Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-29
JOHN COSTELLO
. ENDS own LIFE
LATE LAST NIGHT
Well Known Ottumwa Man
Took Strychnine and At
tempted to Get in Front
Of Passenger Train.

JOnn Costello, we'll known young
man of the city, drank large quantity
of strychnine last night about II
o'clock and succumbed In about thirty
minutes in the opera house drug store
lwhere he was taken by Charles
Snocks and Edward Stun After TAX
ing the deadly poison Costello walked
to the Burlington tracks at Jefferson
street, where his friends found him
He said he wanted to "get killed." Il
is thought Costello was despondent
over Illness. According to the testi
mony of Mrs. Costello before the
coroner's inquest at the Moroney un.
dertaking parlors the deceased had
talked Of taking his life on numerous
occasions, but the remarks we're never
taken seriously by members Of the
family. Mrs. Costello stated that her
husband was great sufferer from
stomach trouble and she believes he
took the poison to put an end to his
suffering.
An inquest with Chris Myers,
Thomas Brown and G. M. Diltz as
jurors, was held this afternoon and
after hearing the evidence in the case
the jury found that the deceased came
to his death by taking strychnine with
his own hands.
Noticed Costello.
Edward Stuntz, who, with Charles
Shook. was the main witness heard
this afternoon, stated that he was COM
ing up South Jefferson street and as
he reached the Laclede hotel he met
Johnny Costello. He said that he spoke
to Costello, but that he failed to
answer him. Stuntz said he paid par
ticular attention to Costello, owing to
the way in which he carried his arm.
The witness said that Costello was
holding his arms in such a position
that it would attract the attention of
any passer-by.
upon reaching the corner Of Main
street met Charlie Shocks" said Mr..
Stuntz, "and asked him what was the
matter with Costello. Mr.. Shocks
said that he didn't notice anything out
of the way. told him that Johnny
was in bad shape and that / thought
we should watch him as he was going
toward the railroad tracks. Shocks
consented to go with me and we heard
a passenger train coming from the
east and we started to run. Upon
reaching the tracks we saw Costello
In the middle Of the %" tracks with
his arms extended" Mr.. Stuntz then
told the jury of taking Costello to
Reeds drug store where two physi-
clans We're summoned.
Talked to Costello.
Charlie Snooks told of talking to
Costello down on the tracks. When
testifying before the coroner's jury
this afternoon Shocks said "When
we reached the tracks remarked to
Costello that If he didn't get out OF
the way he would get run over. Cos
tello said that was what he wanted.
then noticed that something was
wrong and with the aid of Stuntz l
took John from the tracks. BY the
time we had taken him from the
tracks Burlington westbound train No.
1 was not over twenty-five feet away"
Snooks said that he talked with Cos
tello on the way to the drug store and
that he asked him what was the mat
ter. According to Snook's testimony,
Costello made no reply. The witness
said that the unfortunate man got
weaker with everv step and that by
the time they had reached the drug
store he was unconscious.
DR.. A. .. Henry of Farson was pass
ing the drug store at the time and ne
was called to the scene. Everything
Z /,