Emile was a French immigrant from Paris, France. He married Mary Beatrice Delaney and they had 5 children, Joseph Emile Ducourt, Marie Louise (Ducourt) Brochiero, Benjamin F. Ducourt, Alfred Roger Ducourt and Blanche Beatrice (Ducourt) Kerns. He owned a mattress manufacturing company in downtown Dallas, Texas. At the age of 38, he committed suicide by drinking chloroform.
The following was taken from one of the early Dallas newspapers written April 14, 1886.
SUICIDE OF MR. DUCOURT.
Mr. Emile DuCourt, a Frenchman, engaged in the business of mattress maker, at No. 727 Elm street, suicided yesterday at his residence, 732 Pacific avenue, by drinking two ounces of chloroform. He was about 38 years old, leaves a wife and five children and was regarded as a kind-hearted and true man with but a single fault-the love of strong drink. To the latter cause, which appears to have unsettled his mind, is probably due the manner of his death.
He had been drinking hard for some time, especially during the two days last preceding his rash act. Justice Schuhl, on being notified of the sad affair, at once summoned a jury of inquest, which, after viewing the remains, proceeded to take testimony.
Mrs. Mary DuCourt, widow of the deceased was the first witness called. She testified as follows:
"I am the wife of the deceased; this 7a.m., he asked me to give him some water; he was out all day yesterday and the greater part of the night, and came home this 3 a.m. under the influence of liquor; he drank the water and asked for a second glass; I told my son Joe to give it to him; he told the boy to leave it on the mantel, that he would drink it in a minute; he told the boy soon afterward to take the glass out and clean it; the glass was empty; I said I thought it was clean, and my son said, "'No, it smells of chloroform;' the deceased then raised up in bed and said 'I'll never get drunk again.'
"This aroused my curiosity, and I sent for a bottle of chloroform I had in the room; the bottle was empty. It was a two ounce bottle and was nearly full before emptied; I saw danger and sent at once for Dr. Leake; this was 7 a. m.; the doctor arrived in about fifteen minutes; the deceased was unconscious and never spoke any more; he expired about 10:30; he had been drinking so much that it had turned him crazy; I am the mother of five children, two girls and three boys; his life was not insured and he belonged to no lodge; I looked after his business some; he had no financial embarrassment."
The bottle being presented had printed label marked "Poison," and skull and cross bones and the word, "Chloroform."
Witness continuing, said: "The cause of the bottle being in my house is this: Some two months since, my husband had his arm dislocated, which I am also sorry to say, was caused by strong drink; Drs. Leake and Thruston attended him; they placed him under the influence of chloroform during the re-setting of the arm, since which time, this bottle has been in the house; deceased was 38 years old last February; born in France; never tried to take his life before."
MASTON MILES
Sworn, testified: "This morning at 7:20, I came to the house and found the doctors had charge of the deceased; I saw him about 4:30 yesterday afternoon, and he was under the influence of liquor, as I have seen him before; he said nothing unusual; his wife sent for him; he was at Camille's old place; he said that he would come home; this seems to have been his place of resort."
The jury returned the following:
VERDICT
We, the undersigned jurors, sworn to investigate into the cause and manner of the death of Jean Marie Emile DuCourt, find that he came to his death by an overdose of chloroform, intentionally administered by himself this April 13, 1886.
WM. SHIRLEY,
J. F. METCALF,
GEORGE L. DOYLE,
E. K. MARTYN,
J. D. BOLICK,
J. L. PEACOCK.
- April 14, 1886, Dallas Morning News, p. 8, col. 2.
The following was taken from one of the early Dallas newspapers written April 14, 1886.
SUICIDE OF MR. DUCOURT.
Mr. Emile DuCourt, a Frenchman, engaged in the business of mattress maker, at No. 727 Elm street, suicided yesterday at his residence, 732 Pacific avenue, by drinking two ounces of chloroform. He was about 38 years old, leaves a wife and five children and was regarded as a kind-hearted and true man with but a single fault-the love of strong drink. To the latter cause, which appears to have unsettled his mind, is probably due the manner of his death.
He had been drinking hard for some time, especially during the two days last preceding his rash act. Justice Schuhl, on being notified of the sad affair, at once summoned a jury of inquest, which, after viewing the remains, proceeded to take testimony.
