The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1902-03-19
ENDS HER LIFE.
A Young Lady in Columbia Commits
Suicide,
SHE SWALLOWED LAUDANUM.
Story Of Another sad Case OF Self
Destruction. The Cause
Seems To Have Been
Dependency.

TiWre has been another sad case Of
suicife in Columbia. The State says
wednesday morning about 7:15 a. m.
Miss lSallie Parham, a young lady of
abouA y years of age, died of lauda-
nun lbisoning by her own hand. The
fam with whom she boarded on
Ma{ n street say that she was fully
resoI ed to end her life, having often
expressed that intention during her
residence with them.
H9r brother, f. NJ. Parham, who is
employed by the Southern railway,
persuaded her to leave her home in
Unioh and come to the city about
eight months ago. She secured a
place i'm MuncktOn'S dry goods store
and Shared the room OF her sister, who
boarCcd with Mr.. ID. G.. w. Jamson
at 1924 Marion street. After little
while she gave up her situation and
bcgah to solicit subscriptions for Il
book being engaged i'm this o3cupa-
ton at the time of her death. For the
last Feck or two she has acted rather
Stra1 1gely and about ten days ago she
took morphine, but fortunately the
qua1tity was not sufficient to do more
than AtQ stUpefy her.
II $eSday morning Mrs. JamiSOn no.
ticcJ that she appeared agitated and
watched her more closely on that ac-
count Miss Parham. made several
rapid trips TO Main street and the last
timtPhc returned the house was emp
ty Except for the cook. When Mrs.
JauISOn returned she noticed i'm her
paniry glass with some laudanum
in Isl She Immediately went to Miss
Pariam, who was lying in bed, and
aSEcl her if she had taken the Opiat.
Tie girl denied it and no more was
1JEht of the matter.
About @ o'clock Miss parham got
up ahd took supper with the family
and drank cup OF strong coffee.
whith IL is supposed deadened for a
time the eject Of the laudanum.
Just before going to bed she went
out bn ne back porch where Wcdnes-
day morning two empty laudanum
bottles were found II was learned
Wednesday that she had purchased
theS1 two bottles. each from differ
eut druggist, on one OF her trips to
Main street on Tuesday morning.
between and 3 o'clock Wednesday
morning her sister, who sleeps with
was awakened by her fearful
ans and DR.. Guerry was hastily
noned. All that could he done
for the unfortunate girl proved of no
avail, and she died about o'clock.
The coroner held the inquest at the
NJ yln
morning. prs. Coward and EiShburnc,
who assisted Itx Gucrry, testified that
death was due 10 0Pium poisoning
Mr.. and Mrs. JamiSon were 34Sgheard,
their testimony coinciding with TIE
story rs already told. The jury rem
dcrcd a verdict in accordance with the
facts.
The motive for the deed is hard to
ascertain. Those who knew the
young woman claim that suicide had
been her mOnOmania since early child
hood. Once when very young she saw
a woman shoot herself and the idea of
death being made easy by Sclf-deStruc-
tion seems u nave seized upon her
mind. Not long ago, when promin-
ent young physician was found dead
in his armchair. Miss Parham bitter
ly deplorcd the fact that the accident
had not happened to herself instead of
to another.
Another theory is that She dreaded
death from consumption a disease
which has fatally attacked many of
her family. The body will be taken to
Union Friday morning by the brother
and sister.