 Denison Daily News
Thursday, January 11, 1877 pg. 3 SUICIDE IN SHERMAN Throat Cut with a Pocket Knife [Daily Register, 9th] About 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon a bloody tragedy occurred at the Texas Pacific house, in this city. Thomas Beecher, who has been a hotel runner in this city for about 3 years, in a fit of temporary insanity laid his throat open with a pocket knife and ended his life. Beecher was a man of intemperate habits, about middle age, and it seems came to Sherman from Rock Island, Illinois. He was taken sick with pneumonia about a week ago, and was under treatment by Dr. Eagon for that disease. From the statement of the Doctor and other witnesses before the jury of inquest it appears that delerium tremens came on him yesterday morning, and he was perhaps laboring under some frightful hallucinations when the rash act was committed. Mr. Scruggs, the proprietor of the house, testified that Beecher came down from his room early in the morning and made several attempts to escape from the house. He prevented him from doing so, and finally got him to bed in a room adjoining his own, down stairs. After he had put him to bed Beecher grew more rational and asked Scruggs to telegraph his brother at Rock Island that he was on his death bed. Mr. Scruggs sent the dispatch, and then went to the train. When he got back from the depot, he went into Beecher's room and asked him how he felt. Beecher replied that he felt very well. Scruggs, on nearing the bedside, noticed blood on his hand, and asked if his nose had been bleeding. Beecher replied by throwing down the cover and revealing the ghastly gash across his throat, from which the life blood was pouring. Scruggs asked him what made him cut his throat, and Beecher replied that he did it to keep Scruggs from doing it - - - that Scruggs had "gone back on him." Dr. Eagon was called at once and did all in his power to save the dying man, but he was past the power of the skillful surgeon, and died in about half an hour. Shortly after the doctor came Beecher became more rational, and asked him if he had ever been to Rock Island, and if he knew Miss Katie D. Beecher. He wanted the doctor to write to her and tell her of his condition. He also sent for the Catholic priest and had him offer prayer for him. When the doctor reached the bedside the dying man was found to have the knife with which the deed was committed tightly clutched in his hand, and it was not without a struggle that it was taken from him. An inquest was held over the body this morning, and the verdict of the jury was in accord with the facts above given. The Register learns that the brother of the deceased is on his way to Sherman to take charge of the remains. SUICIDE Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |