The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-25
ANACONDA NEWS.
OVERDOSE OF LAUDANUM
Lewis Gilbert Takes His Own
Life in Lodging House.
WAS CRAZED BY RELIGION
The Dead Man Was a Constant Atten-
dant at the Revival Services. and
His Continual Conversation Re-
lated to Religious Troubles.

Suicide, superinduced by religious
feryor," is the verdict rendered by the
coroner's jury which investigated the
cause of death of Lewis Gilbert. Gilbert
was found dead in bed at his room at
No. 204 East Fourth street yesterday
morning, at about 1880 o'clock. The
cause of his death is undoubtedly an
overdose of laudanum, two bottles which
had contained that drug being found
in his room.
The suicide was first discovered by
Mr.. Johnson, the landlord of the place.
At about 7:30 o'clock yesterday morn
ing II. O. Stuart, a cook employed by
johnson, heard groans coming from
Gilbert's room. He supposed that
Gilbert was sick and told john
son that he had better go up and
see what was the matter. johnson did
SO, and upon raising the blinds of the
window in the room he discovered that
Gilbert was dead. He notified Chief of
Police White, and Coroner Hardenbrook
had the body removed to Ehret's under
taking rooms. A sewing machine oil bot
tie, which had contained laudanum, and
in which there We're still some drops of
the drug, was found on a stand beside
the bed. Later in the day another bottle
labeled 'Laudanum' was found in the
room.
A note containing the words, please
inform my uncle my gold watch is
upon the stand
Coroner Hardenbrook called jury
and conducted an inquest on the body
at o'clock in the afternoon. The jury
was composed of Charles Graham, w.
T. Augustine, Thomas Boland, Pat
Walsh, H. Redmond and j. r. Sack
rider.
H. Gilbert was the r1rst witness He
testified to being an uncle of the de-
ceased. Lewis had been in Anaconda
hale L
tions during his stay In this city had
been such as to indicate that he was not
of sound mind. The witness had not seen
him for % years. The first few weeks
that Gilbert had been in Anaconda the
witness had not noticed anything wrong
about him. but after that he began to
tell of his troubles, which We're of a re-
1igious kind. The dead man had told
his uncle that he had had great deal
of trouble in Reedsport, N. Y, over re-
ligious matters. He had been mem
Der of the Baptist church in Reedsport,
but had got mixed up in a controversy
with the Baptist minister there, and aft 4
erwards had joined the Presbyterian
church.
The witness said that the deceased
had left home about two years ago,
since which time he had been wander
ing about Michigan and Wisconsin, He
had not written home since he had alb
scented himself from Reedsport and his
coming 10 this city he had visited his
uncle's house and his sole and continual
topic of conversation had been in rela-
tion to his religious troubles. The uncle
finally tired of his gloomy talk and told
him that unless he could find something
more pleasant to talk about he had bet
ter stay away. That was about two
weeks ago. The witness said that the
dead man had been constant attendant
at church and since the Weber revival
meetings had been in progress at the Nj.
e. church he had been present at every
session. He was quiet young man
and had bad habits that
the witness knew of. He had never been
known to drink, smoke or chew, and
he never went into saloons.
The witness said that his brother the
dead mans father, was dead and that
when he died he left farm near Reeds
port, which contained about 800 acres, |
and had value of more than $40 per |
acre. This had been left to Lewis who
had paid off the other heirs of the es- |
tate. He had conducted the farm up to |
the time of leaving New York The |
witness said that the deceased had told |
him that he had been run out of New |
York and that he was still being perse- |
cuted here.
Mr.. Johnson, the keeper of the board |
ing house, told of finding the body He |
said that the folks at the house had |
heard groans issuing from the room oc-
cupled by 1llDerI ana mad notified him.
He went up to the room to see what /
was the matter. He raised the blinds
and saw Gilbert lying in bed. He shook
him, but could not arouse him. He then I
found that he was dead. He had never |
noticed anything unusual about the |
man. Gilbert had been living at his I
house for about six weeks and had ap-
parently been all right during that time
II. o. Stuart. the cook at the boarding
house, said that on Wednesday evening
Gilbert had gone out at about o'clock |
and had come back half hour later
He went directly to his room and did |
not come to supper. He told of hearing
the groans and of sending johnson up
to the room. Gilbert had told the wit
ness when he first came to the house
that he had lost his situation through
religion; that he had been driven from
the East by religion and that he was
still being prosecuted here. The witness
said that the dead man was in the habit
of going to church two or three times
every day; that he was a great reader,
and that when he was not at church ne
was reading. He had never noticed |
anything wrong with the man in con-
sersing with him. Since the Weber re-
vival meetings had been on Gilbert had |
been a constant attendant at the Matho-
dist church, and in the opinion of the |
witness religion had been the cause Of |
his unbalanced mental condition.
AT the conclusion of the testimony the