The Tragedy of Martin Daniels
A domestic tragedy in a cottage on Lincoln Street ends in a fatal overdose, sparking grief and finger-pointing among the survivors.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Coroner Horton decided yesterday afternoon that an inquest was unnecessary for Martin Daniels, who died from strychnine poisoning in his cottage on Lincoln Street Thursday night, as it was clearly a case of premeditated suicide. The man's wife, Mrs. Daniels, who had been struggling with marital troubles, was weeping and hysterical when speaking to reporters. She denied being the cause of his death, though others, including his brother Edward, remained unconvinced. Daniels had told his caretaker, Mrs. Wahl, that life was not worth living because he worked only to lose his pay. He had purchased the poison under the guise of killing a nuisance dog. The funeral arrangements have not yet been set.
“If there is any cause, I believe it was the shingle mills. He worked when he could, but was unfortunate about getting his pay.”
Domestic disputes and the economic despair of the laboring class often manifested in tragic headlines in the late 19th century. This story reflects the stark, unvarnished reporting style of the era regarding mental health and suicide.
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