The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-09
FIREMAN A SUICIDE.
PRANK AN OUNCE OF LAUDANUM
AND DIED IN POLICE BARRACKS.
WAS THOUGHT TO BE DRUNK.
HIS REAL CONDITION NOT DIS
COVERED UNTIL JUST BEFORE
HE DIED.


racks Because Thought Drunk.
His Condition Then Discovered
and "a Doctor Sent For, But Man
Died Before Physician Arrived.
WeIIbrOOk Had Been Sick and
Had Been Drinking-NO other
Causes known for His Act.
George Wellbrook, a firemen, commit
ted suicide yesterday morning by taking
laudanum. He died in the police station
house, where he had been taken in what
was at first thought to be drunken stu
por. No reason is known for the act
though he had been i'll for several days
and shortly before the time of his death
is known to have been drinking.
An inquest into his death was held yes
terday afternoon by Coroner ]. G. Keller
and the jury decided, without hesitation,
that death was the result Of a dose of
laudanum, self-administered, with suicidal
intent
Five witnesses were examined by the
coroner, ]. r. Dukes, a fireman at en-
CINE House No. 2; T. ]. Fogarty, a po-
liceman; Joseph E. Campos. Jr., foreman
at Engine House No 2; P. ]. Kelly, turn
key at the police station house. and D. L.
Cawley. a clerk at Orear's drug store,
who sold the laudanum by which Well
brook came to his death.
Dukes the principal witness His
story stripped of unimportant details is
to the effect that while on watch al en-
CINE house, No. 2, yesterday morning
about Z 80 o'clock, Wellbrook came to the
place and asked to come in. He was drunk
and so admittance was at first refused
him, but finally upon his repeated en-
treaties, he was allowed to enter tie
went to the rear of the house, and, later,
when Dukes went to that part of the
building, was found seated at the rear
door.
He was apparently in good humor,
'cut up lot of foolishness," according
to the statement of the witness, and in
vited Dukes to get a chair and sit by
him. Dukes paying no attention to him,
he appeared to sleep for very short
time, then waking with start, called out
''Oh. Dukes! How's everything" which
were the last words that he ever said.
Fogarty came in the house a short time
before l o'clock and was told by Dukes
of Wellbrook's condition. Fogarty went
out promising to be back about O'clock
and Dukes, reading a paper, paid but lit
tie attention to the condition of the
drunken and now soundly sleeping man,
who continued to sleep for about two
hours Nothing served to attract any fur
Their attention to Wellbrook except an ir-
regularity about his breathing which was
readily and naturally attributed to the
fact that he had been drinking.
Fogarty returned, and it was decided by
him and Dukes to try to wake Wellbrook
by washing his face. This was DONE but
had no effect. and it was then settled that
after Fogarty had pulled his box at
o'clock he would return and Wellbrool1
would be put outside of the building in
the open air, where it was thought he
would become sober by daylight. Later,
Fogarty again returned and Mr. Medlin,
another fireman, coming down stairs for
his watch, the three men took Wellbrook
and put him outside on the grass 1t
was decided then, however, that it would
not be right to leave man in his con-
dition, and SO in their perplexity as to
what to do with Wellbrook, Dukes woke
up Campos, who, in turn, rang up Supt.
Mcguire, and after relating the facts of
the case, asked for instructions.
The superintendent told him to have
Wellbrook sent to the barracks, but
thought that he might be as sick as he
appeared to be drunk and so told the
foreman to have the sergeant at the bar
racks have a doctor examine the man
after he got there.
Wellbrook was taken to the bar
racks, where sally-port man Lang
called the attention of the turnkey
to the condition of the man, and accord
ing to the turkeys instructions, notified
Acting Sergeant Murphy that the. pris-
oner appeared to be in a bad way Muir
ply started for the station house, but
by the time he reached there WeIlbrook
was dead. never having recovered con-
seriousness from the time he fell asleep
in the engine house.
DR.. Z. S. Osborne had been summoned
to attend Wellbrook, but the man died
so soon after the summons had been
sent that it was counterma nded, and Dr.
Keller the coroner, summoned instead.
After the death of Wellbrook was made
known at the engine house a search about
the premises was made and resulted in
the discovery of an empty one-ounce
laudanum bottle. When Welbrook was
searched at the barracks a half pint flask
of whisky was found in his pocket, but
it had not been opened.
In his testimony before the jury,Mr D.L.
Cawley said that the laudanum had been
bought on the afternoon of June Z; that
Wellbrook had told him that 1t was
wanted for another fireman, a friend OF
his. To a question from the druggist he
replied that the FRIEND knew the ma
ture of the drug. and how to use it,
When asked the name of this friend,
Wellbrook gave his own name. To a
question from one of the jurymen. Mr..
Cawley admitted that Wellbrook seemed
at the time of the purchase as though "he
might have had two or three drinks UNI
der his shirt" IN admission that caused
many OF the Jurors to ask whether or
not a druggist had the legal right to
sell poison to a man under the influence
of liquor.
Mr.. Cawley said after the inquest that
he was satisfied Wellbrook had been
drinking, but that he was not in a con-
dition to warrant refusing to sell him the
drug under the circumstances.
Welbrooks body was taken TO the I'M
dertaking rooms Of Mr. John A. Goette.
The funeral will take place at No GAO
Cohen street this afternoon at 4 o'clock.
The burial will be made in Bonaventure
Cemetery. The services will be conducted
by Rev. DR.. w. c. Schaeffer.
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