The Pensacola journal., 1906-09-25
Ended His Life With Chic.
ride of Mercury and
Wood Alcohol.
FOUND DEAD IN BED
At Park Hotel Early Sunday
Morning.
WAS MoRoSE AND DoWNHEART
ED AND HAD OFTEN SPOKEN
OF COMMITTING SUIcIpE-Ah
ARTIST OF ABILITY, BUT HAL
NEVER WORKED AT PROFES
SION IN THIS CITY.

B. c. Svensk, an artist who has
made his home for the past two years
in this city, rooming at the Park Ho-
tel, was found dead in his bed at that
place Sunday morning about o'clock,
and the coroner's verdict is that
death was due to chloride OF mercury
and wood alcohol, taken with suicidal
intent. The body of the unfortunate
artist was placed at rest yesterday
afternoon in st. MichaePs cemetery.
The deceased, it is stated, had been
drinking heavily all of last week. In
fact he was heavy drinker, and when
recovering from his sprees would be
very morose and down,hearted. Thurs
day night he went to his room in the
Park Hotel, and while he was seen
out on the gallery Saturday he never
came down stairs again. Sunday
morning a letter came for him and one
of the little daughters of the proprie-
tor went to the room of Svensk to de-
liver it. She could get no response to
her knocks and calls, so placed the
letter through the blinds of the win
dow. and upon her return told her IA
ther
The latter at once suspected that
something was wrong and went to the
room and opened the door, when he
found Svensk cold in death. Lying
on the bed by his side were two empty
bottles. one of which had contained
, chloride OF mercury and the other
| wood alsohol. Only a small quantity
Of the contents was left In either bot
tie.
OFFICIALS Notified.
Judge Nicholson was Immediately
notified and viewed the body. He de-
cided, after making an examination,
that a coroner's jury or a post NOR
tenn examination was not necessary,
as everything pointed to suicide, so
he rendered a verdict in accordance.
I Svensk had often spoken of commit
ting suicide, and frequently when
hearing Of some one dying, he would
wish that he were the person. 1t was
only few days ago in talking Of yel-
low fever that he stated that he wish
ed he had died when he had it. as had
his friend, Abel, and that while he
wanted to leave the world he hated
to commit suicide, but guessed he
would have to do 1t.
Proprietor Gilmore. of the hotel,
thinks that possibly Svensk died from
heart disease, caused from drinking
so heavily and that death was not due
to suicide. although every indication
points to the fact that such was the
case, and that he suffered terribly be-
fore death relieved him.
Artist Of Ability. ~
Svensk was an artist of ability. He
came here from Chicago with the IN
tention OF opening up business and
doing portrait painting. but he drank
so heavily that he never followed his
trade after reaching here. Last sum-
mer he was taken with yellow fever.
and later when ne recovered from this,
he fell and broke his leg. but through
all of his suffering he was very cheer.
full and made many friends.
When he came here he evidently
had considerable money and later 1t
| Is stated that he received 81 200 from
| Chicago, but when he died he was
| penniless except for a small amount
that Is due him from another party In
the city, and which will probably be
used In defraying his burial expenses.
With the exception of a cousin.
whose address Is not known, ID Is not
believed that he leaves any relatives.
He never spoke of any one being re-
lated TO him except this cousin. He
had friend who Is an artist in Chi
cago. with whom he frequently CORE.
sponded, and whose letter arrived
Sunday morning and was the means OF
his death being discovered.