Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-28
Three Cases Reported in This
City Today.
CARB0LIC ACID USED
TWO MEN AND ONE WOMAN END
THEIR OWN LIVES.
Judge Leonard 81. Mangum, Guy E
Padgett and Mrs. Sadie
Plummer.

Three suicides is the record of the Dis
trict of Columbia today, and in each case
the deadly carbolic acid was the agency
used Judge Leonard H. Mangum. for
mer clerk in the census Office; Guy E. Pad
gett, real estate agent, who also nego-
tiates loans and insurance. with an ONCE
at SO2 street northwest. and Mrs. Plum
mer of 1116 g street northwest. succeeded
in ending their lives with the poison, MT.
Padgett ended his life at his home 1880
North Capitol street, and Judge Mangum
body was found under a pine tree IN the
White Lot near the intersection OF 10th
street and Ohio avenue.
The death of Judge Mangum was first re-
ported. He was found in the park by a girl
about o'clock. She notified the police. and
the body was removed to the morgue. he
had written a note and left 1t In his pocket
book, but had neglected to sign 1t; how
ever, a receipt for money paid the Interior
Department Beneficial Association gave his
NAME
The deceased was about sixty-five years
old and was employed in the census ONCE
until last July, when he lost his position.
it is stated, because of his age. He was
a native of North Carolina, but many years
of his life were spent in Arkansas HIS
sons widow married George w. Hurlebaus.
proprietor of the Portner drug store, at
v
fifteen years old.
During the investigation of the case to-
day it developed that Judge Mangum had
written a letter to Mrs. Hurlebaus, telling
her that he was going to end his life.
Shortly after the letter was received the
druggist went to the morgue and recog-
nized the body Of the victim. He said ne
had been informed that the father-tn-law
of his wife had been in want. but that ne
had never made known his needs to any
body.
The Deadly Poison Found.
Near the body of the judge in the White
Lot the police found three-ounce bottle,
which contained quantity of carbohc
acid. a glass from which he had evidently
taken the fatal dose and a half-pint flask,
in which there was small quantity of
whisky The note found in his pocket
book reads: us there meeting In the
hereafter? If So 1 will meet there hun
dreds of friends where l nave one mere! mere,
l feel certain there will be no feeling there
against the confederate soldiers, as l have
found here, especially by the director OF
the late census.
1t is stated that Judge Mangum was once
a wealthy man, but his fortune disappear
ed, and he was forced to come here and
seek employment. He obtained board
at the home of Miss Maloney, 15Ot 6th
street northwest, more than year ago,
and members of the family had become
very much attached to him. Last winter
he was nursed through spell OF sick
ness, and although he owed a big board
bill. nothing had ever been said to him
about it by Miss Maloney. The latter was
greatly shocked this morning when inform
ed of his death by a Star reporter.
Il would rather have boarded him all his
life for nothing than to have him do this,
she stated
Miss Maloney said she had feared some
thing was wrong when her guest failed to
return home last night. His grandson had
spent some time with him, and he was sent
to his mothers Sunday. Yesterday morn
ing Judge Mangum left the house shortly
after breakfast and did not return.
Undertaken Lee took charge of the body
this afternoon at the request Of DR.: Hur!e-
baus. and prepared 1t for burial. The flu
neral arrangements have not yet been
made.
Guy Padgett's Case Mystery.
Guy E. Padgett was well known in la
Dor and fraternal society circles. He was
connected with the Maccabees and Odd
Fellows, and attended a meeting Of the lat
ter organization last night. The cause Of
his rash act seems to be a mystery to his
many friends. He had been Respondent re-
Gently, but had given no reason for the
change in his conduct. 1t Is thought he re-
turned home about midnight and went to
his room. From there he went to the bath
room. where his wife found his dead body
this morning about o'clock. Hoping that
liCi was not OeaO, she summoned
Dr. Mazzi. He found that life had been ex-
unct some little time, and informed the
coroner.
In Padgett's sleeping room was the bot
tie that had contained carbolic acid and an
after-dfnner coffee cup, from which he had
taken the poison. Coroner hewitt concluded
that he swallowed the fatal dose in this
room and was afterward able to reach the
bath room and stretch his form upon the
floor, where he waited for death to claim
him.
The morning mail brought Mrs. Padgett
letter that her husband had mailed to
her last night after leaving his lodge room
The note written by the Respondent man
to his wife, whom he had always called
Petite reads:
Goodbye, Petite. Forgive anything 1
nave done wrong. Lovingly, GUY"
1nclosed in the letter was 800 in cash
The postmark on the envelope showed that
1t was mailed at II o'clock last night, Pad
gett was thirty years old. Four years ago
he married Miss Louise H. Treiber They
were married at 300 New Jersey avenue
southeast. The funeral arrangements have
not yet been made.
Died at Hospital.
Mrs. Sadie Plummer. who was removed to
the Emergency Hospital this afternoon
from 1116 G street northwest suffering from
dose of carbolic acid, died about 2:46
o'clock this afternoon. She was in an I'M
conscious condition when taken to the hos
pital and 1t was thought she could not live
Later in the afternoon there was a slight
change in her condition for the better, and
1t was thought that she had a chance
to recover The young woman's hus-
band is in the lunch room business on
Pennsylvania avenue. He hurried to the
hospital when informed of his wtfe's des-
perate act but she was unconscious and he
was unable to talk with her.
1t was stated at the first precinct station
this afternoon that the woman had taken
drug OF some kind on former occasion.
She was fully dressed when found living
across the bed in her room today and a