Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-28
TOOK PRUSSIC ACID
INCIDENTS ATTENDING SUICIDE
OF WHITAKER WRIGHT.
He Was About to Light Cigar When
the Poison Took
Effect.

LONDON, January 2s.-"Suicide" was the
verdict passed by the coroner's jury today
In the closin. chapter of the tragedy Oh
Whitaker Wright. His death was caused
by suffocation in consequence Of poisoning
by cyanide of potassium The jury found
that Wright was perfectly sane, and that
there was not the slightest doubt that his
death was due to most deliberate suicide.
From the evidence at the inquest 1t was
shown that Wright had determined to take
his own life in the event of an adverse
verdict and that he went to court with a
cyanide tabloid in his possession, while in
his hip pocket was a new revolver fuliy
loaded, and even cooked. After the SEN
tence Wright went to the lavatory, While
the attendants on him remained outside.
There he swallowed the tabloid, returned TO
the consulting room, washed down the pol
son with whisky and water and died. one
of the last things Wright said was:
This is British Justice
Coroner's Court Crowded.
The small coroners court at Westmin-
ster was so crowded that Whitaker Wright,
jr., son of the dead man. had to stand up
throughout the proceedings He and other
witnesses, in the main, bore out the facts
already Cabled. Neither the son nor the
closest friends of the deceased so they tes-
titled today, ever heard Wright even 1nu-
mate that he contemplated suicide. His so
lcitor, George Lewis, jr., said Wright all
along implicitly believed that he would be
acquitted or that at the worst he only con-
templated disa greement of the jury. Even
after his sentence Wright showed only In
dgnation.
In talking with Mr.. Lewis, Mr.. Eyre, one
of his sureties and Mr.. Waters, the ac-
| countant of the London and Globe corpo-
| ra ton, Wright said
II really think l am the most composed
of you ALL
AS regards an appeal, Wright said he
would do exactly as he was advised
Asked if some one had not better tele-
phone the verdict to Mrs Wright. Wright
said: NO; there is plenty of time for that. y
Taking out his watch and chain. Wright
! handed them to Mr.. Eyre, saying: Il shall
not have any use for this in that place
(meaning the PRISON.. Il give it to you,
Eyre Keep it for me-" This was all that
occurred.
Asked for Cigar While Dying.
After Wright had taken the poison, hold
ing glass in his hand and still slipping its
contents, he said: Waters. give me an
other cigar" Mr.. Waters took up Wright s
cigar case, which was lying on table, and
Wright deliberately cut the end off the
cigar and struck a match Just as he was
going to light the cigar Wright nung the
match from him, sank back unconscious
and died without uttering another word.
The doctor who was called in to attend
| Wright said he had not detected any smell
| or sight indicating poison, but the official
| analyst, DR.. Freyberger, who conducted
the post -mortem examination. testified that
from every organ of the body exuded the
peculiarly penetrating smell of prussic acid
and that there was not the slightest doubt
that Wright's death was due to that poison
in it's cyanide of potassium form. The de-
ceased had not Uttered from any other dis
ease there were no LESSONS of the BRAIN and
| the heart was healthy, though twice the
| normal size.
1t transpired at the inquest that Wright
was only searched after his death. A tab
| loid found In his pocket did not appear to
be poisonous. The revolver was discovered
| by the police after the law court ofnclals
| had previously searched Wright. The coro-
| ner commented on this and indicated that
| action would probably be taken by the
| higher authorities.