Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-08-19
LANGD0N FARMER
ENDS HIS OWN life
John Stevenson Poisoned Himself
With Fatal Dose of Strychnine
Monday Morning
TEMPORARY INSANITY


Troubles Caused Well To Do Langdon
Farmer to End 1t All Over the Suicide
| Route-Insanity Had Made Sad Havoc
of Stevenson's Mental Condition Lately
A thorough investigation into the
cause of the death Of John Stevenson,
who died quite suddenly early Monday
morning, at his farm home about six
miles east of Langdon, established to
the satisfaction of DR.. Stromberg, the
county coroner, and other officials,
without the necessity of holding an
inquest the fact that the deceased
had ended his life by the taking of a
quantity of strychnine, while his mind
was in temporary deranged condition.
Jack Stevenson is one of the
best known farmers in the immediate
vicinity of Langdon and the news that
awaited Langdon people when they
sat down to an early morning break
fast on Monday that he was dead was
almost unbelievable, especially so to
those who had seen him in town, ap-
parantly we'll and hearty, the previous
Saturday evening. Although he was
a man of rugged type, and only in
! the tifties, those who had known him
intimately in the long years in which
he had resided here, were aware that
since an operation which he had un-
dergone a little over year ago, he
had a. times had spells of despondent
. melancholy, during which he would
make irrational statements as to the
wqrth while OF keeping on living.
!. the home the wife and family of
two boys and a girl, together with the
hired help engaged in taking off the
J crop on the Stevenson farm this fall,
! all say there had been nothing to note
: in the behavior or condition of the
deceased during the day previous that
J would indicate anything unusual or
his contemplation of the rash act
I which he committed at an early hour
Monday morning.
1t was in the room Of the hired man
who was helping him take off the crop
that Stevenson, while sitting on the
1 side Of the bed stated that he was i'll
' and going to die, later admitting that
he had poisoned himself with a dose
of strychnina and urging the man to
stay and help with the work on the
farm until the crop was threshed
The sending to town for medical aid
availed nothing as when the doctors
reached the Stevenson home the poison
had circulated through the system of
: the victim to the extent that death
was inevitable. There can be found
no cause whatever for the suicidal
act, excepting that Stevenson had
become tired of life. He had fine
home, had prospered as farmer and
, it is known that his domestic home
affairs were those of happy and
contented husband and father.
Deceased was between fifty-one and
, hfty-two years of age, had come here
from Ontario when young man in
his teens with the first pioneer home
steaders. In addition to his immedi-
ate family Stevenson is known to
have had two brothers, one of whom,
Stewart Stevenson, residing at Maid
stone, Sask., is here to attend the
funeral which is being held this after
i noon from the Methodist church of
Harvey Center, where a short service
is being conducted by the pastor, Rev.
Jas. Opie, following which the rites
of the Masonic order will be given the
remains at the grave side in the
cemetery by his brethren of Lebanon
lodge A z e A M