The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-06-30
ADDICTED TO
MORPHINE HABIT
Owner of Model Clothing House
Building In Hammond Finds
Troubles to Many Because of Grief
Over Wife's Death and Poor
Health.

When the news of the suicide of Ed-
win It. Brown, former Hammond busi-
ness man and at the time of his death
n property owner in the city became
known here last night, there were many
Of his friends who were terribly shocked
at the fate that had befaIIen his FAM
lily. The Huntington Herald last night
gives the following story of tte sad end
of Edwin T. Browns:
Draining bottle containing four
ounces of carbOIic ncid, Edwin TayIcr
Brown, "a prominent real estate man of
Huntington, staggered into his home ON
GuilfOrd street Sunday morning at eight
o'clock, expiring n half hour later in the
arms of his nurse and his son. Ill
health, the knowledge of falling mental
powers and grieving over the death of
his wife are given as causes for the
deed.
Edwin Taylor Brown was born to
William and Alzina Brown at New
Hope, O., September %, 1S49. He moved
With his parents to Izsgro IN 1867. Fenr
years later the family moved to An
drews. where they lived for six years,
coming to Huntington in 1867. Mr..
Brown and his father were then en-
ga ged in the dry goods business. con-
Quoting a store where the Globe cloth
ing store now is. Their firm was a
leading one for nearly twenty years and
was dissolved in 1854, when his father
died
Was An Aggressive Business Man.
Mr., Brown had always been a great
trader and upon the death of his father
he sold out the dry goods business and
started into business as a real estate
man, spending a great deal of his time
| in his various trades and enterprises.
/ He has opened up several additions to
the city of Huntington, and had owned.
at various times, many pieces of prop
/ erty in the city and county. He was
always a great man to buy in bank
rupt stocks and offer them for sale and
/ to carry on other enterprises of that
/ character In some of his ventures he
was quite successful. while on other
deals he lost. OF late years ne had lost
much of his native sagactty and his
property had rapidly deprecated. It is
estimated that his estate. after all debts
are paid, will not amount to more than
$40, 900 out of between $4,000, which he
fell heir to on the death of his father
and mother He owned the three
houses at the corner of Guilford and
Market streets. in one of which he lived.
a business block in Hammond and
farm south of the city. There are mort
cages on all these properties.
/ He had been an influential and public
spirited citizen of the city and faith
full and conscientious member of the
First Methodist church.
He was married on December %, 1870,
to Sarah J. Lee, daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs Joseph Lee of Andrews. His wife
was faithful helpmeet and since her
death on January 26. 1907. he had griev-
ed greatly. He left one son. Chester A
Brown, to mourn his loss. He had no
sisters or brothers.
Became Addicted To Morphine.
Some seven or eight years ago Mr..
Brown became addicted to the morphine
habit. but by manful effort and the as
sfstance of a cure he succeeded in COM
lpletely breaking it of. A few months
ago he went to VISIT a relative at Ro-
chester, Ind. and while there he again
lcontracted the habit Upon his return
to this city he again took the cure and
had his daily amount cut down till five
days before his death, when DR. A. H.
Shaffer took it completely away from
him. placing a nurse in charge to watch
his every movement. The fact that he
was unable TO endure the pangs caused
by the lack of morphine may have had
something to do with his suicide.
That the deed was premeditated was
evident from the fact that the carbolic
acid was bought a a local drug store
more than a week ago. He had skill
fully kept 1t hid till Sunday morning.
Al an early hour Sunday Dr. Schaffer
received a call from the Brown resi-
dence. He was told that Mr.. Brown
showed unusual signs of agitation.
Hurriedly finishing his breakfast. he
ihastened to the house. arriving shortly
after eight o'clock. He arrived at the
front door as Mr.. Brown went out in
the rear. Being informed that the pa
tient was IN the back yard, he told the