Mrs. Mary DuCourt, widow of the deceased was the first witness called. She testified as follows:
"I am the wife of the deceased; this 7a.m., he asked me to give him some water; he was out all day yesterday and the greater part of the night, and came home this 3 a.m. under the influence of liquor; he drank the water and asked for a second glass; I told my son Joe to give it to him; he told the boy to leave it on the mantel, that he would drink it in a minute; he told the boy soon afterward to take the glass out and clean it; the glass was empty; I said I thought it was clean, and my son said, "'No, it smells of chloroform;' the deceased then raised up in bed and said 'I'll never get drunk again.'
"This aroused my curiosity, and I sent for a bottle of chloroform I had in the room; the bottle was empty. It was a two ounce bottle and was nearly full before emptied; I saw danger and sent at once for Dr. Leake; this was 7 a. m.; the doctor arrived in about fifteen minutes; the deceased was unconscious and never spoke any more; he expired about 10:30; he had been drinking so much that it had turned him crazy; I am the mother of five children, two girls and three boys; his life was not insured and he belonged to no lodge; I looked after his business some; he had no financial embarrassment."
The bottle being presented had printed label marked "Poison," and skull and cross bones and the word, "Chloroform."
Witness continuing, said: "The cause of the bottle being in my house is this: Some two months since, my husband had his arm dislocated, which I am also sorry to say, was caused by strong drink; Drs. Leake and Thruston attended him; they placed him under the influence of chloroform during the re-setting of the arm, since which time, this bottle has been in the house; deceased was 38 years old last February; born in France; never tried to take his life before."
MASTON MILES
Sworn, testified: "This morning at 7:20, I came to the house and found the doctors had charge of the deceased; I saw him about 4:30 yesterday afternoon, and he was under the influence of liquor, as I have seen him before; he said nothing unusual; his wife sent for him; he was at Camille's old place; he said that he would come home; this seems to have been his place of resort."
The jury returned the following:
VERDICT
We, the undersigned jurors, sworn to investigate into the cause and manner of the death of Jean Marie Emile DuCourt, find that he came to his death by an overdose of chloroform, intentionally administered by himself this April 13, 1886.
WM. SHIRLEY,
J. F. METCALF,
GEORGE L. DOYLE,
E. K. MARTYN,
J. D. BOLICK,
J. L. PEACOCK.
- April 14, 1886, Dallas Morning News, p. 8, col. 2.
Emile was a French immigrant from Paris, France. He married Mary Beatrice Delaney and they had 5 children, Joseph Emile Ducourt, Marie Louise (Ducourt) Brochiero, Benjamin F. Ducourt, Alfred Roger Ducourt and Blanche Beatrice (Ducourt) Kerns. He owned a mattress manufacturing company in downtown Dallas, Texas. At the age of 38, he committed suicide by drinking chloroform.
The following was taken from one of the early Dallas newspapers written April 14, 1886.
SUICIDE OF MR. DUCOURT.
Mr. Emile DuCourt, a Frenchman, engaged in the business of mattress maker, at No. 727 Elm street, suicided yesterday at his residence, 732 Pacific avenue, by drinking two ounces of chloroform. He was about 38 years old, leaves a wife and five children and was regarded as a kind-hearted and true man with but a single fault-the love of strong drink. To the latter cause, which appears to have unsettled his mind, is probably due the manner of his death.
He had been drinking hard for some time, especially during the two days last preceding his rash act. Justice Schuhl, on being notified of the sad affair, at once summoned a jury of inquest, which, after viewing the remains, proceeded to take testimony.
Mrs. Mary DuCourt, widow of the deceased was the first witness called. She testified as follows:
"I am the wife of the deceased; this 7a.m., he asked me to give him some water; he was out all day yesterday and the greater part of the night, and came home this 3 a.m. under the influence of liquor; he drank the water and asked for a second glass; I told my son Joe to give it to him; he told the boy to leave it on the mantel, that he would drink it in a minute; he told the boy soon afterward to take the glass out and clean it; the glass was empty; I said I thought it was clean, and my son said, "'No, it smells of chloroform;' the deceased then raised up in bed and said 'I'll never get drunk again.'
"This aroused my curiosity, and I sent for a bottle of chloroform I had in the room; the bottle was empty. It was a two ounce bottle and was nearly full before emptied; I saw danger and sent at once for Dr. Leake; this was 7 a. m.; the doctor arrived in about fifteen minutes; the deceased was unconscious and never spoke any more; he expired about 10:30; he had been drinking so much that it had turned him crazy; I am the mother of five children, two girls and three boys; his life was not insured and he belonged to no lodge; I looked after his business some; he had no financial embarrassment."
