The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-06

InUt OI uucTdI.
Captain Thomas II. Taylor, one Of
the best known river men in Whining
ton. died at his home, No. 211 North
Sixth street, this morning at 1 o'clock
from the effects Of laudanum. Under
his pillow was an empty two ounce
bottle and it will never be known how
much of the deadly drug was axe by
him The label was scratched from
the bottle and there is no means of
telling from whom it was purchased.
Late yesterday afternoon Captain
Taylor wanted to know of his wife if
she needed any groceries and upon her
replying in the affirmative he went out
and purchased the needed articles.
About Z O'Clock he left the house, it
then being a few minutes before sup
per was ready. In about half an
hour he returned and upon entering
the house wanted to know if Dickey
had come in-he used this nick name
for his young son Michael, who had
been away from home since soon after
dinner-and his wife replied that he
had not. He then went into a room
and threw himself across a bed.
A few minutes before 10 o'clock Mrs.
Taylor went in the OOH and called to
Captain Taylor and told him to come
and eat his supper. In Il vague way
he evidently understood for he made
a low noise Is if endeavOring to an
Swer She went to the bed and en-
6ad pOrnI RI xryaIyo I:~o I-4 o~.Il 100
do so. Becoming frightened, she sent
for her sister, Mrs. Gordon, and when
: she arrived and saw Captain Taylor's
. copdition it was decided that a physi-
~ clan had better be summoned. DR.. j.
d. Cranmer was sent for and when he
reached the house it was about 1920.
He soon saw that the man was
near deaths door and sent for DR..
Frank H. Russell to assist him. He
looked under the pillow and found the
empty vial hat had contained the
drus.
For more than two hours the physi-
clans worked and did all in their pow
er to save the life of the helpless man
who lay upon the bed before them.
He was past earthly help and at 1
o'clock he breathed his last.
1t is said hat Captain Taylor had
been in the habit recently of taking
Iaudanum but the manner in which
the bottle was hid and the label
scratched off points strongly to suicide.
On Friday night Captain Taylor vas in
The Messenger Office and appeared to
be in fine spirits. No reason can be
given why he should have taken his
life.
This morning while the writer was
busy at his desk some one entered the
door and raped on the petition that
divides the office. 1t was nea two
O'Clock, a lonely time for two small
children to be out, but nevertheless it
was two little boys that had entered.
One of them with tears streaming
down his face, approached u resk
and said he wanted a few lines put in
the paper saying that his father, Cap
tain Taylor, was dead. Captain Tom
TAYLOR dead-the man who only the
-night before was in The Messenger
office full of life and strength. Yes,
he was dead.
Captain Tom Taylor was bern in
Southport and had he lived until next
May he would have been 10 years Of
age. He married Miss Della Griffin
daughter. Mr.. Michael Griffin, and
by this union there are six children,
three girls, Maggie, Monte and Annie
and three sons, James, Michael and
Johnny. The oldest is Is years Of
age, one OF his daughters. II the
youngest is five months old.
Captain Taylor was a we'll known
pilot and steamboat captain having
held responsible positions on nearly
all the important steamboats, that ply
ON the lower Cape Fear. For several
months he was captain and master
of the steamer Wilmington and for IL
long time was mate or the Whining
ton. He was at n time on the Sea
Gate. He was regarded as q CON-
petent steamboat man
The deceased leaves two brothers.
Messrs. Julius and Vance Taylor, but
neither of them are in his state. He
also has one sister, Mrs. Alice Pearce,
Of Southport. One little boy, James
works at the drug store of DIR. L. III
Green and when he went home at
11:3O he found his father dying.
No arrangements have as yet been
made for the funeral and nothing hes
been decided as to when it is to take
place.