Clark County NV Archives Obituaries.....JOHNSON, Mr. March 20 1912
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Gerry Perry missgerry@cox.net May 19, 2004, 10:43 pm

Las Vegas AGE - March 23, 1912


LAS VEGAS AGE

3/23/1912



JOHNSON A SUICIDE



LAS VEGAS MAN TAKES OWN LIFE IN SALT LAKE CITY WEDNESDAY LAST



    Mrs. A. JOHNSON, with her little son, both with big blue eyes and golden

hair, came to Salt Lake yesterday to meet her husband.  The meeting took

place in the morgue at the Qualtrough-Allcott undertaking parlors.

    JOHNSON came from Las Vegas, Nev., to meet his wife and son Tuesday

night.  Yesterday afternoon he was found dead in his bed at the Palmer

hotel, 54 West First South street.  He had killed himself by drinking the

contents of a two-ounce bottle of carbolic acid.

    JOHNSON left no word, but it is presumed that he committed suicide in

despondency over his financial outlook and his inability to obtain

employment.  He was about 35 years of age.  Several days ago he lost his

position as a copper smith, employed by the Salt Lake Route at Las Vegas.

He telegraphed the bad news to his wife, who was in the east visiting

relatives.  Wishing to be with her husband in his trouble, Mrs. JOHNSON

started for Las Vegas at once, traveling on the pass her husband had secured

for her through his connection with the railroad.

    At Rawlins, in accordance with the inexorable rules of the railroad

company, the pass was taken up by the conductor, who had been advised by

telegraph that the pass was no longer valid because JOHNSON was no longer a

railroad man.

    Penniless, Mrs. JOHNSON and her boy got off at Rawlins and telegraphed

JOHNSON about her predicament.  JOHNSON sent her the last $20 he had in the

world.  Then, he borrowed some small change from a friend and came on to

Salt Lake, successfully using his pass this far.  With his little remaining

money he paid for a telegram to his wife, asking her to meet him here,

rented a room at the Palmer hotel and purchased a bottle of carbolic acid.

    These things were revealed by letters and duplicate telegrams found with

the body.  Among the correspondence were several endearing and encouraging

letters from Mrs. JOHNSON, bidding him to cheer up because everything was

going to come out all right.  There was another letter in childish scrawl,

addressed to "Daddy" and signed "Buster".

    Johnson's body was found by a chambermaid at 1 o'clock yesterday

afternoon.  Death had ensued several hours previously.  It was examined by

the police and by Dr. H. B. SPRAGUE.  Then it was sent to the undertaker.

    Mrs. JOHNSON arrived in Salt Lake early yesterday morning.  While she

was eating breakfast in the depot cafe, someone stole her suit case.  After

an hour's delay searching for the suit case, she began looking for her

husband who was to have met her at the station.  She looked all day and got

several friends to help her in her search.  Then late in the afternoon she

bought a paper and read about her husband.

    After viewing the body at the undertakers, Mrs. JOHNSON collapsed and

had to be cared for by a physician.

    The JOHNSONs came here from Sunbury, PA.  The body will be taken back

there for burial.  [S. L. Tribune, Mch 21]



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