Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-16

terday. William Young. dealer in sec
ond-hand stoves and furniture drank car
bolic acid by mistake and died within an
hour and half Every attempt was made
to administer an antidote but the man
could not swallow, and there was never
any hope from the first. Those nearest to
him are half stunned No plans for the
future are yet made. The head of the
house lies stiff and stark in a cold bed
room, which, before the evening meal was
cosy and warm, and wherein the victim
had been joking about taking his wife to
the Horse Show.
From the story told at the home. there
Is little doubt that death was due to acc1-
dent. For years Young has been sub
ject to fainting spells. On this occasion,
when he began to feel dizzy, he sent his
young son down stairs to the shop to get
him glass Of gin. AS the boy failed to
find 1t he went himself, carlessly placed
the wrong bottle to his lips and took a
deep draught of the deadly carbolic acid
Cried Out in Agony.
AS the burning liquid went surgling
down his throat he tried to spit it out
and cried upstairs: What is it I have
drunk?"
MARY, will 1T kill me?" shouted he. in
agony, moment later. The woman dash
ed down and grabbed the bottle and saw
the label. At that time his lips were
burning and his shirt front blackened.
She gave him some lard. the only thing
available, and tried to get him to the
drugstore. When he arrived there, one
corner away, he was half dead. but the
pharmacist tried to do something to re-
lieve the sufferers agony.
It was too late. The eyes had taken on
fixed and vacant. stare. The form or
the man dropped limp INTO the arms of the
woman.
Later, the ambulance from the City
Almshouse. came and bore him home.
where he died a few minutes later.
In the neighborhood Mr.. Young was
known as a quiet. orderly man.a but lit
tie was known of his history The
tragedy. however. brings to light a check
cred past.
Son Reveals Fathers Past.
AS the reporter was fumbling for the
knocker at the dead mans door, a grown
son. came quietly up alongside In the
rear of the home, in the fantastic light
f1ickering from the death chamber, this
fororn man told sad history
His father, said he. had been mariet!
four times. He himself was the eldest
Of two children by first wife. When he
was born his father and mother were
living in a small house by the side OF the
canal. about four miles above the city.
At that time the father was peddlinS.
and. the son said. treated his wife badly,
leaving her at intervals for two months
at a time. Later the second boy was
born. but about that time the father paid
attentions to another woman. He neg
lected the mother and the young chill
dren, so that In dire necessity she took
the youngest of the two sons and went
North TO the home Of her brother. The
son telling the story was but 5 years old.
since that pitiful event the son. now
grown, has heard or seen nothing Of either
his mother or brother. He said last night
tha this father would never tell where
they had gone, and he knew not whether
they were alive or dead
Married Other Woman.
After this episode the father married
the other woman and lived with her
ten years until she died. During this
time the son who was left behind led a
miserable life in the home of his father
When IA years of age this boy left the
parental roof and went to Northampton
county on the Eastern Shore.
Two years ago he returned and went to
work in his fathers shop. but again he
was 1OECeu away, dHu- IOT tLe idSI Ter
months has looked out for him
self. Last night he heard OF
the tragedy. and made his way
to the bedside of his dead father. AS
he stood beside the reporter looking for
the first time in ten months on the fea-
lures of his father, he was outwardly
calm. but his eyes were wet. and there
was other evidence of great inward emo
tion.
After lapse Of time the son continued
with the morunfuI story. When the sec
ond wife died, said he, the father mar
ried the third time. He moved to Gooch-
land county. where he prOspered and ac-
cumulated an estate of about 100 acres,
where he remained during the lifetime OF
| the third wife. After this the scene again
| shifted and he came into town. moving
| first into Jackson Ward. then to Fourth
and Lee streets, and finally to the scene
Of the tragedy last night.
During this unsettled period, continued
| the son, Young married the woman with
| whom, till last night, he had been liv-
| ing.
SOM. Pathetic Wish.
Now that the husband Of four women
| has gone to his last resting place, the
| first wife and mother may make herself
| known; such. at any rate. is the hope
and prayer of the grown son that is left.
The dead man was about Is years old
| and leaves this son by his first wife. and
possibly the mother and younger brothe,
| in the north Besides this broken-up fam
! fly there are two children. the offspring
| of the second wife. still living. one OF
whom has been with his father. the other
boarding away from home.