Los Angeles Herald
July 3, 1896, Page 3
SUICIDE BY LAUDANUM
Coroner Campbell went to the Soldiers' Home yesterday morning and held an inquest on the body of August Ushman, 59 years old, who was found dead in his bed in the morning.
The evidence adduced showed that Ushman, a member of the Company A of the home, had left the hospital where he was under medical treatment on last Wednesday afternoon, and had gone to Santa Monica. There he drank some liquor, but not enough to intoxicate him, and late in the evening, after procuring a two-ounce bottle of laudanum from a drug store, he returned to the home.
He procured the laudanum ostensibly to ease his pain, and on the label of the bottle it was plainly stated that ten drops was a dose. When Ushman got back he was not allowed to return to the hospital, but ordered to his company quarters. He demurred at going, but finally obeyed. There was no suspicion of inebriety about him, but he seemed morose.
Shortly after taps had been sounded and all the inmates of the dormitory had gone to bed one of his companions saw Ushman raise up in bed and drain the contents of a bottle, letting the empty flask fall to the floor. Nothing particular was thought of this, and all went to sleep. In the morning Ushman lay in bed a corpse. The empty bottle lay alongside of his cot where it had dropped from his hand.
A verdict of suicide by laudanum poisoning was returned by the jury in accordance with the established facts. Ushman let no note or word to explain his action, but the cause was probably melancholy.
July 3, 1896, Page 3
SUICIDE BY LAUDANUM
Coroner Campbell went to the Soldiers' Home yesterday morning and held an inquest on the body of August Ushman, 59 years old, who was found dead in his bed in the morning.
The evidence adduced showed that Ushman, a member of the Company A of the home, had left the hospital where he was under medical treatment on last Wednesday afternoon, and had gone to Santa Monica. There he drank some liquor, but not enough to intoxicate him, and late in the evening, after procuring a two-ounce bottle of laudanum from a drug store, he returned to the home.
He procured the laudanum ostensibly to ease his pain, and on the label of the bottle it was plainly stated that ten drops was a dose. When Ushman got back he was not allowed to return to the hospital, but ordered to his company quarters. He demurred at going, but finally obeyed. There was no suspicion of inebriety about him, but he seemed morose.
Shortly after taps had been sounded and all the inmates of the dormitory had gone to bed one of his companions saw Ushman raise up in bed and drain the contents of a bottle, letting the empty flask fall to the floor. Nothing particular was thought of this, and all went to sleep. In the morning Ushman lay in bed a corpse. The empty bottle lay alongside of his cot where it had dropped from his hand.
A verdict of suicide by laudanum poisoning was returned by the jury in accordance with the established facts. Ushman let no note or word to explain his action, but the cause was probably melancholy.
Los Angeles Herald
July 3, 1896, Page 3
SUICIDE BY LAUDANUM
Coroner Campbell went to the Soldiers' Home yesterday morning and held an inquest on the body of August Ushman, 59 years old, who was found dead in his bed in the morning.
The evidence adduced showed that Ushman, a member of the Company A of the home, had left the hospital where he was under medical treatment on last Wednesday afternoon, and had gone to Santa Monica. There he drank some liquor, but not enough to intoxicate him, and late in the evening, after procuring a two-ounce bottle of laudanum from a drug store, he returned to the home.
He procured the laudanum ostensibly to ease his pain, and on the label of the bottle it was plainly stated that ten drops was a dose. When Ushman got back he was not allowed to return to the hospital, but ordered to his company quarters. He demurred at going, but finally obeyed. There was no suspicion of inebriety about him, but he seemed morose.
Shortly after taps had been sounded and all the inmates of the dormitory had gone to bed one of his companions saw Ushman raise up in bed and drain the contents of a bottle, letting the empty flask fall to the floor. Nothing particular was thought of this, and all went to sleep. In the morning Ushman lay in bed a corpse. The empty bottle lay alongside of his cot where it had dropped from his hand.
A verdict of suicide by laudanum poisoning was returned by the jury in accordance with the established facts. Ushman let no note or word to explain his action, but the cause was probably melancholy.
July 3, 1896, Page 3
SUICIDE BY LAUDANUM
Coroner Campbell went to the Soldiers' Home yesterday morning and held an inquest on the body of August Ushman, 59 years old, who was found dead in his bed in the morning.
The evidence adduced showed that Ushman, a member of the Company A of the home, had left the hospital where he was under medical treatment on last Wednesday afternoon, and had gone to Santa Monica. There he drank some liquor, but not enough to intoxicate him, and late in the evening, after procuring a two-ounce bottle of laudanum from a drug store, he returned to the home.
He procured the laudanum ostensibly to ease his pain, and on the label of the bottle it was plainly stated that ten drops was a dose. When Ushman got back he was not allowed to return to the hospital, but ordered to his company quarters. He demurred at going, but finally obeyed. There was no suspicion of inebriety about him, but he seemed morose.
Shortly after taps had been sounded and all the inmates of the dormitory had gone to bed one of his companions saw Ushman raise up in bed and drain the contents of a bottle, letting the empty flask fall to the floor. Nothing particular was thought of this, and all went to sleep. In the morning Ushman lay in bed a corpse. The empty bottle lay alongside of his cot where it had dropped from his hand.
A verdict of suicide by laudanum poisoning was returned by the jury in accordance with the established facts. Ushman let no note or word to explain his action, but the cause was probably melancholy.
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