The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-29
WELCOMED DEATH.
Samuel Scott Takes CarbOlic
Acid and Dies.
Tired and Discouraged With
Lies Battle He Ends All.
Re Was Too Old to Command Good
Wages and Did Not Care to
Keep Up the Struggle

Mr.. Samuel Scott, well known
s7or.=enaan. and a sister of Mrs George
G. Corning, who lived here q few years
sgo.. committed suicide last evening at
the Ohio House at Fifth and Madison
streets. Excessive use of Intoxicating
liquor. together with poverty, caused
him to become respondent and to END
his life.
Yesterday afternoon at O'Clock he
went to the Ohio House and engaged
room OF Proprietor Holunn, paying for 1t
p cents he said he wanted to sleep.
AIr. Eolum noticed that Mr. Scott had
been drinking. but did not consider that
he acted strangely
At 6 O'Clock he went to Mr. SCOTS
room door and knocked. Receiving no
Response he unlocked the door and there
found the man dead upon the bed, While
beside him lay a three ounce bottle
which had contained carbOlic acid pur-
chased at KohIs drug store, 226 Kansas
avenue The body was partially cloth
ed and lay drawn as if the last breath
had been drawn in great agony
Coroner NFesterfieId was notlhed ana
he ma de an exaEnina ton of the BODY
and the personal affects There We're
three letters scaled. ana wing on the
table. One addressed to Mrs George
c. Corning 1926 DreXel Boulevard, chi
caEO. vas opened by the coroner
II Is as follows:
My Dear Sister, cannot stand this
awful, to me, struggle for an existence
any longer. For p years life has not
been TO me any ple9 sure. have tried
Tor the last year every thing, only 10
meet appointments on every hand,
and am now reduced to absolute power
~. I am AZ years old and in ordinary
times it requires ten years for an ord1-
nary man TO accumulate enough Of this
worlds goods to even exist on the in
1erest of the principal.
bot Fru1
should I be successful at my time of
life. situated as I am, that I might wish
TO live for2 The younger ones who live
or exist on a salary of from IS to $40
Per week, may hope, but I can't, for life
IS too short Suppose I should get a
situation with some good hOTse[nan, I
would have to work for just what I am
worth now. without any hope of future
reward Beca use as am getting too
Cd 10 be of future very great int to
those VINO employ me.
The rheumatism annOys me some
and considering the exhausted state of
my finances it worries me night and
DAY thinking how I would live a week
with an attack of same,
Il have lost all hope of ever accom-
pishing anything TO be of benefit to
mother, you and Sallie. I made applf-
cation for pension through p. H. Couey
here. and should 1t result in any good,
] wish mother to have benefits as long
as she lives.
only an affection goodby, your
A letter to o. P. Updegraff stated
that the s. which he owed Mr. Upde-
gram would be paid by his sister, Mrs.
Corning.
The third letter was one to the To-
pelza Masons. It was as follows:
To Topeka A. F. and A. M am a
Aester Masoa; Joined the order at
Boulder, Col, Columbia lodge, No. Is, in
1873. Kindly see that I am decently
buried in your grounds set apart for
When Mr. George c. Corning lived on
Glenmire farm south of Highland Park
blr-SCott was foreman of it. Since then
re has not had work and he become
respondent. Yesterday morning he was
IN lower Kansas avenue where he was
drinking heavily. He is known to have
been addicted to the excessive use of
HGuor. The body was removed to
Knights mOrgue where an autopsy was
held last evening by Coroner Nester-
6ela. In one Of his pockets was found
80 in silver
The inquest was held this morning at
which the circumstances of the suicide
Rnd an account Of the condition of the
bod were given by witnesses. The jury
returned a verdict declaring that the
uecea Sod came 10 his death by taking
carholic acid with suicidal intent.
The undertaken sent a telegram to
Mrs George c. Corning. sister of the
deceased, directing it to 1926 DrexeI
Boulevard. Chicago.
Nj Scott was 49 years of age, was
short of stature and rather stout The
funeral will be held tomorrow, the Ma
sons TO conduct the burial service