Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-26
FIND STRANGER DEAD In BED
Had Not Been Seen Alive sincs Late OF
Saturday Night
EVIDENTLY RAILROAD MAN OR OPERATOR
indications are That Deceased Took
Morphine with suicidal Intent-
RaiIrOad Pass only Identi-
fying Mark.

A young man whose identity has not yet
been completely established was found
dead In his bed at the Creston house on
South Main street yesterday afternoon. He
registered as George Mcdonald OF Omaha
but the return check OF a pass on the
Pennsylvania railroad found In his pockets
gives the name of Hugh Culmer. Cir
cumstances indicate that the young man
committed suicide by swallowing morphine
He arrived late Saturday night at the
Creston house and after signing the reg
lister as George Mcdonald Of Omaha, was
assigned to a room for the night, for
which he paid. He had no luggage but
was fairly we'll dressed. The fact that he
did not leave his room Sunday although
he had only paid for one nights lodging,
does not appear to have excited any COM
ment at the hotel. The door OF his room
was not locked and the chambermaid
stated that she did not disturb him Sun
day as when she went TO his room he was
snoring and she supposed he did not wish
TO be awakened. When found yesterday
afternoon at 8 o'clock the body was cold
and stin and Coroner Treynor expressed
the opinion that the young man had been
dead since Saturday night The appear
ance Of the body showed that mortihca-
ton had set in.
He was lying on the bed clad only in his
undervest and drawers with his hands
folded upon his breast On the floor at
the side OF the bed was a pipe and tobacco
ashes were visible on the dead mans
breast and the side of the bed indicating
that the pipe had dropped from his mouth
as he had fallen asleep or succumbed to
the drug. which It is believed he had taken
with suicidal intent.
On the washstand near the bed was a
loaded revolver, but this had not been dis
charged. In the room itself there was
nothing to indicate the manner in which
he had come by his death and at first It
was supposed he had died from natural
causes. The finding. however, of a small
cardboard box such as are used by drug
gists, labelled morphine" in the area way
beneath the open window of the room led
to the suspicion that he had taken his own
life. The box was empty and there was
nothing on 1t to indicate where 1t came
from. A slight emission from the mouth
when the body was moved indicated the
presence Of some such drug as morphine
Besides the revolver 3361 in change was
found on the washstand and a first search
Of the clothes failed to reveal any papers
which lead to the identification Of the dead
man. The only marks on the clothing
was name on the collar written in in
delible pencil and evidently over some
other name As far as II could be made
out the name on the collar was NJ r.
Geadlee. After the body had been re-
moved to Lunkiey's undertaking rooms
the return check OF a pass on the Penn
sylvania railroad from Chicago to Spencer
Ind good from April "a to May p. 1903.
and made out in the name Of Hugh CuImer
account of agent, was found tucked away
In the corner Of the pocket OF the vest
This would indicate that the pass had been
issued at Spencer. Ind.
The handwriting OF the dead man on
the hotel register appears to be that OF
telegraph operator or railroad clerk. The
fact that one of the sleeves Of his shirt
was spotted with ink is taken to indicate
that he occupied some clerical position.