Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-08
DRUG DOES WORK QUICKLY
Robert A. johnson Takes strychnins and
Dies in Twenty Minutes,
BECAUSE WOMAN WOULD NOT WE'D HIM
She Had just u n Divorce from
One Husband and That was
Enough to satisfy
Her.

from his wife. Robert A.. johnson of Avoca,
Ia, committed suicide yesterday morning
by swallowing strychnine in the apart
ments of Mrs. Cora lie High at 500 West
Broadway. DR.. CleaveT, whose office is In
the same building, was m within
a few minutes after the young man had
taken the poison. Every effort to save the
unfortunate young mans life was made,
but without avail. The act was premedl-
tated, as before leaving the hotel at which
he was stopping to VISIT the lie High
woman johnson wrote a letter to his
mother, in which he said his life had
come to an end. This letter was found
in his pocket after the body had been re-
moved to the morgue.
Johnson, who was % years Of age and
q son Of A. Johnson, deputy sheriff and
court bailif at Avoca, came to Council
Blufs Saturday from Carson, where for
several months past he has been employed
In a livery barn. He stopped at the Re-
we're house, on Broadway, but a few doors
from where the woman with whom he ap-
pears to have been infatuated lived. Part
OF Saturday evening he spent with her
and, according. to her statement, he APP
peared to have been drinking.
After partaking Of breakfast at the ho-
tel he wrote a letter In the hotel office,
presumably the letter addressed to his
mother which was found on him. It was
written on the hotel paper. Finishing the
letter, he crossed the street to the apart
ments OF Mrs. lie High. where an hour
later he ended his life. Mrs. lie High has
been living but a short time at COZ Broad
way, under the name of Miss Cora Price.
Last Thursday she was given a divorce
from her husband, William F. lie High, by
Judge Macy in the district court here on
statutory grounds. She is a daughter Of
Mr.. and Mrs. M. F. Price OF Carson. Her
husband, William lie High, was a brother
in-law of the suicides brother, Charles
johnson. According to Mrs. Ii Highs
statement, young Johnson had been want
ing to pay her attention for the last
month.
story of the Woman.
From the woman's story 1t appears that
young Johnson, after reaching her apart
ments, at once commenced his protesta-
lions Of affection for her, asking that
she promise to marry him as soon as he
could secure a divorce from his wife to
whom he had been married about a year,
but from whom he had recently separated.
She says she told him that she liked him as
we'll IL not better than any other man,
but that she did not intend to marry
A6aih' WE'LL II YOU won I promise me
I will end my life right here by swallowing
this strychnine," and suiting the action
to the words young Johnson rose from his
chair and taking a small package from his
vest pocket, poured the contents into his
mouth. Mrs. LIE High had not expected that
he intended to carry out his threat, but
when she saw him place the paper to his
mouth tried to seize It, but he had wal
lowed the powder before she succeeded in
taking the paper from him. With the same
elaboration with which he had swallowed
the poison young Johnson walked to the
table and pouring out a glass Of water.
drank 1t. He then stepped over In front of
the bureau and looked at himself in the
glass. While thus engaged the drug com
meneed TO have it's effect and he stag
gered toward the bed, upon which he threw
himself. The woman, by this time thor
oughly alarmed. DR.. Cleaver.
who happened to be in his ONCE. The
stomach pump and the usual remedies
were applied, but proved OF no avail and
the young man was a corpse in about
twenty minutes.
The father arrived from Avoca in the
afternoon and will take the body with him
this morning. This sudden taking OF OF
two of his sons within a few weeks proved
n terrible blow for him and he was COM
pletely Frustrated after reaching here and
learning the full particulars Of his sons
death. 1t is but a few weeks ago that an,
other son. Fred Johnson. was knocked
down and killed on the streets in Avoca
by a, man named Hector.
The letter which young Johnson had writ
ten to his mother was turned over to the
father. In 1t the young man wrote: MY
life has come to a close. My wife and an
outside lady have caused my life to come
70 an end" Continuing. he wrote that all
his debts had been paid and that he had
a policy OF insurance for 81 1000. Wishing
them all goodbye he wrote that he would
meet them all in heaven.
The father said that last Friday his son
had telephoned from Carson that he was
coming home that day, but later in the
day they received a letter from him In
which he stated he was going away and
would be gone about two weeks. He said
he had about SIS and that his mother
need not worry about him. as he could take
care Of himself. Mr.. Johnson said he was
not aware that his son had formed an at
tachment for the lie High woman. The
young man had been kicked on the head
and severely injured a number OF years ago.
since when at times he has been hardly
responsible and was easily led. Three
wears ago he got into trouble in a case In
the district court here, which led to his
Indictment on a charge Of perjury and the
Indictment of a young Omaha attorney. The
case against johnson was. however, finally
dismissed.
Coroner Treynor decided II was unneces-
sary to hold an inquest.