The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-12-10
". W. SPEARMAN DEAD.
Dies Suddenly from Poisonous Drug
Funeral and Burial In
Newberry.

! Mr.. y. ". Spearman, Of Silver
Street, died rather suddenly on Sat
urday morning between seven and
9Th: clock. Mr. Spearman was
about forty years old and had been
married twice. His first wife was d
daughter Of Mr.. G. Fred Long OF
this county. OF that marriage six
children survive. The first Mrs
Spearman died about two years ago
! Mr.. Spearman married a second time
and this wife survives, but there are
20 children by this marriage. Mr.
; Spearman also leaves surviving him
his mother and his sister, Mrs. E. H.
Longshore. and a brother, Mr.. Wal
ter Spearman in Newberry.
Mr.. Spearman was regarded as one
Of the most successful farmers of
this county and conducted a very
! large farm and had one Of the best
appointed and most convenient
homes in this county. He had been
complaining on Friday but was not
seriously sick, though it is Under
stood he had taken some calomel.
At the request of members Of his
family the coroner was summoned
and ield an inquest on Saturday,
though only two witnesses were ex-
amined, Doctor Moore and Nh. Lath-
rop, who lived in the house with Mr..
Spearman. From the statement made
by Mrs. Spearman, though she was
not examined, it seems that Mr..
Spearman got up about two O'Clock
at night and took a dose Of medi-
cine, and again at four O'Clock took
another dose and that when she ia
quired what lie was taking he at first
refused to tell her but afterward
said it was paregoric. Mrs. Spear
man, it seems, thought it was laud-
anum. N is also stated that on the
mantel piece in the room was six
ounce empty bottle labelled pare
eoric. and it is probable that from
;; this bottle the medicine which prov
ed fatal was taken.
Mrs. Spearman phoned for DR..
Moore, the local physician, and also
for DR.. Glider from Newberry so
soon as she thought that probably it
was Iaudanum instead Of paregoric
which Mr.. Sp7arman had taken. Both
physicians arrived about the same
time but were unable to do anything
and Mr.. Spearmaa died in short
while.
The funeral was held in Newberry
at the first Baptist church on Sun
day afternoon at three o'clock, and
was conducted by Rev. Mr.. Cason
'<S'. ID hv Rev. George A. Wright
| and burial was at Rosemont immed-
lately after. There was very large
attendance at the funeral.
The following is the testimony at
the inquest as taken by the coroner
together with the verdict:
Testimony at Inquest.
DR.. E. H. Moore sworn says: On
Saturday, December T, about the
hour of 6 o'clock [ was called to at
tend Mr.. W. W. Spearman at his
i home at Silver Street, S. c. [ was
summoned by one Robert Davenport,
(colored). I hastily drove to see
MIN. On arriving about seven
o'clock I entered the room and
found Mr.. Spearman in a complete
comatose condition profoundly un-
conscious. After taking in the sit
uation I asked the trouble, there be-
ing by his side Mrs. W. W. Spear
man, his wife, his two eldest daugh-
tegs and Mr.. George Lathrop. Mrs
Spearman said, ''Doctor, I think he
has taken laudanum," and going to
the mantel peice il the same room
picked up a bottle which held about
six ounces, and was empty, and ask
ed me to smell the bottle and see if
it wasn't laudanum. I did so and
while I thought it was laudanum
there wasn't enough in the bottle to
be positive. I then proceeded to il
stitute treatment. Mrs. Spearman
also told me she nad given him whis-
kew and had rubbed him with whis-
KEY. She further said that he had
gotten up about two o'clock a. m.
and taken something she didn't
know what. He then came back to
bed and got up again about four
o'clock a. m. and drank something
o,,+ of +y,-o o1ocsac Sha 6i6O' II know