A STRANGE DEATH.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 104, 30 September 1874, Page 3

A STRANGE DEATH.

The Bendigo Advertiser reports a death from the effects of a dose of poison, which occurred on Wednesday night at the Tara O’Shanter Hotel, Specimen Gully. The victim, a man nara d Thomas Purchas, came in from his work as usual in the evening. He shortly afterwards went away, and on his return at about twelve o’clock he was observed in the bar. It was discovered that he had swallowed a small bottle of sulphuric acid, which was kept in the bar, and of which he was occasionally in the habit of taking some drops for the cure of colds. Assistance was immediately afterwards procured. and he was thrown on his back and a quantity of kerosene ponred down his throat as an emetic. Ho vomited considerably, and after awhile gol upand appeared to be none the worse for his dose. He went into an adjoining room, but he had no sooner gone through the door than he fell down in a chair. The proprietor of the hotel went to his assistance, and the unfortunate man persisted in shaking hands with him, remarking “ I’m off.” He requested thru all the other people in the house sh mid also shake hands with him, hut before this could he done he expire 1 ’ 1 in the chair, apparently quite easy. The decased was a highly educated man, and was well connected. He was a lawyer by profession, and practised as such some years ago in Melbourne, and of late he has Ir en earning his living in various ways, such as fossickin'? in old gullies and woodcutting. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death through taking an overdose of sulphuric acid. The Bendigo Independent states that the deceased was schoolfellow of Mr Greathead, of sulphuric acid notoriety.