The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-07
BROADDUS' DEATH
VAS ACCIDENTAL
Coroner Believes Ne Was Slffo-
Gated While in Stupor.
NO WOMAN IN THIS CASE
Mr. Daniel Tes,fies 10 Character Of the
Young Man Who Lived in Ills Home.
Sought ob'iv on in Fumes
Of Choroform

IF I cannot make an honest living.
have an ounce of chioroform which is
better than d dishonest one.
This sentence was taken from note
written year and half ago by young
daur.ce Z. BroaGdus, whose dead BODY
as found in 6utton's woods Friday
lorning. TO a young lady. The note was
farewell message to her when he went
Vest.
1t is significant because it shows that
ne idea OF suicide had entered his mind
8 early as that. 1t also shows that then
te was familiar with chloroform and had
louSht OF it as ! means of taking his
fc.
This might be counted in support Of
he theory of suicide But. OF course. it
by no means conclusive, and, in fact
nat he met accidental! death. either from
i unintentonal overdose OF chloroform
from suIfocation while in the stupor
rought on by chloroforn, is well-nigh
ertain. Dr.. Taylor, the city coroner. IS
lmost fixed in his own mind on one or
ne other Of these theories.
WAS He SMOTHERED?
When found the face OF the dead man
vas framed IN the hat and the mouth
nd nose buried in two handKerchicfs
le may have inhaled enough OF the
h.orofornl to render him unconscious
while lis nose was thus enVeope.. by the
lanukerch!efs and then, unable to extri
tie himself and as obIivtous Of his
hanger as he was poweress 70 move.
AVE been sn2othered. This is the only
aeo.y that does not find some objec-
.oas in the known antecedents Of his
cath The explanation OF suicide is
pposed by the fact that there has been
ound rot the slightest evidence of prep
lrat;on He would not have carried his
o9ot.s there, he would probably have
alen tie young iady's letter from his
pocket, he would likely have left some
Message behind him, as he was devoted
his father and mother, and they 10
i'm. lie certa MY had no immediate
Intention of self-Tn urder when he lett Mr.
4anie! last Monday morning. II is only
5arely possible that he thought OF II
afterwards.
MAY H4evE DIED SUDDENLY.
Coroner Taylor Is more than ever in
c ined to believe that the BODY vas
here since Monday; if not the corpse,
hen tie young man himself seeking IN
Ter the influence Of the drug to win
oblivion from the Iashings' OF thoughts,
5hich. there is reason to believe. tor
ured his mind. He was not happy, all
IL his friends knew that. 1t is regarded
Is more plausible than anything yet
ed that when he left Mr.. Daniel
Ionday morning he went TO drug
ere and purchased phial Of chloro-
form and went to this secluded spot or
ear by. and from that tine until We'd
nesday evening sought forgetfuiness, as
vas his habit, in It's Supplying fumes.
Wednesday evening he went 20 MI ".
). ThompSou'S drug store and got the
econd plia} This will explain the
presence of the two phials which before
md tie latter, or rather that nearer
lim. and hence certain to have been
implied last, had the druggists name
blown" in the bottle.
0NE MATTER YET UNEXPLAINED.
All the known circumstances of tie
ieath are thus explained, except that
e had Oft his coat. ard that it was
pread neatly over him. Why he should
nave taken that off on cold day is
lot yet answered in a satisfactory man
aer. 1t may not be important.
Coroner TAYLOR is taking every pre-
aution He said last night that ne was
Till puzz ed about the condition in
vtich he found the body. Decorposi-
ion was almost too far advanced for
4eath 10 have occurred as late as We'd
aesdav night, and yet the stiffness OF
he corpse would tend TO prove that it
had not come earlier. for this ''rigor'
does not last over two or three days
under ordinary conditions, yet when
found tie body was as stiff as possible.
Actirg on the superstition that death
lid not ensue until Wednesday. DIR.
TAYLOR went 10 the Chief of Police yes
-erdey and asked him 60 detail a detec-
tive to find out where Broaddus was