Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-12-05
coRoNER's INQUEST.
Heart Failure Not Laudanum the Cause
Of Seth Wade's Death.

Seth Wade, the cattleman, who at
tempted suicide Friday hight by
drinking the contents Of a two-ounce
bottle OF laudanum, died Saturday
evening shortly after being removed
TO the Salem Hospital. About 8
O'Clock in the afternoon Of Saturday
Wade had apparently so far recovered,
that he was able TO walk TO his bath
and toshls bed In the ward. lie was
rational and showed every sign Of re
covery, being able TO converse 10 an
intelligent manner with his doctors.
About thirty minutes after the doc
tors left him at the hospital he was
reported dead, his remains we're ac-
cordlngly removed TO the coroner's
Office where the autopsy was conducted
Sunday at one O'Clock, by Drs. Shaw
and Pierce who had attended the de-
ceased In his last illness.
A coroner's jury was made up Of ID.
l. Flester, foreman. Al; s. Sllppey, l..
L. Judson, Richard Carlson, Jacob
LeldenRer, Jr., and S. G. Kightlinger.
Fred Miller a roomer at the Salem
Lodging house was called, Opened the
door to Wade's room and found bot
tie under the bed labeled laudanum,
They became alarmed and sent for
a doctor. wade was cramped all up in
bed, and his face was blue and con-
torted. 1t was about 1890 when the
door was opened.
Ofiicer Hutton was called. Found
Wade Ia bed breathing hard
Wade had been drinking very heav-
lily and had fallen down the stairs at
the Red Front drug store on Friday.
The marks on his face and body were
probably due to bruises sustained at
that time.
Jay S. Phillips, night bar tender at
the Bureau saloon, had known Wade
for long time. The last time lie
saw him was on Friday evening,
Phillips put his hand on his shoulder
and said; "Seth old man how are you
tonight Wade answered, "I am aS
well as ever will be-" Phillips told
him he would be all right as soon as
he was Strengthened up little, but
Wade protested he would never be any
better. Soon Seth came out 20 the
bar and said, "Jay you are the best
friend ever had, and am goinG 10
tell you. l haven't told anyone
else about IL but, am going
away" then continuing, while his
eyes filled with tears, he said Eyes,
Jay, l want TO tell you good bye, for
| am going away. am going north,
II you call that NORTH" (polnting
upward.) Then he went TO the door
but turned back and said "JaY you
don't believe me, but you will see be-
fore morning. / want TO oshake hands
with you for the last time aud tell
you'good bye"
lie then left the saloon. Phillips
was afraid he would do himself harm
and asked Frank Davis and Bill An
derson TO look after him. Also saw
officer Johnson to see to him and
Johnson said he had gone TO bed.
Mrs. Burkholder, OF the Salem
Lodging house, corrOborated the ac-
count of the finding of Wade, and asked
stated that he had breathed 80 heav-
lily as TO disturb her several times
during the night. She thought him
TO be drunk and paid no attention to
him.
Mary Hensley's testimony corroh-
Grated Miller's, as TO finding Wade.
She had gone TO his bed, when Miller
opened the door and shook him. lie
turned his head without openiug his
eyes, uttered an oath and said he
did't care whether he saw anyone
down town or not. She 'theu sent for
an officer and the doctor,
Dan j. Fry, the druggist, tes tilted
TO not having sold any lau danum to
Wade. His label was on the bottle
but he had not sold the drug.
DR., John d. Shaw was called and
stated he had been called 70 see Wade
by officer Hutton. Upon examltatlon
found him TO be breathing about three
times a minute. Commenced 20 in
crease respiration, and sent for DR..
Pierce. Wade soon rallied ane by five
O'Clock was so far recovered as TO be
able 10 be moved Ia the hospital. He
walked TO his bath and then back 20
his bed. He was perfectly conscious
and talked In rational manner. Said
he felt first rate, aud denied emphatic
ally that he had taken poison. Said he
had taken whlskey, but no laudanum.
After directing the nurses he had
gone down town, aud had heard about
half an hour afterwards that Wade
was dead
He had held post mOrtem examin.
alton and found that the heart was
greatly dilated, being almost half
again as large as IL should be
normally. IL had large deposits OF
tat aud the muscular action was much
depleted by the encroachment OF the
fatty tissue. IL was his opinion that
death was the result OF heart failure,
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