The Iola register., 1902-08-22
TOOK POISON BY MISTAKE
DR. s. L. n. FOOte Dead at Argentine
Formerly of Allen County

Dr >, IL, n. FO0te Deau at Argentine
Formerly of Allen County
The body of Dr. S. L. N. Foote, an
aged physician and most eccentric
character, was found in his little
rickety Office at No. Spear avenue,
Argentine, yesterday afternoon about
3 O'Clock. The indications are that
the man committed suicide, although
a note that he had written while dying |
partly iustiGes the belief that he took |
a dose of morphine, thinking it was
quinine and Dover's powders.
Dr. Foote first became known to
Allen county people when he settled
in Gas some three years ago. Later
he went to La Harpe, and still later
to Stark. He was apparently man
of education and intelligence, but
hopelessly erratic. His specialmania
was the construction Of air ships and
he fully believed he had solved the
problem. He wrote great many long
letters to the editor of the REGISTER
urging him to get the Government to
take hold Of his idea, promising him
wealth beyond the dreams of avarice
| If he should succeed. While living at
La Barpe he brought suit for divorce
against his wife, and the petition he
filed is one of the legal curiosities of
this court. The REGISTER printed it
at the time, and reprints here some
sample paragraphs:
Come now the plaintiff to the altar
of justice, bearing his burden OF sor-
row and woe, which he humbly lays
down before the ermine and woolsack
He declares with solemn truth that he
has been for more than one year last
past an actual resident in good faith of
the state of Kansas, whosev valiant sons
swan the Bag. Bag; that state pointed
out by all the world as being the des-
ert home of Carrie Nation and Mary
Ellen Lease; that he is now aresident
of Allen county, same state, where the
roar OF natural gas wells and the
whistle of great industries have be-
come as familiar to its Inhabitants as
was the croaking of frogs to the people
of Posy county, Indiana, in the days
of auld lang syne.
1t was back east in the good old
state of Ohio, that has given birth to
statenen and politicians. TWAS long
long years ago in the sultry summer
time. when the dOgfennel blossomed in
the lane and the woodpecker pecked
his peck on the decaying trunk OF the
hollow sycamore tree. 1t was at the
} spring meath the hill, close by the
spreading beech, q youth and maiden
plighted their thoth.
The Kansas City Journal in report
ing his death adds the following inter-
esting details:
CDR Foote died as he had lived,
alone and in his poorly furnished and
poverty looking Office. He died, evil
IDENTIFY, few minutes after O'Clock
yesterday morning, but the body was
not discovered until twelve hours
; later. George w. Toothaker, q real
estate agent of Argentine, and one OF
the physicians warm friends, noted
the mans absence from the street dur
ing the day and visited his Office out
of curiosity. Toothaker peered
through the front window of the
physicians Office, which was also his
, home. He saw the body of the man
stretched on the floor, face downward
s The few broken chairs in the room anC
a small table were covered with dust
@ Scattered about the floor were a mum
n ber OF surgical instruments. Beside
4 the body was ~ note, written by DIR
" Foote Just before he died and after 1t
+ had taken the poison. The missivC
was addressed to Mr.. Toothaker ant
George Simhoff 1t follows:
| have had one more of those terri
:, BILE chills Thinking l. was taking
y quinine and Dover's powders, fear
n must have taken morphine, instead.
n feel all right at the present time, bu
" know that the poison is doing it
70 work. | burn but feel a sort of
vs. soothing sensation flow over me and
" desire to go to sleep. | am sure tha
- | have not much longer to live. Pleas
V" take care of my affairs and write Il
y my daughter that forgive her. d.
N hope that you can straighten up m,
4. affairs so that it will be found that
4 am not in debt. If there is hereafte
= ] viii see you all there and l hope
TX will see my daughter and my son.
~ don't know what comes after death bu
We put my body in the grave and there
a. will rot, more than likely, as l thin
~ there is no life after death. 1t is no.
,h after O'Clock and | feel / am dyin
d, though still conscious. My head
iii very clear and my brain works pei
ho fectly But now feel the spasm CON
~ ing ona then | will be gone. Goo
Or by. DIR, FooIG.