The Wichita daily eagle., 1903-12-20
MAN II YEARS OLD
COMMITS SUICIDE
Washington Sweeny Drinks
CarboIic Acid.
AT HIS SONS HO M E
Oldest Member of the Odd
Fellows Is Dead.

Grief, undoubtedly due to the loss OF his
wife. who died about two years ago,
caused Washington L. Sweeney, aged q
year. TO commit suicide, by drinking two
ounces OF. carbeIic acid yesterday morning
about 11:3o O'Clock at the home of his
son. r. NJ. Sweeney, 433 Sherman avenue
tie died thirty minutes after being found
turing which time he was unconscious
tom the effects of the drug.
The first intimation that relatives OF.
Sweeney had, that Sle had attempted TO
AXE his life, was when -drs. r. III. Swee-
hey, who had occasion to so into the
BACKYARD, saw her father-in-law raise a
aorth window in his room and throw out
glass tumbler. Closely following it
.ame bottle containing some carbolic
acid. Mrs. Sweeney ran into her father
ln-law's room and found that the old
gentleman was lying Oh a bed in a stupor.
She called to him but he did not answer.
She procured a glass of milk, but this
he refused to drink merely shaking his
head drowsily in the negative. She call
ed to her daughter, Miss Aillie Sweeney
to run for physician DR.. f. j. Walker
was reached by telephone and arrived
fifteen minutes after the acid was taken.
He administered hypodermis injection
to stimulate the man and alcohol TO
counteract the poison, but it was too late.
Sweeney. died about fifteen minutes later
Mrs. Sweeney's Story.
My 'father-in-law had been down
town" said Mrs. Sweeney, the greater
part of the morning He returned about
10 O'Clock. 1t had been his custom ever
since living with us to go down town
and get shaved every Saturday after
noon. To-day. however, he went in the
morning
Wrote Several Letters.
'He vent into his room and spent prob
ably an hour writing. He was usually
of a. quiet disposition and scarcely ever
spoke unless addressed. Later he went
to the box at the corner of Sherman and
Third streets and mailed some letters He
returred shortly and again went into his
room.
Made a Considerable Noise.
v
coming from the room. AS he usually is
Of quiet disposition and scarcely made
enough noise for us to know that he
was about the house, commented on it.
] went ahead with some housework.
Though, and presently went out into the
yard AS returned I saw a window In
the room occupied by my father-in-law
raised and glass and botue were thrown
cat
Picked Them Up.
KNOWING no reason why glass which
sppeared TO be unbroken. should be
thrown away, l picked it up. There was
eiu small amount OF liquid in it and
raised it to my nostrils. 1t was the
.neil. Of catholic acid. l picked up the
sottle aed fhe fumes arising from it were
the same I hurried into his room and
found my father-in-law lying on the bed.
He appeared to be in a stupor and did
not answer when l spoke.
Refused to Drink Milk.
Knowing that milk is a good anti
dote for poison, hurried to the kitchen
and procured a cupful. l held it to his
lips, but he refused to drink f. In the
meantime l had called for my daughter.
NfiIlie. to run for doctor. Again I tried
to induce my father-in-law to drink the
milk, but he would not He was prob
ably unconscious because 1 could not set
him even TO speak.
DR.. Walker Arrives.
Dr. Walker then arrived and admins
tered treatment Ito counteract the effect
of the poison. He said TO have saved
the life OF the man after drinking two
ounces of carbolic acid as Sweeney did,
q physician would have to arrive not later
than two minutes afterward. Although
he was not dead when I arrived, the
poison had gotten in its work and moth
Ing could save the man Less than one
ounce of the poison will kill an ordinary
man and when Sweeney drank two ounces
of the stuff, his death was assured" !"
Bore No Label.
The bottle that contained the poison
bore no label His relatives believe that
the acid was purchased some time dur
ing the morning while Sweeney was down
town Although there was no label on the
bottle. it bore evidences of originally
having one, to all appearances Sweeney
tore it off some time after his arrival
home.
Had Clothes Ready.
After the excitement of Sweeney's death
was over and his relatives examined the
contents of the room, they found the old
gentlemah's best suit of clothes lying
on the bea.s iie usually kept the clothes
in a closet The mans gold watch occu-
pied a place on the dresser as also did
numerous other articles which he had
taken from the clothes he wore. There