Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-13
DEATH FROM SUICIDE
WASHINGTONIAN BELIEVED TO
HAVE TAKEN HIS OWN LIFE.
Was an Officer Of High Rank in Con-
federate Army During
Civil War.

The body of the confederate veteran
whose death in Alexandria Sunday morning
Is believed to have been due to suicide has
been positively identified as that of ]. s..
Harlan of this city, formerly a prominent
attorney of Houston, Texas. His remains
have been viewed by Mr.. and Mrs. w. K.
Ferris, relatives of the dead man, who re-
side at Randolph flats, this city, who gave
directions as to the disposal of the body
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Ferris, accompa-
MED by two nephews of the dead man, re-
turned to Alexandria and arranged to have
the remains Inferred in that city. The fu-
neral took place this afternoon from the
undertaking rooms of William Domaine &
Sons on King street, and was attended by
several relatives. The interment was made
In Bethel cemetery.
Mr.. Harlan died shortly before o'clock
Sunday morning at the Alexandria Hospital
from the effects Of large draught of lau-
danum which he had taken Saturday even
ing at o'clock. For several hours Mrs.
Adamson, the matron of the hospital, and
Dr. William r. Purvis worked over the I'M
conscious man in the effort to resuscitate
him, but without success. His condition
was hopeless when he was carried to the
hospital
Harlan walked up to the clerks desk in the
Hotel Kramer and asked for lodging. He
was informed that the house was so full
that he could not be accommodated. He
then went out. but, returning little later,
amused several bystanders with narratives
of the civil war. At the outbreak of the
war, he said. he was a colonel In the United
States army, but soon after resigned. to
cast in his fortunes with the southern con-
federacy. He said he became a general un-
der Lee.
Falls Into a Stupor.
The stranger was prepossessing in ap-
pearance, and his distinguished air and af-
fable manner made his stories highly enter
tanning to the crowd at the hotel After
time, however, his audience dwindled away.
He took a reclining position on couch and
was not noticed for about half hour,
when some one called attention to his con-
dition. His breathing was Irregular and he
had fallen into a stupor. The police were
notified, and Officers Lyles and Garvey hur-
red the man to the Alexandria Hospital.
At that institution all of the customary
remedies were applied, but, as above stated,
without success.
1t Is understood he purchased three
ounces of laudanum at a drug store in
Alexandria when he left Ramer's in the
afternoon. He must have swallowed the
poison before returning to the hotel: IN
his pockets were found number of adj
dresses. One of them was j. s. Harlan,
1910 9Th street, Brookland. D. c." Another
was IF anything happens to me, notify
Mrs. Margaret H. Ferris, lo42 providence
street, Brookland, D. c." Other notatlons
were ~. S. Harlan, room g. the Randolph
Lincoln avenue northeast" and Mrs. W.
M. Reed, Long Glade post Office Augusta
county, Va In his pocket was found a
Aey bearing the number indicated In the
address at the Randolph.
1t is stated that the unfortunate man
was at one time one Of the leaders of the
bar of Houston Texas, and that he Is sur
vived by widow and three children, resid-
ing in that place. He was about fifty-seven
years of age. 4