Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-10
WILLIAM BERRY DEAD
Swallows Laudanum for the Purpose o
Ending His Life.
No Cause known for the Rash Act
Supposed to Have Been Crazcd
by the Heat.

taking big dose of laudanum yesterday
afternoon at his home. No. 40 Massachu-
sets avenue northwest. without leaving his
family the slightest intimation of the rea-
son for the rash act.
His wife was almost frantic when she
learned what had happened. The husband
committed the deed in the bed room on
the second floor while his wife and child
We're on the lower floor the former attend
ing to her household duties ard the latter
playing about the floor.
The unfortunate man. who was thirty-six
years old. came here from Charles county.
Nd, quite a while ago. his parents still
residing near La Plata. For several
months he has been in the employ of the
American Wringer Company collector,
and his duties required him to be out in
the hot sun during recent days. While
he had frequently com planned of the heat,
it was not thought there We're any serious
results, but now his friends have an idea
that he suffered from sunstroke, and that
while he did not fall. or become sick in
a manner to attract attention. they believe
his mind was affected. and that the sad
affair may be traced to this course, He
was large man, and the heat was the
more severe upon him.
Gave No Sign.
Berry was at work yesterday as usual.
and returned home shortly after noon, as
had been his custom. At the side entrance
to the modest little home his wife and child
greeted him as usual and all of them SEEM
ed as happy as they had ever been. In
stead of appearing to be i'll. the husband
was in the best Of spirits. and laughed and
chatted with his only child and exchanged
pleaSantrieS with mis- wife. After spending
hour or more i'm this way he went up
stairs. saying he was goirg to take a nap.
He had frequently done this before. SO that
there was nothing unusual in his going to
the bed loom at that hour.
Thinking he was asleep, the wife had the
child keep quiet in order that the husband
and father might enjoy a rest before going
out again in the hot sun Between I and
) o'clock Mrs. Berry thought she would call
her husband. in the belief that he did not
want to remain in bed so late, and going to
the bed room she was shocked at finding
his face almost as black as if he had been
negro. She called him, but there came
10 response, and then she put her hand
on his face. The flesh was cold. and the
wife feared the worst had happened.
Although She thought he was dead, Mrs
Berry FASTENED to do all in her power to
restore him to life. A messenger was dis
patched TO yesterdays drug store. and
several telephone messages were sent out
for physicians.
Verdict of the Physicfans.
There was some delay in getting dec
tor to the house, so friends say. DR.. Webb
vas " reach tie out he lOullO
that the man had been dead for possibly
two hours. DR.. Harrington arrived soon
afterward, and he agreed with DR.. Webb
as to the time the death had occurred
III Berry mad thought OF suicide before
he went upstairs he did not betray any
Sign of it, and the fact that the poison he
used was already in the house leads to
the belief that his act the result of
sudden impulse. He swallowed a very
large dose of the drug, the doctors say.
and the empty bottle was found in the
room near his bed. When the physicians
had concluded their examination Coroner
Hammett was summoned. He visited the
mousse about o'clock and interviewed the
woman VINO had been made a widow by
the sad occurrence. She related to the
coroner her husbands actions during the
day, and said she could assign no cause
for his committing suicide.
Coroner Gives Certificate.
The coroner concluded that as there was
no doubt about the manner of death, he
would not hold an inquest. A certificate
of death from dose of laudanum self
administered. was given.
The sad news was conveyed to the par
entS of the dead man at La Plata and they
will attend his funeral.