Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-23
HE PREFERRED TO DIE
CHRISTOPHER Furst Dreaded to
Return to Old Life.
DISLIKED WORK IN SALOON
Also Believed His Relatives Wanted
to Get Rid of Him.
TAKES DOSE OF STRYCHNINE
Death Results in One Hour After
Swallowing the Poison-Left
Note to Relative.
TAKES DOSE OF STRYCHNINE

| II is stated that Christopher Furst COM
mitted suicide yesterday afternoon at the
home of his stepbrother. Charles Otto. l346
| Franklin street. Brookland as stated in
Yesterdays Star, principally because he
| thought his relatives wanted to get rid OF
him. He was scheduled to start from this
| CITY this morning to go to his former home
| in Chicago, but changed his mind at the
last minute, and took dose of strychn1ne
and sulphur Furst was never married, al
1 though he was more than fifty years OF
age In Chicago he had been stonecuttef
and had later worked as porter In a
saloon.
.If I go back to Chicago he is said to
have remarked II may have to work IN the
| saloon again.
BEFORE he came here from the western
| metropolis it is said, he attempted suicioe
nv shooting himself. The bullet went uaL
,sroneIv near his heart and he was under
Treatment in hospital in Chicago 10! hea,
ly three months. AT that .inle ,e aa.
thought he made the attempt al se! .Lo,.a
et,,ction because he was a cripple there
howe some trouble with one or ms leet
When the surgeons had removed the ou ..
from his chest they operated upon liiI 49,
and discharged him from the hospL.s. ~ ~ 81
;r,nroved condition Fifteen months ago ne
came to this city and made his nome al
the-h house of his stepbrother, Charies Ceio,
He did no work other than IN ooo Jo"'
about the premises
Expressed Wish to Return.
Having expressed a desire TO return 20
Chicago, Furst was told by MS steporo'nei
that he could make the start TINS iiioiN
ing. ~ .to,p. Ia
was told by Mr.. Otto, ana 'ee 'oN -
the train. o.;,,. 40
narture of the brother and acqulesceo III
the ARRANGEMENT. Yesterday morning furs.
was in the cellar of the Brookland home
chopping wood when Mr. Otto called TO MN
to be ready to leave the city this morning.
well, Chris Mr.. Otto said. ARE you
ready to go Tomorrow!
MI. Otto left the house and shortly after
said he sent the letter to Frank Lillinger,
a brother of Mrs. Otto VINO lives IN Chl-
eago. o..,
went about the premises attending TO ner
household duties as usual. and Wnen she
was about to go to the room OF her brother-
in-law the latter said to her:
You don't have to change my bed any
more
Thinking he referred to his prospective trip
to Chicago, Mrs Otto paid no particular at
tention to what he said Leaving the upper
floor Mrs. Otto went to the kitchen anu
While she was in the kitchen Furst came
along and remarked: well. 1 see you don't
want me any more"
You don't have to CO." Mrs. Otto told
him. You can stay here as long as you
DESIRE
Well" added Furst 81 won't trouble
you any more. This LITTLE bottle will finish
me-
Swallows the Fatal Dose.
He exhibited a small bottle. and the sight
of the bottle caused Mrs. Otto to believe he
meant to do himself harm. She started to
the house of her friend and neighbor, Mrs.
Amber, to ask her advice to what she
should do under the circumstances, and
Furst went to his room on the second floor
and closed the door after him. Mrs. Amber
and Mrs. Otto. came to the conclusion that
Furst was merely talking for the purpose
of exciting sympathy. Returning home Mrs.
Otto was surprised and shocked at hearing
loud groans coming from the room of her
brotherein-law. She hurried to the front
door and called her neighbor, and also
stopped the first man she saw on the street
This man proved Ito be DR.. J. C. Tappan.
Cant you come in here and see what is
the matter?' was her plea to the physi-
clan. I'm alone in the house and I'm
afraid to go to the ROOM believe he has
taken poison" referring to her brother-in-
law.
Never mind" said the physician; I'm
a doctor and I'll look after him.
The physician went to the room and
found FurSt lying across the bed in dying
condition. Policeman Bradley responded
to summons and went TO the room to be
of assistance to the physician. Furst was
still conscious, and he admitted that he
had taken a mixture of strychnine and
sulphur.
why did you take the poison?" he was
asked
Leaves a Note.
That's none Of your business was his
response
DIR. Tappan ana the policeman took
prompt measures IN an effort to save
the life of the unfortunate man. but at the
end of an hour he breathed his last The
empty bottle was found in the ROOM and
the policeman also picked up a note Furst
had addressed to relative and pinned to
the window sill. The message reads: II
shall haunt you the longest day you live
for bringing this on me-
Coroner hewitt visited the house late yes
terday afternoon and viewed the body
Mrs. Otto told him of the circumstances
under which her brother-in-law had taken
the poison, as already stated, and GER
tificate of death from poison taken with
suicidal intent was given
Otto Furst, a brother of the deceased
who lives at No. 3 Julia court, Chicago
was notified of the suicide. Mr. Otto was
summoned home from his work at the bus
reau of engraving and printing, WHERE he Is
employed. by a message announcing the
suicide. He had an undertaken prepare
the remains for burial. but the funeral ar
ptod Of piob