AN OFFICER’S SUICIDE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8880, 3 August 1907, Page 1

AN OFFICER’S SUICIDE.

Rather than tie a woman to himself in marriage bonds, a United States army officer, who was a victim to the drug habit, has taken his own life. Lieutenant Mack Richardson, of the 2Gth Infantry, stationed at Fort Sam, Houstau, Texas, was engaged to marry a daughter of Major Kelly, but failed to appear at Brownsville, Texas, on the day sot for the wedding. He telegraphed that he was ill. Another day was set for the ceremony, and the lieutenant arrived three hours late.

In high dungeon Major Kelly and his daughter travelled to Washington, and the facts of the case being made public property, a movement was set on foot to force Lieutenant Richardson to leave the army. Mr Roosevelt accepted the resignation of the lieutenant, who then took prussic acid and morphine, phials of which were found in the room, He left a note saying, “This act has been inevitable since last November. ’ ’ What he meant is not known. The dead man’s friends say that ho was a victim of the morphine habit, and jilted Miss Kelly really out of kindness, and in order to prevent au alliance which must have resulted disastrously for her, Lieutenant Richardson was a widower and leaves two children. _