Grayson County TXGenWeb

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, January 6, 1895

Into the Mysterious Beyond
Mr. Hugo Ernst, a man some 50 - 55 years of age, German by birth, arrived in Denison Wednesday at noon from Coalgate, I.T., and, a short time afterward, secured a room at the Beck hotel and restaurant, No. 106 Main street. He spent the evening in and about the city and, among others, called on Dr. Nagle for medical advice and treatment. Wednesday night he called at the T.Z. Williams drug store and purchased a quarter's worth of quinine and a quarter's worth of morphine. He was waited on by Mr. Ed Williams but not a word was said as to what use he intended making of the drugs.
Thursday afternoon one of the waiters at the hotel called at the room and knocked on the door but no response was given. Mr. Beck was summoned and no amount of rapping or noise awoke the sleeper. Through the key-hole the man was seen lying on the bed apparently dead. Justice Pearson was summoned and at 2:10 o'clock the door was opened and on the bed lay the man dead. Evidently from the position of the body and the surroundings death came without a struggle. The bed clothing was pulled up over the shoulders, the body rested on its right side, the right hand under the face, the left hand and arm resting across the bosom. On the foot of the bed was a heavy, good overcoat; on a chair standing near the foot of the bed was the man's clothing; on a small table near the wall a pair of gold rimmed spectacles, a morphine phial and in it a small quantity of morphine, and two prescription boxes, one containing quinine, the other, empty capsules. In the man's pockets and purse were found, $9.55 in cash, a gold watch and chain, a return ticket to Coalgate, a letter to Dr. Dunn, at Coalgate, a number of small toilet articles and a number of letters. One letter was dated January 3, 1895, and was addressed to Dr. Hume, Coalgate, I.T. In substance it stated that he, Ernst, had called on Dr. Nagle and that in the opinion of the doctor he could not be cured. The letter also intimated that the writer would have to depend on Dr. Hume for financial assistance.
The remains were turned over to the undertakers for preparation for burial and a telegram was forwarded to Dr. Hume. In an hour a reply came, "Hold the remains, we will be in Denison on the next train."
Friday morning Dr. Hume, Mrs. Hugo Ernst, whife of the deceased and Mr. Johns, a friend and business associate, arrived in the city, and the body was immediately identified as that of Hugo Ernst. He and his wife had been married only 4 or 5 months. He was a druggist and was very proficient in his profession.
The remains were interred at Oakwood Cemetery this city