The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-09-28
MAY HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE
OR DIED FROM WANT
OF DRUGS.
Had Evidently Tried TO Hide Identity,
but Registered ss &C. r. Will
Jams, Pittsburgh"

Lying prone upon his bed. attired
only in a suit OF underwear and shirt.
with a Saturday morning local paper
near his right hand. the body of a
man supposed to be G. T. Williams.
OF Pittsburgh. Pa. WIS found dead
last evening at $50 O'Clock. in his
room 81 the Mcclure hotel The man
had evidently been dead for at least
two days.
Chambermaids were unable to open
the door Sunday and yesterday. as he
had left the key inside the lock. Last
evening the houseman climbed onto
chair and looked over the transom.
He believed the man dead and notified
police headquarters. Detectives Dave
Clesry and Henry Walker. by climb
ing a fire escape, gained access 10 the
room. The stencil was awful said
Cleary. last night: lit seemed that
modification had set in"
The body was Immediately removed
10 the Palace morgue. Coroner Gala
Mitchell viewed the body and will hold
an autopsy this afternoon.
Was IL suicide or did the man die
for the want of morphine? That
question may never be satisfactorily
answered. A hypodermic SPRINGS
was found in his pocket. IL was emp
~. and apparently had not been used
for many weeks. Two pint bottles Of
gin. one half empty, were found in the
room. Perchance he had used the
gin as a substitute for the narcotic.
which he was unable to procure. since
the Federal anti-narcotic law went
into effect last April.
Tries to Hide Identity.
The nan had attempted TO elm
mate all marks of identification
There vas nothing in his clothes that
would furnish an inkling to his pas.
Even his name was cut from his nat
band. while a small bottle of gold
nuggets. on which his name or ad-
dress had been written on the label,
was scratched off.
But there was one piece OF paper
that he evidently overlooked which
may lead TO the identity of the man,
a money order receipt from the main
postoffice Of New York city was
found in a ball in the corner of the
inside coat pocket. which garment
had been thrown carelessly on a
chair near the bed with his trousers.
A slip of paper was also found In a
pocket bearing the following. written
in pen, evidently by foreigner:
"IIilalssn Restaurant. Ferry street"
As there Is a Ferry street in New
York city and Pittsburgh. in which
there are a number of restaurants. u
II not known in which city the ad-
dress Is
The man was about a. years ole.
feet II Inches tall. and well Quilt.
weighing about IT'S pounds. " l. t.
lieved that he was OF foreign birth. as
he Is Of very dark complexion. ana
black hair and mustache.
Registered az e. 7. williams"
The man came 10 the hotel on the
evening Of september p last Wedues-
day night. and registered in a foreign
hand. &C. 7. Williams. PITTSBURGH
The following day be asked that bis
room be changed from $3.50 TO 81
one. This was done on Thursday
evening. No more was seen Of MIN
about the hotel until his body was
found In the room
The authorities were not prone to
discuss the matter. but there is every
reason 20 believe that the man had
been addicted TO the use Of morphine
for many years. His home b. evident.
" In New York and after the Harriso
anti-narcouc law went into effect last
spring and being unable TO secure
morphine there. he came TO Pittsburgh
and also being unsuccessful there. be
came here. Tho same fate perhaps
met the unfortunate and he bought
the gin in hope OF quieting his nerves
for the craving Of the drug In his de-
lirium. knowing that 90 would BE- only
a question OF few hours before heart
action would stop for want OF the drug
be attempted 10 enace an marks Of
identification. ~ f. believed
physician said last night that Do
would be almost impossible 10 deter
mine n he died by an overdose Of NOR
phine Of the want Of the drug. unless
The stomach was removed and exam
ined
The man was evidently fine appear.
Ing and looked a. Do no had been a
foreign musician Of considerable ahu-
ity. His clothes were Of good texture
while his underwear and shirt were
new and Of fine quality
The authorities were I'M commun-
cation with New York and Pittsburgh
officers last niFht but up 10 early this
nothing a. 90 the Identity OF
The man had been learned