The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-23
DIES OF OVERDOSE
OF MORPHINE
William D. Worthen Found Dead
in Room in Ryan Hotel
Yesterday.

\
| William D. Worthen. a travelling
agent for the r. L. Polk Directory
company, residing at 305 Dayton ave-
nue., was found dead yesterday after
noon at o'clock in room at the
Ryan hotel. A bottle which had con-
| tanned morphine was found near the
body. His relatives believe that he
| took an overdose. of the drug by acct
dent.
Worthen was found by DR.. H. M.
Lufkin, for whom he had sent call
from the hotel yesterday morning. He
had been dead several hours when the
physician, who was delayed, arrived.
| Worthen had for months been suf-
fering from neuralgia. His i'll health
is ascribed by Coroner Miller as the
cause for suicide Dr. Miller says he
is further convinced that Worfhen kill
ed himself by the fact that he mar
rowly escaped death from a large dose
| of morphine Wednesday night, and
was only saved by the prompt efforts
of DR.. Lufkin, who was summoned
! soon after Worthen had taken the
! drug.
| Worthen entered the Ryan hotel yes
| terday morning about 9 o'clock. He
seemed to be intoxicated and was help
ed>into the hotel by one of the baggage
| men. He registered with a -scfawl that
| is not legible, and was given a room,
to which he went Immediately. That
| was the last seen of him alive by the
hotel employees.
DR.. Lufkin's Statement.
DIR. Luflxin, who made the discovery
that Worthen was dead, stated last
night that, although he had no means
| of knowing whether or not Worthen
had committed suicide, all circum-
stances seemed to point to an acct
10 h h 05
been coming to me at various times
for several months to get relief from
hts of melancholy and mental depres-
sion. After being cheered up he gen.
orally left in a better state of mind.
He denied to me positively that he was
heavy drinker or made a habit of
taking morphine.
Il was called to his home Wednes-
day night about q: 80 O'Clock and found
that he had taken an overdose of NOR
phine. He had been discovered by his
wife just after taking the drug, and
so after working over him, for an hour
and a half l managed to bring him
around, although it was. hard work
and a close call for him. He did not
explain how he happened to take the
drug, but we supposed he had taken
the overdose by accident.
Yesterday morning he called up my
house by telephone several times, and
also tried to get me at my Office. 1
think that he must have been suffering
from mental or physical pain as a re-
suit of his experience Wednesday
night and wanted me to give him re-
lief. When he couldn't get me, he Sc
cured room at the hotel and tried, to
do something for himself, and in so
doing took an overdose of the NOR
phine. This seems the most reasonable
explanation to me- I cannot reconcile
myself to thinking that he committed
suicide. because on Wednesday night
he seemed anxious to save himself. He
did everything i wanted him to while
was trying to remove the drug, and
did not hang onto it, like most suicides
do. If it hadn't been for this willing
ness 1 could never have pulled him
through then.
was at st. Joseph's hospital all
morning and could not answer his
summons until late in the afternoon.
When I arrived at the hotel he had
been dead several hours"
Believes 1t an Accident.
DR.. Eugene L. Mann, a brother-in-
law of the dead man, said last night;
Mr.. Worthen had been suffering from
neuralgia for some time, and was in
the habit of taking morphine or other
sedatives to ease the pain. He took
an overdose of morphine at home We'd
nesday night and DR.. Luflxir was call
ed. The doctor left him sleeping and
apparently all right. He got up early
yesterday morning and packed his
grips preparatory to going out on a
trip for the Polk company.
HE was apparently feeling worse
when he reached the hotel, and took a
room there and summoned the doctor,
who did not reach him until late in the
afternoon. I think he probably sent
out for some morphine, and in an eff
fort to relieve himself took an over
| dose. Still, as he was in the habit
| of taking the drug, he ought to have
known what the dose should be-"
Coroner Miller, when summoned,
| pronounced it case of suicide. There
is no doubt in my mind but that he
committed suicide said DR.. Miller.
| HE was victim of melancholia which
generally leads to self destruction, and,
| besides, he made an attempt on his life
Wednesday night 1t doesn't seem pos
sible that he should make two such
serious and similar mistakes within
less than twenty-four hours"
DR.. Miller ordered the remains re-
moved to Dampier'S undertaking es-
4 Enlistment. They will probably be
taken to- Red Wing, Mrs. Worthen's
old home, for burial.
Worthen was thirty-four years of
age, and is survived by his widow and
one child. He had lived in ST. Paul
about four years. He was quite sue
cessfuI in business.
Mrs. Worthen and Mrs. Mann, his
sister, are Frustrated over the.tragedy.
Both women were under medical care
last night. A brother of Worthen sui
cfded several years ago.
Insurance Men Get Through.
HARTFORD, Conn, Oct. 22.-The