The bottle being presented had printed label marked "Poison," and skull and cross bones and the word, "Chloroform."
Witness continuing, said: "The cause of the bottle being in my house is this: Some two months since, my husband had his arm dislocated, which I am also sorry to say, was caused by strong drink; Drs. Leake and Thruston attended him; they placed him under the influence of chloroform during the re-setting of the arm, since which time, this bottle has been in the house; deceased was 38 years old last February; born in France; never tried to take his life before."
MASTON MILES
Sworn, testified: "This morning at 7:20, I came to the house and found the doctors had charge of the deceased; I saw him about 4:30 yesterday afternoon, and he was under the influence of liquor, as I have seen him before; he said nothing unusual; his wife sent for him; he was at Camille's old place; he said that he would come home; this seems to have been his place of resort."
The jury returned the following:
VERDICT
We, the undersigned jurors, sworn to investigate into the cause and manner of the death of Jean Marie Emile DuCourt, find that he came to his death by an overdose of chloroform, intentionally administered by himself this April 13, 1886.
WM. SHIRLEY,
J. F. METCALF,
GEORGE L. DOYLE,
E. K. MARTYN,
J. D. BOLICK,
J. L. PEACOCK.
- April 14, 1886, Dallas Morning News, p. 8, col. 2.
The following was taken from one of the early Dallas newspapers written April 14, 1886.
SUICIDE OF MR. DUCOURT.
Mr. Emile DuCourt, a Frenchman, engaged in the business of mattress maker, at No. 727 Elm street, suicided yesterday at his residence, 732 Pacific avenue, by drinking two ounces of chloroform. He was about 38 years old, leaves a wife and five children and was regarded as a kind-hearted and true man with but a single fault-the love of strong drink. To the latter cause, which appears to have unsettled his mind, is probably due the manner of his death.
He had been drinking hard for some time, especially during the two days last preceding his rash act. Justice Schuhl, on being notified of the sad affair, at once summoned a jury of inquest, which, after viewing the remains, proceeded to take testimony.
Mrs. Mary DuCourt, widow of the deceased was the first witness called. She testified as follows:
"I am the wife of the deceased; this 7a.m., he asked me to give him some water; he was out all day yesterday and the greater part of the night, and came home this 3 a.m. under the influence of liquor; he drank the water and asked for a second glass; I told my son Joe to give it to him; he told the boy to leave it on the mantel, that he would drink it in a minute; he told the boy soon afterward to take the glass out and clean it; the glass was empty; I said I thought it was clean, and my son said, "'No, it smells of chloroform;' the deceased then raised up in bed and said 'I'll never get drunk again.'
"This aroused my curiosity, and I sent for a bottle of chloroform I had in the room; the bottle was empty. It was a two ounce bottle and was nearly full before emptied; I saw danger and sent at once for Dr. Leake; this was 7 a. m.; the doctor arrived in about fifteen minutes; the deceased was unconscious and never spoke any more; he expired about 10:30; he had been drinking so much that it had turned him crazy; I am the mother of five children, two girls and three boys; his life was not insured and he belonged to no lodge; I looked after his business some; he had no financial embarrassment."
The bottle being presented had printed label marked "Poison," and skull and cross bones and the word, "Chloroform."
Witness continuing, said: "The cause of the bottle being in my house is this: Some two months since, my husband had his arm dislocated, which I am also sorry to say, was caused by strong drink; Drs. Leake and Thruston attended him; they placed him under the influence of chloroform during the re-setting of the arm, since which time, this bottle has been in the house; deceased was 38 years old last February; born in France; never tried to take his life before."
MASTON MILES
Sworn, testified: "This morning at 7:20, I came to the house and found the doctors had charge of the deceased; I saw him about 4:30 yesterday afternoon, and he was under the influence of liquor, as I have seen him before; he said nothing unusual; his wife sent for him; he was at Camille's old place; he said that he would come home; this seems to have been his place of resort."
The jury returned the following:
VERDICT
We, the undersigned jurors, sworn to investigate into the cause and manner of the death of Jean Marie Emile DuCourt, find that he came to his death by an overdose of chloroform, intentionally administered by himself this April 13, 1886.
WM. SHIRLEY,
J. F. METCALF,
GEORGE L. DOYLE,
E. K. MARTYN,
J. D. BOLICK,
J. L. PEACOCK.
- April 14, 1886, Dallas Morning News, p. 8, col. 2.
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