Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-18
Tells His Wife He Has Taken
.Laudanum, But She Thinks
Him Joking
AWAkEs TO FIND HIM DEAD
Arrested for lntoxication, and Released
Upon Promise That He Would Go
Home, E. A. Kennedy, a Painter,
Takes Two Ounces of Laudanum, and
Dies Beside His Sleeping Wife.

A strange case of suicide developed
this morning when Coroner Lierle
called as a physician found Edward
A. Kennedy, of 500 Lee street dead, an,
that he died by his own hand. Kennel,
was telegrapher, but lost his position
some time ago, and more recently ha.
been employed as a painter. His las
work was at the Soldiers Home, where
he was employed by Contractor At
kinson.
Kennedy had been drinking a good
deal for the past few days, and it seems
he is addicted to occasional sprees
Mrs. Kennedy was away from home
until late in the evening. participating
in the Ladies of the Maccabees' drill
AT the band fair. She knew not that her
Husband had been arrested earlier in
the evening on a charge of intoX-
ication, but when she arrived home, at
about 10. found that he had not re-
turned.
Between 1890 and IL o'clock Mrs.
Kennedy, who had retired, heard a
knock at the door, and voice called to
ner to be admitted. She did not rec
ogEiZe, owing to the high wind that
was prevailing, her husbands voice,
and called to inquire who was without,
The voice answered that it was Ed,
and Mrs. Kennedy arose and admitted
| him.
She realized at once that he had been
drinking, but did not think that he was
in liquor to any great degree. She was
astounded when he announced to her
that he wanted to go to bed, as he
mad just taken two ounces OF laudan-
nm. He insisted on retiring at once,
before disrobing. saying that he would
be dead within two hours. Mrs. Ken
nedy thought his talk was idle, and
that it was due to his drinking She
assisted him to undress and as he soon
fell asleep, she did likewise, giving the
incident no further thought.
Some time later. perhaps an hour or
two. Mrs. Kennedy awoke TO find her
husband snoring loudly, but as this was
an accustomed habit, when he had
been drinking and was sleeping off the
the words from her mind, but when
she awoke at Z, she was unable to rouse
him. DR.. Lierle was called at 1:3n.
with the announcement that Mr.. Ken
nedy was Ill, and arrived about s. In
his opinion Kennedy had been dead
between one and two hours.
Mrs. Kennedy Talks.
Mrs. Kennedy when seen this morn
ing said that so far as she knew there
was no cause for her husbands act, as
their married life had always been a
happy one, and her husband was a
hard working and Industrious man. His
one great fault was that he would
drink occasionally to excess She said
he had arrived home Tuesday night
about IL o'clock, and while he was in
toxicated he was not so much so but
that he could walk perfectly straight. |
On entering the house he said II have
taken dose of poison, and I'll be dead
in two hours" The startled wife re-
piled: For Gods sake, Ed when did
you take it?y He replied, Just before
l came in" While she was disturbed by
what he had told her, knowing no cause |
for such an action. she thought it was
simply the talk of a drunken man and
paid no further attention to it. He in I
sisted on going to bed with his clothes
on. but she persuaded him to disrobe
and assisted him in doing so. She stat
ed she was awake several times during
the night, but heard him snoring rather
loudly. as was his custom when under
the influence of liquor. She awoke and
arose about o'clock this morning, and Il
in doing so noticed his arm lying out
side the bed clothing. She thinks he
was still breathing, but her efforts to
awake him proved useless, and altho
she hurried to the neighbors, from
where aid was summoned, he was dead
when DR.. +. p. Lierle arrived about 3 ,
o'clock.
Kennedy was arrested Tuesday and ,
placed in jail He was released Tues ,
day night, however, and was to have b
appeared for trial in the mayors court /,
his morning. This circumstance may 4
nave had something to do with his ac-
ions, or it may be as neighbors say.
hat on account Of his drinking he had I
been blaeklisted among the telegraph ]
operators, and was unable to secure a s
position on that account. {
Kennedy is the son of Mr.. d. "A. Ken c
ledy, living at Union. He has one bro i
her. Mr.. w. A. Kennedy. of Belle
olaine, an engineer on the Northwest {
I'm, and two sisters; Mrs. w. K. Sciple, j
If Denver, Col, and Mrs. Mary Stabler,
If California Other than the wife
here is one son, Earl, 6 years old, who
urvives the father. Mr. Kennedy, the !
ather, will arrive in this city this eve
linr.
Kennedy was 81 years of age and @
vas member of Marshall Lodge, No. c
5. x o. r. NJ. also of the local paint Il
rs union. His parents, Mr.. and Mrs
J A. Kennedy are we'll known and t
expected citizens of Union, and Mr. o
was not aware of his sons o
cath until Informed over the telephone I
v the T.-R. this morning, in the course d
f an inquiry. S
The young wife is heartbrolSen over G
he sad ,1eath, and, naturally. feels that Il
ne is III a way responsible for not S
aving taken him nj his word AS her e.
usband had come home SO many times G,
efore, under similar circumstances. II
he did not take his statement about
is approaching death to mean any
ling.
Kennedy purchased the drug shortly OF
ter his release from Jail and on his q,
ay home. at the Pilgrim. saying that Ii
: had a severe toothache and was fc
q |