Newpaper clipping on Lavina Sage, Reading, Hillsdale County, Michigan Copyright © 1999 by Lenawee County Researchers. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ March 4th 1851 Death of Lavina Sage (From the Hillsdale Gazette) A SAD OCCURANCE-- On Tuesday afternoon, Mrs. Lavina Sage, wife of Dr. James Sage, of the township of Reading, in this county, entered the Drug Store of G. W. Underwood, in this village and while the clerk was engaged in another part of the store, unobserved by him, helped herself to what she supposed was Morphine, and repaired to a grocery near by and took it. On her return to the Drug Store, she complained of feeling unwell, alleging that the powder of Morphine which she had just taken did not operate upon her as it usually did, and that she felt bad. On being asked by the clerk where she procured it, she went to a show-case and pointed out the bottle; which, on examiniation was found to be Strychine. She immediately exclaimed; "O dear, I shall die!" At her request an emetic---tincture of lobelin--was administered, with the view of ejecting the poison, but it did not have the desired effect. A physician was in the meantime summoned, but all efforts to counteract the poison was unaviling. She lived by half an hour after taking the Strychnine, and died, suffering the agonies and convulsions usual in such cases. It appears that the deceased had on former occasions bought Morphine from the same showcase; and by mistaking the bottles--as there was one in the case containing Morphine--unintentionally committed an act which terminated her life. A Coroner's Inquest was held the same afternoon; and after hearing the testimony, the Jury rendered a verdict in accordance with the facts above narrated. We are happy in being able to state that no blame can be attached to Mr. Underwood or his clerk.