Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-13
DIES FROM THE DRUG.
EDWIN KELLEY DRINKS CHLORO-
FORM AND SOON EXPIRES.
NO REASON FOR HIS DEED.
Was Comfortably Well on and Had
Happy Home-Accustomed TO APP
ply the Poison to Relieve Pain
Was Once an Alderman.

Mr.. Edwin ID. Kelley, who had braved
the storms and tempests OF seventy
three years OF life, committed suicide
Yesterday evening at his home, on Henry
street between Broad and Marshall, by
swallowing a large quantity Of chloro-
form
Mr.. Kelley had used the drug habtuai-
" for several years for pains In the
head and in his gums. and he experienced
no difficulty in getting the quantity ne
wanted yesterday from Mr.. l. NJ. Farris,
the druggist with whom he dealt. Having
had the bottle filled shortly after
o'clock. he went to his home and sat
awhile in the back yard smoking. Then
his wife saw him take the bottle from
his pocket and drink it's contents, throw
ing the empty phial into the street She
surmised what had happened, and sent
friend who was with her at the time
to pick the bottle up and take 1t to
Greenewald, the druggist, who keeps
store on the corner Of Henry and Broad
streets, and ascertain what it had con-
tanned. AS soon as Mr. Greenewald saw
the phial and heard that Mr.. Kelley had
drained it's contents he telephoned for
Dr. Winfree but by the time the physi-
clan arrived the unfortunate man had
lost consciousness.
COULD NOT BE REVIVED.
DIR. Winfree had not brought a stomach
pump with him, and the ambulance
was summoned but as 1t was on
the way to Henry street the horse at
tached to it took fright and ran away,
knocking down a lady on Broad street
To make matters worse, the wheel OF
the vehicle came off, and when the end
of this chapter of accidents was reached,
and the ambulance arrived at its desti-
nation. Mr.. Kelley had breathed his last.
In the mean time, DR.. Winfree had used
all possible means to resuscitate MS
patient, but without avail. He injected
a large dose of strychnine, but 1t had not
the slightest effect, and Mr.. Kelley slowly
sank, dying three quarters or an hour
after he had taken the chloroform.
WAS IN BRIGHT SPIRITS.
Mr.. Kelley was a cabnetmaker, and
his circumstances were comparatively
easy. He lived happily with his wife
and was much liked by his neighbors
and by all who knew him, for he was
genial and jovial always, and uniformly
good d-natured. At 5 o'clock yesterday
deceased visited saloon with friend
and seemed to be in very happy mood
He even made some Jocular remark to a
friend who passed the yard IN which he
sat, a few minutes before he drank the
fatal draught.
Mr. Kelley was we'll connected, and had
up to a few years age conducted very
prosperous business, being a clever cabi-
netmaker. He had at times made re-
peated threats to commit suicide. and at
such times he was carefully watched, and
the chIoroform which he used, with harts-
horn and sweet oil, for his neuralgia af-
fection, was kept as far as possible out
of his reach.
HAD TAKEN A LARGE DOSE.
The bottle from which he drank the
poison yesterday holds about an ounce.
1t bears a red label on which is i'm
printed the skull and cross bones, and
the word Poison i'm large black letters.
1t was the opinion of Or. Winfree that
deceased had taken more than four
drachms of the drug. and though the
dose was not very large, II left little or
no chance for the mans life when taken
under the circumstances that existed.
Drs. Winfree. Davis, Matthews, and
Baughman were with deceased when he
breathed his last.
Though no arrangements have been
made for the funeral, II Is probable that
it will take place tomorrow. and will be
conducted by Rev. T. II. Rawlings, Of
Clay-Street Methodist church. which de-
ceased attended.
Mr.. Kelley is survived by his wife,
who is "A years old. He leaves no chill
dren.
Mr.. Kelley was an ex-member of the
Board of Aldermen. He came to this
city many years ago from Hanover
county.