East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-01-16

c. G .Holcomb, a travelling man of
Walla Walla, was found dead in his
room at the Hotel st. George this
morning, and the verdict of the coro-
ner's jury which investigated his
death, is that he died accidentally
from an overdose of chloroform
That 1t was administered for the pur-
pose of relieving pain is indicated
by the circumstances IN the case and
from the fact that the dead man was
In the habit of using the drug.
Holcomb had been travelling over
the eastern Oregon and Washington
territory since last June. Until the
first OF the year he was the repre-
sentative OF the ]. |. Case Threshing
company and had charge of the va
rious agencies in the inland empire,
On January 1 he went to work for
the Carr-Scott Threshing company,
and came here in their interests yes
terday. He was well known to Fred
Weber, the Court street implement
dealer with whom he had dealt while
with the j, |. Case company. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Weber Holcomb was
always Of a jnvial disposition and
frequently spoke of his family with
the greatest tenderness Consp1uent-
ly he was convinced from the first
that death last night was accidental.
Hclcoml' arrived from Walla v ALA
last evening and securing a room.
went to the same immediately. In
the opinion of Day Clerk McDlnlels,
he did not come down stairs from
his room afterwards. He had left a
call for the eastbound morning pas
songcr train and at the prone. time
ne was called by the night clerk.
railing to get response to the call
the night man notified Mr.. McDan-
iels, who was just then arising.
Further efforts to awake the man
were then made, hut without success
the door was bolted from within
Fearing that something was wrong
the clerks awoke George Darveau,
proprietor OF the hotel, and the latter
ordered that the police he summoned
Accordingly the officers were noti. .
fled, as was also Ralph Folsom, cor
oner. As the coroner was not wei;
his partner. John Baker. responded
In company with the hotel people
he then went to the room. McDan-
iels climbed through the transom
and unbolted the door. On inyesti-
CATION Holcomb was found living I'm
normal position upon the he'd. He
was upon his right side, his right arm
above his head and his left hand
spread over his face. A red BAN
dana handkerchief was around his
face and neck loosely and 1t had evi-
IDENTIFY been saturated with chloro-
FORM when the traveller lay down
fot hts last sleep. A half emptjed
bott'e of chluroform was found under
the pillow. Nothing about the body
or elsewhere in the room Indicated
a struggle, nor was any note Of any
description left by the man, the lat
ter fact bearing out the idea that
death was accidental.
At 1880 an inquest over the re-
mains was held at the Baker G. Fol-
som Darlcrs, Justice of the Peace
Joe Parkes serving as coroner, while
District Attorney Phelps questioned
the witnesses. Marshal Gurdane,
Clerk McDaniels, John Baker and
hr D. j. McFaul were all question:
ed briefly. The testimony Of the
physician was that death could easily
have resulted from the dose Of rhlo-
roform together with the exclusion
of air.
After a short consultation the jury
a hnt
tional and that It had occurred from
dose of chloroform administered by
the deceased himself for the purpose
of relieving pain. The jury was
composed Of r. II. Grtman, Frank
Curl. John Grow, +. Il. Judd, j. NJ.
Ferguson and Tom Thompson.
After the inquest 1t was learned