The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-09-16

IN EFFORTS TO OBEY BLACK
WHisPERINGs OF DRUG TO
DESTROY HIMSELF.
Special Correspondence to The Press
OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 16.-There
is no parallel in fiction or real life
chronicles with the case of DR..
Frederick T. Rustin, one of the
ablest young surgeons of the west.
whosetdiabolical ingenuity to graf
ify his morbid desire to end his
misspent life is a national sensa-
ton.
There is a perfect explanation of
the haunting self murder designs
of the brilliant young professor.
Mild drinking led to hard drinking;
hard drinking led to mild use of
morphine; mild use of morphine
led to frequent intoxication from
the drug, and then the monster CO.
caine seized the victim and turned
the brilliant brain from a course of
high pursuits into the gutter of
degradation, depth which cocaine
always finds as certain as mercury
finds it's lowest level.
1t would be difficult in any city
to find young man of more prom
Use than offered Frederick T. Rus
tin a dozen years ago. To start
with, he had received a thorough
education. At Yale he was popular
in society and a leader in athletics.
Generously endowed with natural
talent in his chosen profession,
Rustin was the man who physi-
clans of the west said would be one
of the famous surgeons of the
country.
He married beautiful young
woman, and they have been blessed
with two pretty children. The Rus
tin home was in a fashionable Sec
ton of Omaha, and for time he
enjoyed an enviable practice. Rus
tin was the man in demand in all
notable surgical operations. His
quick brain and deft hand made
him master.
Into the morning of his career,
however, there crept, like Mr..
Hyde, second being who would
tear down where the other, better,
DIR. Jekyll, builded. Rustin was
drinking. Fast the rumor spread.
His trusting patients grew
alarmed; of all men, the surgeon
must be clear of mind. His prac-
tice fell off rapidly.
The insidious monster cocaine
began to whisper commands to
Rustin, and fast gained control.
until it's mastery became supreme.
1t whispered when the morphine
would not ease the troubled mind;
1t whispered exultantly when the
Wife and children were in want in
the midst of plenty: 1t told the
man to steal from fellow physicians
and hospitals where he practiced
1t compelled him to find agreeable
society among the demimonde and
drug fiends like himself. All this
he did.
And now comes the monster ask
ing for the life of it's victim.
1t told Rustin to kill himself. as
It has its thousands before, and he
would obey. as they obeyed. But
the fine mind was not so much ex-
hausted as. to entirely neglect the
wife of his heart and the children
of her breast. Cocaine was the
master, but there must be some
compromise for the wife and chill
dren. DR.. Jekyll demanded that
And the compromise was this: Rus
tin would gladly, joyfully, do the
fatal bidding of the monster. but
first he must insure his life, which
he did for $4,000. and die death
that would deceive his friends and
the insurance inspectors.
He and the monster planned the
ingenious scheme of death The
monster whispered: Inoculate your
self with the germs of disease that
you know so much about, and die
as thousands die.
There are men in Omaha who
know Rustin well, and who have
seen him in his made race toward
destruction. who likened his moral
descent to man who, passing
through the maelstrom of Mag.
ara's torrent. sang. In ones mag