The herald., 1898-03-18
THE MORPHINE ROUTE
RICHARD soNNTAG TAKES HIS
OWN LIFE
NO CAUSE AS YET KNOWN
Had Been Employed as a Bookkeeper
for the Capitol Milling
Company

While on a spree Richard Sonntag' tha
| beekkeeper of the Capitol Milling COM
pany, committed suicide yesterday after
noon by taking morphine. He died In
short time after. The case presents some
peculiar features and the motive for his
act, while 1t has been Mnted at, has not yet
been positively ascertained. He left no
word of farewell or explanation and the
solution of the causes will perhaps depend
upon other parties.
sonntag had not been at his position for
at least twenty-four hours before he TOOK
his life, and during that time had been
drinking very heavily, which was quite an
unusual thing for him. B. Baruch. the vice
president of the company. stated that
Sonntag called upon him Wednesday and
said that as dangerous operation would
have to be performed upon his boy ne
would like not to work that day and that II
was possible that he might not be on hand
Thursday. Just what started the book
keeper drinking is not known positively
now, but in any event he had been on a
spree for two or three days before he took
his life He would be put to bed by the
people at his home, S44 East Twenty ninth
street, and in the morning would arise to
resume his liba tions. The dangerous sick
ness of his 7-year-old child is thought by
his relatives to have entirely upset him and
led him to drink.
Some time after o'clock yesterday after
noon he was in the company of friend, ?
man who had conducted the butcher shop
on Central avenue near Twenty-siXth
street. Sonntag was very intoxicated.
Sonntag went into the butcher shop which
is now run by new proprietor. The man
saw him taking something from bottle
and eating it. but thought nothing Of the
occurrence at the time. Sonntag, However,
soon began to give evidence of feeling Ill,
as the poison commenced to work, and he
was assisted into the butcher wagon and
driven around to his home. about five
blocks distant. He was able to walk into
the house with the assistance Of the driver,
but said not a word to those about the
place. The empty bottle was found upon
the floor Of the butcher shop, where he had
thrown it and when the label was seen the
cause for the mans sudden attack was
known. DR.. w. L. Brown was summoned
at once but Sonntag was too far gone for
remedies, and he died about s o'clock.
Mrs Sonntag was prostrated by the shock,
as she had suspected nothing of the sort,
and the strain of the operation on the child
also had told greatly upon her.
Deputy Coroner Summerfield was noti-
fed and had the remains removed to The
undertaking rooms of Orr & Hines, where
an inquest will be held this morning at II
o'clock.
At Sonntags home last night the people
expressed the belief that his death hal
been the result of an accident He had
left the house in apparently excellent spir,
it's, having ridden away on his bicycle as
usual, and not until he was brought home
nearly unconscious did they know any
thing of impending disaster. Sonntag had
had no family trouble and had always lived
happily with his wife and four children
and no serious care had disturbed him until
the recent sickness of his boy. His sister
in-law said that she thought he had pur-
chased the morphine for the purpose oftry-
ing to sober up and relieve his nervous
ness.
B. Baruch, who Is also the treasurer of
the company, stated last night when in
formed of his bookkeepers death that he
had heard nothing of the affair before. Mr..
Sonntag had had no trouble over his posi-
ton, he said, and there was no shortage In
his accounts. In fact there was no way
for Mr.. Sonntag to have been short, as
Mr.. Baruch handled the cash. There was
nothing wrong with the deceased's busi-
ness relations.
Sonntag was about 40 years of age and
was a member of the Sons of Herman and
was also Of the Fores ters of America. He
had resided in Los Angeles for about five
years and came here from Dallas, Tex.
where he was employed in a bank. He
leaves a widow and four children, the eld-
est being about 10 years of age.