Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-04-08
SHEEPHERDER
FOUND DEAD
James Eagan In a Spell of Despond'
ency Takes a Fatal Dose
Of Morphine.
HAD SPENT ALL HIS MONEY
OF Six Hundred and Twenty-Five Dol
lars He Had Left but Three Dol
lars When Found Dead.

James Eagan came into LewistCwn
about a month or six weeks ago with
S625 in his pocket, the earnings Of
many months strengthening. After
The usual name of his kind he start
ed in TO squander his h~ard-earned
money, forgetful that the SHOWS Jl
sixty winters had almost untitled him
for further toll. and that the rainy
day of old age had already dawned.
He lived around the saloons ana
throughout the lid days Of February
aud March had a fairly easy time Of
it, drinking by day and sleeping in
places of warmth and comfort By
night. But last Saturday evening he
went to one of the proprietors of the
Elkhorn saloon. where he had his
money on deposit. and drew out the
balance, amounting TO about $40. Then
it was that remorse began TO over
take him, and, as he realized how his
prodigality had made il necessary for
him to go once more out into the cold
world and suffer the tortures of old
age. when exposed 10 the elements
snow. wind and rain-he complained
bitterly OF his sad lot.
On Saturday he requested his room
mate. John Armstrong, 10 get him
some morphine. as he needed IL TO
make him sleep. Armstrong did so,
getting half an ounce at the drug
store of McKechnie & Allan. and Civ
ing ii to Eagan,
The old man went to bed in the
bottling works back Of the Elkhorn
saloon about 10 O'Clock Sunday morn
ing and a short while later Armstrong
also went to bed. When Armstrong
got up Eagan was sleeping soundly
and he did not detect any thing wrong
with him.
Along towards nine o'clock James
Sheridan, who knew Eagan, made
some inquiries as to why he did not
get up and suggested that Armstrong
go in and wake him, Both he and
Armstrong went into the room and
while the latter was lighting a candle,
.neridan shook the supposedly sleep,
ing man and. receiving no response,
took him by the hand and then dis.
covered that the man was dead. As
soon as the light was brought to the
bedside il was found that blood was
oozing from the mouth and nose. The
| =, y,,ar. "a. nariEnl mud I'm N ghnrf
while the following %coroner's jury
was empanneled by acting coroner
Mcfarland:
William Maynard. Sam Grant. +
II. Bacon. w. d. Dcaton. j. w. Ston
or and W. VI. Hopes. The jury view
. ed the corpse and then adjourned un
til ~ o'clock Monday morning. wher
10 they met in the office of Justice Nc
Farland and after hearing the testi
mouy OF John Armstrong. James
Sheridan, Miles Gibbons. Pearl West
Harry Phillips. George Crcel and DR.
Treacy. returned the following yer
dict:
I'VE. the jury ~empanneled and
sworn to enquire into the cause of the
death Of James Eagan, find that he
came to his death from an overdose
of morphine"
Whether the poison was taken with
! suicidal intent or merely to make hin
sleep more easily could not be deter
mined from the testimony, a he had
I told his bed mate that IL was for the
4 latter purpose that he wanted the
morphine, and told other witnesses
that he had decided TO kill himself
I Deceased was about 60 years of age
Z and has been employed or the ranch
| of Oscar Stephens prior TO coming
to town. Although the life which ht
! had led had dulled his intellect, II
! conversation he occasionally gave evi
dences of having been a well educated
man. An apt quotation from the elias
I sizes. either Latin or English. showed
/ that he had read Of the best literatur,
and indicated that sheep herding was
4 not the life his early training hat
prepared him for.
Undertaken George Creel tool
charge of the remains. and as but s3.l(
\ a found on the person Of the deat
J man he a buried at the expense o.
Z tba county Yesterday afternoon