The Parisian. (Paris, Tenn.) 1907-1962, 1919-01-31
MIND AFFECTED;
BUSHART TAKES
HIS own LIFE
Apparently in Good Spirits
Mind Suddenly Fails
Prominent Man.
JOHN M. BUSHART
TAKES POISON DRUG
Causes Him To Attack Wife
With Hammer Seriously
Injuring Her.

His mind failing suddenly from a
| complication of blood and skin affec-
tions from which he had been suffer-
ing for some two years, the poisoned
blood clothing on his brain, John M.
Bushart, aged 66 years, one of the
best known and most prosperous far
mers of Henry county, living in the
Routon neighborhood, Tuesday took
his own life by swallowing the con-
tents of three-ounce bottle of a
special mouthwash preparation. Ans,
in his unbalanced mental condition
before the end came, attacked his
wife, striking her over the head with
hammer several times and inflicted
serious, though not necessarily fatal,
injuries.
Mrs. Bushart, who is 62 years OF
age, is now at the Hoyland Hospita.
in this city resting comparatively ca
sy. She has several deep gashes in
her head and lacerated place on
the cheek, which 1t was necessary to
stitch to close the wound. Unless
lcomplications develop, she will re-
cover.
1t is not known when Mr.. Bushart
took the poison drug, but generally
assumed that he did so before at
tacking his wife. 1t seems that some
two years ago he stuck splinter of
wood in finger, and blood poison
resulted. Since then he has suffered
mitch agony. He consulted some of
the best specialists in the country,
at Memphis, Nashville, and Chicago,
but did not succeed in getting much
relief, and recently the malady af-l
fected him SO that he made special
trip to Memphis to consult special
ist who advised him to have his teeth
removed, which he Immediately did.
1t was on this occasion he was given
the mouth-wash, known as lysol, la
beled poison and containing large
percent of carbol.c acid, to be used
by diluting. He had used ebeut half
the contents of a three-ounce bottle
when it was last noticed by Mrs. Bus
hart.
The empty bottle was found beside
him as he lay unconscious on the !
bed, when Dr.. A. A. Oliver reached
him Tuesday afternoon about an
hour after the spell came over him,
and he succumbed some thirty min
utes after, it being too late to ad-
minister any counteracting remedy.
Condition Had Been Normal.
1t is said that Mr.. Bushart's con-
dition had been normal up to the
time his mind seemed to suddenly
fail him. Besides his wife, Mr.. and
Mrs, Charlie Nored occupy the Bus i
hart residence, and at noon Mr.. Bus
hart eat harty meal and showed
no signs Of mental fatigue. It seems,
however, about two o'clock in the af-
ternoon when his wife was taking al
rest nap in an adjoining room, she
awakened at his apparent nervous
disposition, and as she was sitting
on the side of the bed, leaning over
putting her shoes on, Mr.. Bushart
came in, unobserved, and struck her
in the hack Of the head with ham,
mer. He administered several blows
and Mrs. Bushart, screaming and hor-
rified, managed to escape to the hall
way Mrs. Nored, who was likewise
resting in her room, rushed out and
the two women managed to wrench
the hammer away from Mr. Bushart.
He then secured an iron poker and
was preparing to further attack his
wife, when. his hands on the farm and
neighbors, summoned by Mrs. Nored
who sounded the big farm dinner
bell, came up.
Directed Wife's Care.
Mr.. Bushart, then apparently hav-
ing observed his wife's bleeding con-
dition, although not realizing that he
had inflicted the injury, directed
/ himself that she be taken into her
room and laid on the bed He. then
REPAIRED to his own room and closed
the door, and for fear of further vio-