OBIT: James Sullivan, 1916, Bittinger Station, Adams County, PA

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ALCOHOLISM KILLS

Laborer in Stone Quarry at Bittinger Found Dead

Tuesday morning about 5 o’clock, James Sullivan, about 60 years old, was found 
lying dead in front of the Charles Bittinger store at Bittinger station.  Mr. 
Bittinger was aroused by someone calling him.  He then notified his father, John 
R. Bittinger, who owns the Bittinger stone quarries, where Sullivan was 
employed.  Mr. Bittinger, Sr., notified R. M. Straley, Esq., of New Oxford, who 
with a number of others, came to Bittinger station.  Dr. Seaks, of New Oxford, 
was called and a jury empaneled.

The body of Sullivan was taken to the house where he made his home with a number 
of other laborers.  The examination revealed a scratch on both the left and 
right shoulders.  The jury could find no marks of violence that would indicate 
the cause of death and rendered the following verdict:  “James Sullivan came to 
his death by a congestion of the lungs brought on by excessive use of alcohol 
and by the position in which he was lying when in a stupor.”

There was a cheap watch found on his body and also sixty-eight cents in money.  
It is thought that the deceased has relatives in Philadelphia.  The jury 
consisted of John R. Bittinger, Roy Bittinger, A. P. Wagner, Roy Taughinbaugh 
and Allen Brashears.

The body was turned over to Steward Harry Sheely, of the Adams county almshouse 
at Gettysburg for burial.

The Hanover Herald – Saturday, July 15, 1916