Grayson County TXGenWeb

Missouri ~ Kansas ~ Texas
Railroad

Denison Daily Herald
Wednesday, September 3, 1879
pg. 4

SUICIDE BY POISON
John Parker, a freight brakeman employed on the M., K. & T., swallowed 30 grains of morphine on Monday night, while on a spree, and died at 8 o'clock Tuesday morning. Nothing unusual was noticed in his manner during the day, but towards night he was seen under the influence of liquor and made use of several expressions denoting that he was tired of life, and was anxious to shuffle off this mortal coil. It is said that he offered some of his acquainances all the money that was coming to him from the railroad if they would put a bullet through him. No attention, however, was paid to his reckless remarks, as they were looked upon as the ravings of a mind disordered with drink. He purchased 50c worth of morphin at a drug store in the evening and must have taken nearly the whole of it. About daylight he was found in a state of unconsciousness in a negro shanty near Cuff's old livery stable on Burnett avenue. Dr. Nagle was promptly called, but too late to be of any service. Parker breathed his last about 8 a.m. He was about 26 years of age and an experienced railroad man. He had been employed by the H. & T.C. and M., K. & T. roads for the last 3 or 4 years. At the time of his death, he was braking for Conductor Adams, of the M., K. & T., and was bulletined to go out on his regular trip the morning that he died. He was not a drinking man but is said to have been subject to fits of despondence, and it was probably while suffering from one of these, and the effects of liquor, that he swallowed the fatal draught.H
His body was taken in charge by his brother George, who is employed as night watchman at the Central depot, and was laid in the grave Tuesday evening.