The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-05
PREFERRED DEATH TO LIFE.
ED. l.. PATTON, JR., ENTERED THE
UNKNOWN OF HIS OWN ACCORD.

ana Relatives Until overcome ny
the Drug-His Condition DiscoV-
cred Too Late for Medical Ala to
Avail-SeIected His own Pall-Benr-
ers and Requested to BE Inferred
Near Friend in BOnhventure-
The Deceased the SOE of DIR. Il. l..
Patton of the University of South
Carolina.
E. L. Patton, Jr., suicided yesterday morn
Ing by taking laudanum. He had been
I'll several days and was somewhat despon-
dent, but Thursday he seemed bright
and cheerful and no one had the slightest
reason to suspect his fatal intention.
1t is evident however, that the act was
fully premeditated. In taking leave of
some friends before going to his room. he
told them they would never see him alive
again. This was not the first time he
had made such a remark, however, ana
his friends thought nothing of it.
Mr. Patton had a room at the residence
of Mr.. w. W. Starr, No. 20 Harris street,
west, having been there just month.
He went to his room at 9 o'clock and
was not seen again until his roommate,
Mr. w. L. Hancock, coming in htte
after midnight, found him lying upon the
floor in the middle of the room. He was
breathing heavily and Mr.. Hancock saw
at once that something was wrong. He
attempted to arouse him, but without
success. He then went to the telephone
and summoned Dr. Van Marter, who re-
sponded promptly. After telephoning DR..
Il 20
the room and made an examination In
the drawer of the table at which Mr..
Patton had evidently been sitting was
found a large phial. about three ounces.
about one-fourth full of laudanum. The
label on the bottle had been scraped off,
preventing any one from ascertaining
from this source the name of the drug
gist who sold the drug.
Mr.. Hancock told DR.. Van Marter on the
latter's arrival, what he had discovered.
An examination showed at once that young
Patton was suffering from laudanum poi
soning in an advanced stage The usual
remedies were administered, but as 1t was
evidently a severe case, DIR. Van Marter
summoned Drs. baltimore and Graham
by telephone, and both responded The
three physicians devoted their best efforts
TO the patient for about two hours but
with no effect. The dose was a large one
and under ordinary circumstances the vic
tim would probably have vomited it up or
what remained in the stom-
ach could easily have been
pumped out II was learned, however,
that he had been able to retain nothing on
his stomach for several days. The large
dose of laudanum, taken upon an empty
stomach, had more than three hours start
of the physicians and it was impossible to
overcome its effects, and he died about 8
O'clock
remaining here a short time and then went
to Bristol, Tenn. where he remained a
year or two. He then returned to Savan-
nah, and has remained here since, in the
employ of George w. Tiedeman & Bro,
with the exception of about six months
when he was stenographer for Mayor
Myers His unfortunate ending is greatly
regretted by the Messrs. Tiedeman by
whom he was held in high personal es-
TEEN.
That the young man had fully deter
mined upon his end was evident by let
tiers found upon the table in his room at
which he had evidently been sitting when
he fen from his chair to the floor There
were three of these. One was addressed
kindness and courtesy which she had
shown him while he was in her house, re-
GREETING that he was so little able to re-
pay her for her attention. When Mr..
Patton was taken sick Mrs. Starr prepared
his meals for him and otherwise showed
an interest in him. None of the family
We're aware of his condition until after his
death. the house being large one and the
room occupied by Messrs. Patton and Han
COCK being some distance from the family
rooms. Mr.. Starr was informed of what
had occurred after Mr. Pattons death.
The second note was to Messrs. George
w. and /. B. Tiedeman. thanking them for
their uniform kindness and consldera ton
for him, and giving a few directions az to
his business affairs.
The third and longest letter was 10 his
parents. In this he expressed regret for
the suffering he was about to bring upon
them, but declared that his sufferings
were greater than he could bear. He
claimed that suicide was not the act OF
a coward, but that he was justified In
taking The course he had decided upon n
this letter he made several personal re.
quests among them that he be buried In
Bonaventure, as near as possible to the
grave of his old chum. the late Writ Du.
pont, that Capt. w. d. Dixon act as un.
dertaker. and that the quartette of the
Guards minstres, with which organiza.
ton he was so prominently associated, bC
requested to sing at his grave This re
quest will be complied with The lettel
closed with the statement that he was fas
passing away, and was unable to writ,
more. The three letters were written OF
sheets torn from an old memorandum bool
in Mr.. Pattons possession. In the las
letter he named the pallbearers whom HI
desired 20 officiate at his funeral. Thos
named are George w. Tiedeman, ]. b
Tiedeman Thomas ScTeven, Il. II. O'Con
nor. Lester Walker and Frank Bonham.
AS soon as possible after his death TIL
parents OF the deceased, who reside a
Columbia, were notified of his death Rev
f. l.. Patton, ID. D., father of the younI
man, is professor of ancient languages il
the South Carolina University; Hon. H. c
Patton, a brother, is a member of tn
South Carolina Legislature. There ar
two other brothers--Lieut. Bryson w. Pat
ton of the United States navy, and Eu
gene Patton, who is in the railroad bust
ness in Chicago. DIR. and Mrs. Patio
and Mr.. H. c. Patton arrived in the after
noon. The death of the sen and brothe
IS a great shock to them. Upon the par
ents, especially, the blow falls very heav
ily. They have in their grief the war;
sympathy of many friends in Savannah.
OF the scores in Savannah who knel
the deceased there is not one who has
word to say against him. BY nature h
was bright and lovable, a genuine wilt, an