Evening journal., 1904-12-29
.ORESTEs WEED
COMMITS SUICIDE
Former Wilmingtonian Takes
Morphine With Friend and
Dies in New York Hotel
MOTHER RESIDES IN THIS CITY

Orestes A. Weed, aged 80 years, for
merly Of this city. committed suicide in
New York yesterday, and his life-long
friend, Benjamin J. Riley. of Brook
line, Mass, is in the prison ward OF the
Bellevue Hospital slowly recovering
from the effects Of morphine poisoning.
The two entered into a suicide pact and
went to New York few days ago with
the express purpose Of ending their
lives. They registered at the Grand
Union Hotel and early yesterday morn
ing took large doses of morphine.
Riley says he met Weed An Boston a
few days ago and that after they had
discussed their financial and other diff
iculties they decided to commit sui
eide, but in view of Weeds position and
prospects this explanation viii probably
not be accepted by his friends.
Married Two Years Ago.
Weed was married only two years age
to Miss Katherine De Roulhac, whose
family is prominent in North Carolina,
and who has been I'm society at Nara
gansett Pier for several years. With
her and their two children he has beer
living in Brooldine and, so far as his
friends know, his domestic life has beer
happy
To Coroner Scholer Riley said: Weed
and 7 have been chums since boyhood
We saw each other at least three OF
four times a year and last Sunday We
happened to meet In Boston. We told
each other Of the trials we had en-.
countered during the last six months
Both of us had met with poor success.
and we were both down and out
After talking over our financial con.
ditions and what our prospects were
neither of us had anything that CAV,
any promise and we were e.downhearted
In some manner, how, do not know
our talk drifted to suicides. and ther
one of us propsed-I can't tell which
one of us did-that we should commi
suicide together. We agreed, and mad
preparations to die" ---...
After coming 10 New York, Riley sait
that he and Weed discussed the bes
methods, and it was finally decided t,
take morphine. They left the hotel lat
in the afternoon together, he said, an,
went to a drug store. where they bough
the poison.
Went to Theatre First.
1--WE were to die that night" Rile,
continued, but one of us proposed {,
put it off for few hours. We ha,
some money and we decided to spen,
that before we died. Then, too w
were very nervous. We went aroun,
the city and visited several of the the
| atres and also drank heavily. Then w
went to our room and took the poison
Weed From Wilmington.
Weeds mother and a married siste
live at No. 500 Rodney street. Wher
acquainted with Weeds death las
night they were overcome with grief
The sister is Mrs. Howard S. Eaton
She said she and her mother had sen
some Christmas gifts to the dead man
but had not heard from him. The.
marveled at this and cannot accoun
for his presence in New York, ava
from his family on Christmas.
The Weed family is we'll known. on
sister Of the dead man is the wife G
the well-known War Governor Spragu
Of Rhode Island. Another sister mar
ried General Wheaton. OF Washington
who died suddenly about year ago
The father of Weed was accidental
ssphyxiated by gas during the absenc
Of the family from their home in thi
city some years ago.