The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-19
JONES NEVER WOKE UP
He Prayed for Morphine Until
He Got It in His System.
AND ALSO IN THE NECK
Jones, He Pays the Penalty-Poor Fellow
He Was Only ~ Years Old and
He Was a Morphine Fiend
Every Inch o. Him.

Missoula, Aug. 1S.-The death Of the
man, william Jones, at the county Jail
Tuesday night was one of the saddest
events that has ever taken place in
the county prison. The poor fellow was
not much more than a boy. He VAS
certainly not more than 81 or % years
old, though his dissipation had given
his face the ~prematurely aged appear
ance that comes with the habitual use
of the drug that caused his death. He
a the appearance of an intelligent
fellow, but his manhood had been utter
ly undermined by his Use of morphine,
and when he was locked up he was a to-
tai wreck.
There have been many hard cases in
the county Jail during the last year that
Jailor Pichette has reid the keys. but
none has been worse than that of the
poor fellow who found his last bed in
the Jail Tuesday night. His craving
for the drug vas terrible. He was like
an insane person in his pleading for his
only solsce. For a time IL was abso-
lutely refused. but his case was So Sc
rious that it soon became apparent that
he must have the drug or he would go
to pieces. The county physician was
sent for and without hesitation he de
cided that IL was only merciful to in
ject some of the drug into the system
of the poor fellow. The injection brought
the relief that the victim craved and
he became quiet. He retired to the
canvas cot that was assigned to him
and sought rest. Across his narrow cell
slept "A colored man, who had been sent
enced with him.
1t was an unattractive place, but IL
became entirely satisfactory to the un-
fortunate as soon as the effect of the
morphine were felt i'm his veins No
palace could have afforded him more
comfort. There was but one thing that
he craved and that was the drug that
had been administered to him. With
its potent energy thrilling through his
veins. he turned i'm and sank into what
proved to be his last sleep. The drug
did its work and the slumber that he
longed for soon came to him. His cell
mate says that the poor fellows sleep
was uneasy but he did not awake. Who
can tell the dreamland fancies that
filled his brain as he slumbered on. OBJ
livious To all his surroundings? He
did not know that his associates were
of the criminal class. lie may have
dreamed that he was with the mother
who nee tenderly cared for him. He
muttered some words, as he slept on
49, fAhN W ihA Ivy fNf III
as he dwelt i'm his dreamland fancfes
with those he loved. the death angel
came and touched his sleeping eyes.
They We're closed forever. They never
opened upon the degrading surround
ings i'm which he had gone to sleep. 1t
was well that the end came as il did.
The poor boy would have awakened to
new suffering and to renewed misery.
IL was a merciful death. though a sad
M
No scrap of paper. not a single trfnket,
was found upon his person or i'm his
Nobody here viii ever know
VINO he was or from where he came.
Ills disgrace Is known to none of his
dear ones. He died unknown. In the
sadness of his pauper death there Is the
that his disgrace will not be
known To her who is wondering what
has become of her boy. 1t was a bless
ing, scarcely disguised. No mourner.
no tears, no regret expressed. But. af-
all, the Oblivion Is merciful. No
from sheriff or coroner will
bring agony of soul TO that mother.
Wherever she may be. The curtain of
ignorance overs all his sins.
IL is a powerful sermon this death.
nasty burial. the Unmarked grave.
passing into oblivion of this Door
boy. A slave to that awful drug. all
OF his hopes, all of his once bright pros
poets had been sacrificed to the use of
deadly morphine. Dead among
with no one to say oven a
word of regret. What an end to all,