“Elza Osborn, a Lawson Heights man, who was reported missing Tuesday, was found early this morning, lying flat on his back and covered with a mosquito bar, in a neighbor’s yard, in a serious condition. The man was unconscious and writhing in agony from poison self-administered.”
“Officer Stokely called the patrol and had him removed to the police station, where later the City Physician Dr. Smith took him under treatment.”
“Osborn said he had taken a sudden notion to a trip across the dark river and had chosen morphine as the route. He had not taken sufficient quantity, however, to accomplish that end.”
“The man is said to be an eccentric character and subject to fits. He made a similar attempt on his life a year ago.”
“He has a wife and one little child. The wife is seriously ill at the home of Osborn’s brother, near Wait Cabinet Works. She has had morphine prescribed for her, and yesterday, when Osborn called at Flood and Blake’s drug store for morphine, it was given him without question. He at first got quarter grains, brought it back, saying he wanted eights. The change was made and Osborn went away. He took the poison Tuesday night. Dr. Smith says he will undoubtedly recover.”
“Osborn is 22 years of age, is a shoeworker and employed at Heer’s shoe factory. He has been married a little over a year, his wife being Miss Carrie L. Prince.”
“Osborn recently returned from a fishing trip, had been on a protracted spree and was disheartened. Members of the police force said today that Osborn had attempted suicide on several different occasions, but had never taken enough poison. Osborn will be removed from the police station to the home of his brother Frank, who lives on East Eighth street, near Raynor.”
“The relationship of the two brothers is some thing a little out of the ordinary, Elza marrying a widow, and Frank the daughter.”1Despondent. (1903, July 4). The Portsmouth Times.[efn_/note].
