Sorrow Upon Sorrow: The Death of Sumner Bostwick

“Samuel Bostwick, an insurance agent, aged 37, married, took strychnine at upper ferry landing at 4 o’clock this afternoon.”

“Bostwick took the poison right at the landing. He then started up the hill and dropped at the top. He was seen by passers-by, and it was at first thought he was dead. At 4:30 he rallied slightly, but there are little hopes of his recovery. He has a wife¹ and two children², and was employed by the Western Southern Insurance company.”

“Bostwick’s home is at Thompson³ and Front. Several doctors are in attendance and say he cannot recover. Cause of act is not known, a little boy of Bostwick was drowned in the Mead pond a year ago.”

“Bostwick died at 5 o’clock”.⁴

1. Lottie Frazier Bostwick
2. Carrie Bostwick and Walter Davidson Bostwick. A third child, Paul Fulton Bostwick, was born a little over a month later on August 19, 1904.
3. Now Glover Street.
4. He took strychnine. (1904, July 16). Portsmouth Times, p. 7.