The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-26
USED DEADLY DRUGS
TWO MILL CITY MEN THOUGHT
THEY WERE TIRED OF
LIFE.
FATAL DOSE OF MORPHINE.
ID. A. CUMMINGS, WHO TOOK 1T,
FOUND DEAD IN HIS
BED.
FATAL DOSE OF MORPHINE.
A. d. SHELTER TRIED ARSENIC,
But 1T and the whisky He Had
Taken Were Pumped
Out.

The dead body of B. A. Cummings
was found in his room in the Empire
hotel, 103 Washington avenue south,
early last evening. Appearances indi-
Gated that the man had died from an
overdose Of morphine, but post NOR
tenn examination will be held this
morning.
The man, who was about As years of
age, came to the hotel Saturday night
and engaged a room. Nothing peculiar
was noticed in his actions and the last
seen of him alive was by the proprietor
who took in pitcher Of water to him.
He did not rise yesterday morning
Thinking he was tired, he was allowed
to sleep, but last evening, no response
being made to frequent Gales, the door
was broken in. The lifeless body was
found cold in bed Deputy Coroner
Henry S. Nelson had the remains re-
moved to the morgue.
From letters found on his person,
Cummings had just been released from
the Rochester asylum. One letter, dated
April 20, was signed Mother" and had
been sent from Eau Claire, Wis, to
Cummings at Rochester In 1t his
mother. told of her expecting him home
and said she would send money if
needed. Reference was also made to
money sent previously. In the room
were found a pill box of morphine and
an empty morphine bottle. Deputy Cor
oner Nelson does not think the man
committed suicide The evidences show
that he had evidently been treated for
the morphine habit at the asylum. Upon
being released and not fully cured, he
oVerdosed himself with the drug and
this caused his death. Word was sent
to the Rochester authorities and the
Eau Claire chief of police, who was
asked to notify his mother.
Alfred ID. Shelter, residing at 1876
Riverside avenue and employed as
/ teamSter with the Cedar Avenue Fuel
company, made an unsuccessful at
! tempt to commit suicide last evening.
! The mans rash act was discovered by
his wife in time, and the dose or ar
senic which he had taken with a drink
of whisky. was forced from his stom-
ach.
Shelter resides with his wife and
| brother George at 1916 Riverside ave-
nue., where he also runs a candy store
which is attended to in the daytime by
been drinking very hard yesterday, and
returned to his home shortly before s
o'clock. His wife had the meal pre-
pared, and he was asked to partalIe
He appeared sullen and refused. stat
ing that he had taken his last meal
on earth. He then went into the other
room His wife noticed him drink
/ something from a bottle, and called
4 his brothers attention to it. He hur-
ried to his side but it was too late
The whisky bottle into which he had
| poured a teaSpoonful of arsenic was
nearly empty Some trouble was ex-
perienced in securing the services of a
! physician. but finally DR.. Haggard ar
rived, and gave the man an antidote.
after which Shelter was brought to the
/ city hospital, where the attendants
! worked over him for an hour before
! he was considered out Of danger.
Rumors seem to conflict as to the
| cause for the act. 1t was stated that
! the woman he was living with was his
| second wife, he having left one to
| whom he was married at Lake City
some years ago. He had a visit from
| her yesterday, and the result of the
! interview was that he became decidedly
! detected. He went out and bought a
bottle Of whisky, and secured the ar
Senic at a drug store near by and took
it upon returning home. His brother
George, who belongs to the Salvation
Army, stated last evening that he had
never heard of any other wife but the
one he was living with. He attributed
the rash act to the devil, who he said
| had secured such inroads upon his
| brother through his appetite to drink.
| Shelter himself could last evening give
| no reason. Upon being asked by his
| brother, who called upon him, he sim
| ply stated that he did not know.