Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-31
SOLDIER ENDS HIS LIFE
HENRY WELLS TAKES DOSE OF
MORPHINE.

With thoughts apparently only of his
mother and sweetheart, Henry Wells, twen-
ty-nine years old, a member of Company,
A. Hospital Corps, went to bed this morn
ing after taking a big dose of morphine,
feeling certain that he would never again
leave his room unless he was carried out
by an undertaken. About noon his dead
body was found and taken to the morgue.
Wells, who had formerly lived at Grays-
town. Va, and whose parents are said to
live at Greensboro, N. c., had q room in
the house of Mrs. Hattie Sherwood, 462 N
street southwest and it was in this room
that his body was found by Edward M
Brady, also enlisted man, who had been
sent to ascertain what caused Wells to neg
lect to report for duty after being away on
ten days furlough. After viewing the
dead body Brady saw a letter that Wells
had written just before he retired for the
last time. The letter reads:
TO my friends and relatives: Just now
L will pay the part of duty that will come
to us all some day, but little did / think
three months ago that L would ever come
to this, but the time is at hand and l am
feeling happy that l will go to meet my
dear little brother that has gone on before
u have precious friend in this city that
/ do hate to leave, but l cannot have this
friend to put any confidence in me, so just
let her know that l am a man. l pass away
and my prayer is that God will be with her
all through life, and just one request to all
that you will just tell my mother that l
died with heart trouble.
And again, l am a soldier, but do not
put me to rest in the uniform so here my
suit that want to be sent to my mother in
Goodbye, my mother and my dear prec-
ious girl. HENRY WELLS"
The drug was working upon him before
he finished the letter. remarked Coroner
hewitt. as he read the message.
Death by Morphine.
There was no room for doubt as to the
cause of the soldiers death, and the coro-
ner gave the necessary certificate showing
his death to have resulted from a dose of
morphine taken with suicidal intent. When
Brady reached the house on N street his
first inquiry was: What is making Wells
sleep so latc?"
He told that nobody had been to the
room this morning, and he went there to
ascertain If he were still asleep. The sight
proved a trying one for Brady, who had
been one of the most intimate friends
Wells had at the barracks. Wells was
serving his second enlistment, having en-
listed the second time at Greensboro,
N. c., eight months ago During the most
of this time he had been detailed at the
Army Medical Museum, where he made a
host of friends 1t is stated that he had
been in the habit of lending money to 9TH
members of the Hospital Corps, and a
number of notes given him by them were
found among his effects While the po-
lice were in charge of the body and eff
fects Of the dead man number of his
compa nons called and expressed sorrow
over his sudden ending. In the room Wells
occupied the police found bottle con-
tanning a quantity of morphine and also a
quantity of capsules They reached the
conclusion that he had been in the habit
of taking the drug and that he must have
taken a heavy dose of ii this morning. 1t
is stated that he was not a drinking man
nd ha "a
reached his room, about O'Clock this
morning. His parents have been notified.