The Indianapolis journal., 1898-12-15
W.T.. CONOVER'S ATTEMPT
HE DRANK A POISONOUS ACID, BUT
THE PHYSICIANS SAVED HIM.
Pathetic Scene at the City Dispensary
Yesterday Evening-Wanted
to Make His VIII.

'I'Il be dead in fifteen minutes" said Will
liam +. Conover as he staggered into a
chair at the side of the desk in the corridor
at the police station last evening. 81 want
DR.. Christian" he continued, Il want DR..
Christian.
Patrolman David Lancaster, who was sit
ting at the desk. saw that the man was
drunk and asked him, What do you want
with DIR. Christian?"
81 want to make my WILL" said Conover.
I'm going to die in a few minutes" Then
his head fell forward on the desk. Lam
caster noticed that the man was frothing
at the mouth and he called Patrolman
STREET to help him take Conover into the
City Dispensary. They set him down on
the bench in the corridor and went into
the drugroom to speak to DR.. Martin. The
physician looked at Conover and saw that
he was drunk, and while he and the two
patrolmen were talking in low tones Con-
over cried out, You can't fool me-" and
put a bottle of whisky to his lips and drank.
The men rushed to him to take the bottle
away from him, but before they reached
him he had taken a package from his pocket
and was pouring some powder from it into
his hand. DR. Martin put the bottle of whis-
ky to his nose and smeled the fumes of
potassium cyaEide, one of the most deadly
of poisons. Hardly had he time to step into
the next room after antidotes when Con-
over fell unconscious. He was carried back
into another room and laid on a table, and
Drs. Martin and Kennedy began to work
with him.
1t was not long until Conover's wife and
his mother entered the Dispensary and saw
him stretched out on the table. They knew
what he had done because ten years ago
he tried to take his life, and with the same
drug he used yesterday. Crying, together
they bent over his prostrate body.
"Oh, Win, my boy,' sobbed the mother,
a white-haired old woman, why did you do
it? Look at your mother, Will" And she
kissed him frantically and patted his cheeks.
The wife was a good looking young
woman. Her hands trembled with ex-
element. ''Will" she said softly to him,
wouldn't you like to see your baby? Har-
rvs at home now crying Papa, papa Oh,
WILL wake up and look at me!'
But the husband and son did not open
his eyes and only moaned. He was deaf to
the women's entreaties and all other sounds.
When the restoratiVes Inat the physicians
had given him began to have effect he
moved slightly, and the first words he said
We're Water, water"
Here" said the doctor, rise up and
drink some of this oil and then I'll give you
some water"
Yes, that's right said the mother, "give
him oil. Fill HIM fun of it. That's what
the doctor did the time before"
AT $3.50 o'clock Conover was much better
and was able to be moved to his home 62
Last Wabash street ConoVer has had a
dyehouse on Indiana avenue, and his friends
say he has been successful His profits
have averaged about $50 a week. They say
there surely was no business reason why
he should try TO kill himself. Conover's
mother said that when her son took a drink
he became crazy He had hurt once"
she explained, ''and never recovered from
it, and it affects his mind when he drinks" :"
She said her son had been treated by DR..
Fletcher.
If l can keep him in the house when he
has taken drink" said his wife, "he's all
right but If he gets out he tries TO kill him
self. i will never let him out again. He
was very happy this morning and was pre-
pairing to move his store. We've got a lit
tie boy year old. My husband is thirty
five years old"
DIR. Martin said that if the poison which
Conover swallowed had had i've minutes
time it would have killed him. He said 1t
genel ated prussic acid when 1t reached the
stomach Conover had enough of the stuff
in the package he carried to kill large
number of people.