Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-12-24
GRANT RUSHING DRINKS CAR
RoLlc ACID AND DIES WITHIN
FIVE MINuTEs-HoME IN VAN
VERT.
WAS EMPLOYED.AT
TIE MORRELL PLANT
CAME TO oTTuMWA JUNE e
FROM VAN VERT AND WAS
RooMNG WITH HIS BROTHER
AT 1909 HAYNE STREET.
From Mondays Daily.

Grant A. Rushing, is years g..
OF Mr.. and Mrs j. g. Rushing Of Van
Vert, who was employed in the kill
Ing gang at the Morrell Packing plant.
committed suicide last evening by
drinking carbolic acid at 1909 Hayne
street, where he was boarding and
rooming.
Rushing was discovered few min
utes after taking the deadly drug, by
his brother. is an outbuilding. He
died in less than, two minutes after
the arrival of a doctor having taken
several ounces Of the poison.
Apparently there was no motive for
the young mans death. although he
was slightly indebted to the Peoples
Credit Clothing company. with which
firm he was employed up to three
weeks ago. Apparently he became
discouraged with life and preferred
death to the bumps of the world. He
is said to have gambled lately.
Asked for Poison.
Soon after supper Rushing asked
his brother William, who boards with
him and who also works at the pack
+ ing house, for the use of some nand
lotion composed of carbolic acid with
which to treat his hands which he
said We're sore. His brother did not
give him the bottle but instructed him
how to care for his hands and thought
no more of the carbolic acid
Grant Rushing ate supper at about
1880 o'clock and shortly afterwards
started out to call on one of his chums
put returned in few minutes and re.
marked that it was raining TOO hard
and he thought he wouldn't go. After
standing by the stove for a while he
went out the back door and was not
again seen until found dying in an out
house about fifteen minutes later.
Accounts Short.
Rushing came to Ottumwa about
June % and was for sometime engaged
as clerk with the Peoples Credit
Clothing company, leaving there
week before Thanksgiving In response
to telegram from mis- home at Van
Vert, stating that his mother was
seriously i'll. After his departure for
home 1t was found that there was
shortage in his accounts with mis- en-
ployers but the amount was not great
Upon arriving at his home he wrota
his employers that he would report for
duty the following Saturday evening
but failed to do SO.
/ He Gambed.
After he arrived here from Van
Vert he severed connection with the
clothing company, agreeing to do all
In his power to rectify the error Of
his ways and his brother had pledged
to support his efforts to make good.
few days since he had his former
employer dictate letter to some Of
his brothers out of the city seeking
their aid in mis- financial difficulties,
saying that gambling and the barber
caused his downfall What was meant
by the barber was not plain.
Genial jolly Nature.
For the past three weeks he has
been employed at the packing house.
where he worked in the killing gang.
He was of genial, jolly nature and
was generally joking and creating
some fun. He had not caused any
suspicion previous to the rash act. ex-
cept during a conversation at the
boarding house OF Mrs. Mary Seelsy,
1908 Hayne street, where he made mis-
home. he made the remark that one
was better off dead than alive, but no
attention was paid to the remark be.
cause of mis- usual good humor.
The parents Of the dead man, who
live at Van Vert, and brother at
South Omaha, Neb., have been notified
and are expected to arrive during the
day. The funeral arrangements have
not yet been completed but the body
will be taken to the home Of the par.
ents at Van Vert for burial