Van Buren Press Van Buren, Arkansas- Crawford County May 18, 1899 SUICIDE AT ALMA The Fort Smith Times correspondent at Alma gives the following account of a suicide at that place: A young man by the name of B. L. McWillie suicided here Sunday by taking an overdose of morphine at 4 o'clock p.m. The town was thrown into excitement by the announcement that a man had attempted suicide at the Howell Hotel, and an investigation proved it to be only too true. In the south room a handsome, well dressed, intelligent looking young man, about 35 years old lay across the bed unconscious. A physician was summoned, Dr. Nelson answering the call, and pronounced it a case of poisoning by morphine, and too late for medical skill to save him, but nevertheless he set to work. Two other doctors were called in and the three worked hard but of no avail, and pronounced the man dead at 8:20 p.m. The young man is not very well known here. He came from Mississippi about a year ago to this place, or near here and worked at Reinhardt's Mill, he and his brother Jesse. They left some six months ago and this one was seen in town Saturday morning and took a train to Fort Smith. Returning Sunday morning, he went to Reinhardt's house. Finding no one at home, he returned to Alma at 2 p.m., secured a room at the hotel, telling the land lady he had a headache and wished to lay down, saying that he was not intoxicated as she might think, that he had not drank a drop, stating he was subject to nervous spells and would be all right after a sleep. The lady offered to call a physician but he said not to. He was shown a room, and he told the porter to not allow anyone in his room, as he wanted a good rest. The porter went to his room later and found him seemingly resting all right, and later found him as was above stated. Below is a letter found on his person, which was written at Reinhardt's where he took the drug. A 20-grain empty morphine bottle was found at the well when the family returned from church. The dose was taken between 12 and 1 o' clock. THE LETTER "Near Alma, May 12, 1889, - Jessie McWillie, care Scott Winters, Star City, Lincoln County, Ark. "My Dear Brother: It is with much regret I write you that I will never see you again, and my greatest desire now is to have you become a good and upright man the remainder of your life. This life to me is one most miserable, not that I have done anything of which I am ashamed, but am weary of this world's care. In a few words I will disclose to you the cause of this attempt. You will remember our last meeting, then and there with her; yes, and God bless her! Thin I was a happy name, but since then, and, too, in so short a time, I am made almost insane, though you will please return to that same and there you will learn all concerning my departure. Really my old heart is broken and I have nothing to live for, so with a short and simple plea to my Maker, for the forgiveness of my sins, I present to my lips the drug from which I trust I will never be aroused. Bye-bye. Your most affectionate brother, B. L. McWillie." On one edge was written: "Jesse, you will please write not a word home about this matter." Dr. Wilson knows him and says he is of good family in Mississippi, his grandfather or great-grandfather having been governor of Mississippi two terms, and his uncle now president of the Insane Asylum at Jackson, Miss. His friends and relatives have been telegraphed. Fran Alverson Warren