Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-04
DRUGGIST WEHRLY DEAD
Dose of Morphine Taken Yesterday Has
Fatal Effect.
Evidence That the Drug Was Swal-
lowed inadvertently and With
out Suicidal Intent.

east Washington druggist, who took an
overdose of morphine in his store, corner #
H and Sd streets, as published IN yester-
days Star, died at Providence Hospital
shortly after o'clock last night. without
having recovered consciousness. Today his
body was prepared for burial by an I'M
dertaker. and removed to the home of his
sister, No. I6 1 street northwest, from
where the funeral will take place.
1t IS apparent from a statement previous
ly made by the deceased that he did not
take the drug with suicidal intent. AS
stated yesterday, the man was addicted to
the morphine habit, and was doubtless the
victim of imprudence When handling
poison for customers, druggists are very
careful as rule, as a prominen. druggist
but when they handle it for themselves
they are extremely careless. Such, he said.
was the trouble with Dr.. Wehrly, who, in
stead Of weighing out the drug, had simpiy
emptied some of it from the bottle in his
hand and swallowed it.
To his nephew. Mr.. Louis Boulay, DR..
Wehriy said he had taken the morphine.
and he believed he had taken too much.
1t was after he had made this statement
that the nephew went for a doctor, but
when he returned his uncle was not con-
scious, and there was nothing that could
be done to save him.
Had Many Friends.
The deceased had a great many friends
In this city, as well as in York. Pa, where
he spent his boyhood days, and in In
diana, where many of his relatives reside
He was one of the few men who had the
distinction of having seen what it was
supposed would be his own grave, so that
he is now legally dead for the second time
The records of the states of Ohio and In
diana show that about twenty-five years
ago he died. a violent death, and that his
body had been inferred in an Indiana GEM
etery. The story of his supposed death.
burial and resurrection was printed in The
Star soon after the occurrence.
At that time, DIR. Wehrly was managing
DIR. Daniel &. C1arke'S drug business at
Pennsylvania avenue and Az street, and
when there was to be a family reunion at
the home of relatives in Indiana he de-
eided he would be one of the number to sit
at the banquet table and enjoy himself. He
had not drawn his salary for nearly a
year, 1t is stated, and when he was ready
to leave he drew his back pay and started
for Indiana. 1t so happened that at that
time there was some reason why trains
were not run on Sunday in the state of
Ohio, and when he reached Cincinnati It
was Saturday night. Much to his surprise
and disappointment, he learned that he
would have to remain in Cincinnati over
Sunday, and as this would make him late
for the reunion, he decided to remain there
several days. Being stranger in the city,
he had to devise some means for his own
entertainment, and he thought a fishing
trip would help him pass the time away.
He soon managed to make the acauaint-
ance of one of Walton's descendants, and
when two lines and the other necessary
fishing material had been purchased. the
pair started out to enjoy the day on the
river. ---.- ..
Case of Worse Luck.
Just what luck they had at fishing is not
known, but the druggists luck in another
direction caused him a great amount of
trouble. When they had fshed most of the
day, and the sun was about disappearing
behind distant hill, DIR. Wehrly thought
he would take a swim. 1t so happened
that the doctors companion on this occa
sion was a seedy-looking individual of the
tramp order, just such man as might be
found about river, ready to make new
friends. and willing to do anything for
days outing. In the water they went,
their clothes being deposited in two heaps
on the bank of the river. DR.. Wehrly did
not notice that his tramp friend had left
the water until long after he had actually
gene, and when he went ashore to dress
he was astonished to find that only the
tramp's wearing apparel had been left. He
had donned the doctors clothes and depart
ed, as he supposed, full-fedged gentle
man. The doctor stood there and looked at
should do. 1t was true his new friend had
INDUCED In little liquor, and the doctor
would have thought 1t an honest mistake
had it not been that he had been in the
water long enough to cool off and have the
effects of the liquor washed away. as it
were.
But One Thing to Do.
There was no alternative. He was
stranger in a strange place, and he feared
he would not be taken in except in the
wrong way, for the garb of tramp, he
thought, was enough to insure his arrest
And so he put on the tramps garments and
walked boldly to the hotel where he had
stopped and asked for his valise. Explana-
tions would not be heard from a man who
presented such an appearance and he was
virtually driven from the hotel. The tramp
in the meantime, had called for and re-
ceived the doctors valise.
Without money or friends, and making
such an appearance that evel the boys
on the streets would hardly notice him.
the doctor started to tramp to Indiana not
caring to annoy his relatives by telegraph
ing for money. Ahead of him on the road
was his tramp friend, and the fellow me;
with a fatal accident. A railroad tram
were distigured. there were the unmistak-
able evidences of identity on him. Letters
found in his pockets addressed to '"r. M.
Wekrly'' made 1t appear that the dead
his clothes were recognized as those worn
by the druggist when he left here, and the
finding of the valise made the Identification
certain. Instead Of making happy the
many members of his family by appearing
at the family reunion. the body was shipped
there, and there was a scene of sorrow
instead of one of joy. An undertaken
wagon instead of family carriage was
sent to the depot, and the body was taken
to cemetery and inferred, while the sor
rowing relatives stood about the grave
and mourned their loss.
A few days later there was a sensation
caused by the arrival of the supposed dead
member of the family, and tears of joy fol-
lowed those of sorrow.
Mr.. Wehrly. father of the deceased, had
often related this story to friends while
he was employed here In the government
printing office. The father has now been
dead for several years.
Overcome by Fire Damp.
Tuyo cnIarod man uaro ovaroopoa 1,v five