The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-02-17
Former Manager of Hotel CT
gar and News Stand Drinks
Ounce of CarbOlic Acid
Late Monday Night.
WAS APPARENTLY
IN A HAPPY MOOD
Officer Frustrated One At
tempt and Wife, at Another
Time, Knocked Bottle from
His Lips.

''I'll promise never to try to take
my life again." said Roy o. Stratton.
former manager of the cigar and news
stand at the Westcott hotel, six
months ago, after Officer Staubach
had taken bottle of carbolic acid
away from him in the rear of saloon
on North Eighth street and he had
been taken before Chief Gormon.
For many weeks Stratton kept his
word to the police officer, but last
night about 10 o'clock when Mrs.
Stratton entered her husbands bed
room at their home, 2312 North F
street, she found him dying, the at
mosphere heavy with the fumes of
carbolic acid and his face badly burn
ed. On a stand at the side of his bed
stood an empty bottle which had con-
tanned the poison. Stratton died few
minutes after his wife reached his
side The Stratton suicide was the
second in Richmond since Saturday
night, when Miss Clova Brown drank
carbolic acid.
It is said that Stratton had twice
attempted to kill himself by taking
acid. One time his wife snatched a
bottle from his hand as he placed it
to his lips.
Had Family Troubles.
"Six months ago telephone call
came into police headquarters that
Stratton had purchased a bottle OF
carbolic acid at a drug store and had
later announced he intended to COM
NIT suicide said Officer George
Staubach today. Il located him in a
place on North Eighth street. He
had not been drinking but he appear
ed to be very despondent. / took him
to the rear of the place and said to
him. Roy, you will have to stand for a
search l found the bottle of acid in
his pocket and took him before the
chief Roy told the chief that he had
had family troubles and was tired Of
living. After he promised not to kill
himself we let him CO.
Stratton for some time was employ
ed as manager of the Westcott hotel
cigar stand and drank heavily while
employed there. When the lease on
the stand was transferred to the hotel
1nAnagemem Stratton obtained en-
ployment at a local factory and quit
drinking Of late, though, friends
said today, he had been drinking
again.
Appeared to be Happy.
Last evening Stratton called at the
Westcott hotel and remarked to some
friends: 81 have been on a drunk
since Saturday and 1 guess I'll go
home and sleep it Off" Before going
to bed, Mrs. Stratton said her hus-
band appeared to be in happy mood
and she had no idea he contemplated
suicide.
Stratton was a resident of Rich
mond for a number of years and was
very well known. He was a veteran
of the Spanish-American war, having
served as member of company F
161st Indiana infantry, the company
recruited in Richmond and vicinity
Funeral arrangements have not been
announced.
On a stand in Stratton's bed room
his wife found the following note:
'Grace-The time has come when We
must part forever Be good to our
boy when he comes home. Give my
clothes to my poor brother Good bye
dear God bless you. l hope you will
forgive me for being so mean to you
and hope you will be happy. Tell Ed
said goodbye to him (my best
friendly | love you and our boy. The
time will come when you will wish
you had your papa back again. I can
not live without your love. Goodbye
my own darling wife Your husband
Roy"