The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-18
DRANK CARB0LIC ACID
DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE
BY AN UNFORTUNATE WOMAN.
DETERMINED TO END HER LIFE
MRS. EMMIE DAVIS SPENT HER
LAST PENNY FOR POISON.

Alive Eighteen Hours After She
Swallowed an Ounce of the Acid
But no Hope for Her Recovery.
Bribed N Negro Boy to Get the
Poison and Drank 1t fn n Fit of
MeIanchoIy-Tragfc Ending of n
Mis-spent Life-The WOman's Hus-
band Killed in a Bar-room a Year
Ago.
Hanging between life and death on
the slenderest thread is Mrs. Emmie
Davis at the Park View SAM
forum. The woman drank an ounce OF
carbolic acid yesterday, and from her
lips to the pit of her stomach is eau
terized. She was unconscious from the
moment that the burning liquid passed
her lips. and not the slightest hope is
entertained for her recovery.
The woman, who is better known as
Emmie Nutall, went to the sanatorium
as patient about two months ago.
Physical and mental suffering caused
her to take the drug with suicidal in
tent. Friendless and penniless-her last
cent was spent for the acid. She be-
came respondent and moody Friday.
She spoke to the matron, and express
ed the fear that she would never recov-
er her health. The disease with which
the woman suffered is one that tends
to bring on melancholia. She was told
that she would most likely recover in
a short while, and was advised that
she could remain in the hospital until
she got we'll. She did not appear salts
ned. however. She had already con-
templated taking the fatal step, and
had induced a negro boy, a driver for
one of the sanatorium physicians, to
get the acid for her. Her money had
about gone. and the negro was given
her last cent to purchase the acid. She
told him that she wanted it to use as
a disinfectant.
Yesterday morning she left her ward
ana went to the toilet room A few
moments later one of the nurses fol.
lowed and found her in an unconscious
condition. Her burned lips and the
empty vial, labeled carbolic acid, told
the story. Antidotes were forced down
her troat. but without the desired eff,
rect, and 1T was believed that she was
dead. Coroner Keller was notified, but
upon his arrival discovered the wo-
man still alive. With no earthly
chance for recovery, she is lingering.
and her death is momentarily expected,
AS Emmie Nutall the woman was
well known. She had been employed in
several families as a domestic and oc-
cupied such position when wooed by
Tom Davis. Because of the mans at
tention she was discharged from the
household in which she had been en-
ployed. Davis married her soon after
ward. He was bartender and lit
tie over year ago was shot
and killed while on duty
in the De Soto bar. His wife continued
to tread a rugged path, but one to
which she had long since become accus-
toned. Not even when she was taken
i'll did she lose her nerve, and the spell
of dependency did not come upon her
until after she had been under treat
ment for eight weeks, without any per-
ceptible improvement in her condition
The woman is a sister of kid" Nutall
well known in police and sporting cir
cles. When last heard from by the
police, the kid was in Charleston,
and had been asked to leave by the DO
lice of that city, who had been tipped
off by Savannah detective.