only in a night
gown was discovered by Mrs. Manion's
colored manservant about Z o'clock this
morning, Walters. the colOred servant,
without even touching the body, ran
frightened into the house, where he told
the cook of the discovery. She immedi-
ately called Mrs. Manion, who had not
yet arisen, and told her that Mr.. Nc
Cullagh had fallen out of his window
and killed himself" The announce
ment was severe shock to Mrs.
Manion and it was several minutes be-
fore she was able to control herself
Immediately on being notified by the
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coachman to summon DR.. G. II. Hughes,
who resides in the neighborhood, and
who was Mr.. McCullagh's physician dur
ing his last illness. He FASTENED to the
house and after examining the body or
dered it removed to the house. DR..
Hughes conclusion, from the condition
of the body when he examined it, is that
Mr.. McCullagh plunged head first from
the window, about thirty feet On the
ground around the foundation of the
house is Il stone water table. In the fall
Mr.. McCullagh struck a sharp corner of
this stone with the left side of his head,
fracturing the parietal bone. This
caused conclusion of the brain and prob
ably caused death. The physician is of
the opinion that death followed imme-
diately after the shock of the fall The
victims head was lying in Il small pool
of blood, which had dripped from the
wound, but otherwise it showed no evil
dence of violence.
| There seems to be Il difference of Opin-
ion as to whether Mr.. McCullagh's death
was due to accident or was the result of
his own act. This latter theory is secuted
by the dead mans friends.
Just how Mr.. McCulagh happened to
fall out of the window can only be Il
matter of conjecture. He had been i'll
several months, and latterly was COM
PEELED to keep his room. He passed his
last night unattended, as he has always
slept well during his illness. Wednesday
evening Mr.. McCulagh was in the best
of spirits. though he complained of not
being quite so we'll The smotherng
sensation which had troubled him at
intervals during his illness had returned
to him in a mild form and rendered him
languid and drowsy. He retired to
bed about o'clock last night, but leaving
word with the household that he did not
wish to be disturbed unless it was by
his physician. DR.. Hughes made his
customary night call about $50 and eX-
pressed surprise to Mr.. McCullagh at
finding him in bed at such an early hour.
81 am weary" Mr.. McCullagh said,
"and thought | would get as much rest
as possible tonight. l expect my barber
early in the morning to trim my hair,
and | want to be up when he arrives
The physician administered to his pa
tents needs, saw that everything in the
room was fixed for the night and that
the north window was raised about an
inch for ventilation. Then he babe Mr..
McCullagh good night, turned off the
electric light and retired.
Before going to bed herself, Mrs. Ma
Mon looked into Mr.. McCullaghs room.
She saw that everything in the room
was in order and then retired to her own
apartments. About midnight she woke
up and detected an odor of escaping gas.
She investigated and found a burner
, in the combination electric chandelier,
which hangs suspended in the center of
Mr.. McCullagh's room. open. The odor
, of the gas was very strong in the apart
ments. Mrs. Manion turned on an elcc-
trio light and shut off the gas. Mr.. Me
Cullagh woke up.
Joe" she said. did you know gas was
, escaping in your room? You would have
been dead man in the morning if had
not discovered it,"
Mr.. McCullagh was apparently to
, drowsy to realize what she said. He
murmured an inaudible reply and fell
asleep.
, Mrs. Manion raised the open window a
little higher so that the fumes of gas
would leave the room. and then returned
to bed.
Indications seem to be that Mr.. Nc
Cullagh had got out of bed for some
thing, and trying to turn on an electric
light he turned on the gas. He did not
notice the escape and retired again, I'M
, conscious of danger.
IL Careful investigation warrants the con-
cluson that Mr. McCullagh was awak-
ened later in the morning by a smother
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, again, nervous and unsteady from the
, SPELL went to the window for more air.
, 1t is thought he threw the sash up to its
full height and, probably overcome with
weakness. lost his balance and rolled out
over the window sill and fell to his death.
The funeral is set for o'clock. Satur-
day afternoon. at Mrs. Manion's resi-
dence. Rev. DIR. w. w. Boyd, pastor
of the Second Baptist church, and Rev,
John Snyder. a prominent Unitarian. are
to conduct the services. The interment
will be at Bellefonte cemetery.
Mr. Joseph b. McCullagh was born in
Ireland. and, with his brother, came to
, this country in his youth. His first i'm
/ portant newspaper work was done in
Cincinnati. as reporter and correspond
, ent upon the Enquirer. Later he went
to Chicago and took the managing edi-
torship of the Chicago Republican, sue
ceeding Charles A. Dana. He occupied
this position until shortly after the Chi
cago fire, when he went to ST. Louis and
took the editorship of the ST. Louis Globe.
which was eventually consolidated with
the Democrat, and became the Globe
| Democrat
| -A-
THE rnNTDI L'rrIr VOTE