James M. Dunn

 
The Cartersville News
Cartersville, Georgia
, Page 1
 
Transcribed by:  
 

Takes His Own Life.
He Swallows an Ounce of Prussic Acid.
Young Dunn Takes Deadly Poison in Presence of Parents and Falls Dead.

James M. Dunn, a young man about thirty-two years of age, committed suicide at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. M. Dunn, on Leake street, Sunday afternoon at about 6:30 o’clock, by drinking an ounce of prussic acid.

The young man had been drinking through the day.  He was at the base ball game in the forenoon and was about the streets during the other parts of the day.  At several times he was seen to pull and flourish a pistol and, it is said he shot at a young man twice in the upper part of town.  Late in the afternoon after relieving him of his pistol, Officer Will Dobbs took the young man home.  Dobbs asked Dunn’s father if he should bring him the pistol.  The elder Mr. Dunn, fearing to have the weapon around, told the officer not to bring it.  The family supper was announced ready and they all repaired to the table.  Young Dunn asked his mother for a glass, saying he wanted to take some medicine.  As he had been taking medicine before, the mother gave him the glass. The father seeing him, sprang at the young man and did his best to get the potion away from his son, but he drank it before he could prevent him.  He fell instantly to the floor and died almost instantly.

Jim Dunn was a bright, good natured boy when sober and made himself quite pleasant to everyone he met.  He was full of wit and many were amused and entertained by the humorous remarks he made.  When he was drinking he seemed to be impetuous and fussy and seemed to be often trying to stir up a difficulty.  He gave his parents a great deal of trouble.  It is said that he had often times when drinking threatened to kill himself.  It is reported that a number of months ago he had obtained an ounce vial of prussic acid in some way from Philadelphia and well knew its deadly properties.  He would exhibit the vial every now and then and friends made several attempts to get it away from him, sometimes succeeding when he remonstrated with such threats as caused them to give it back to him. In his soberer months he would express the deepest regrets at his action while drinking.

When the Spanish war broke out several years ago Jim was one of the boys of the community who volunteered for the army.  He served on the island of Cuba and until his command was mustered out.  After returning home he went to Lumberton, Miss., where he worked about the big saw mills of that place.  While there he got a bad fall which injured his spine very badly.  Of late years he has not been engaged for long at a time in any regular line.  The Dunn family stand notably well in this community.  The father and mother are circumspect people and well respected.  There are three of the sons that stand as well as any young men who have been raised in this part of the country.  They are: Charles Dunn, with Jacobs’ Pharmacy, in Atlanta; Ben M. Dunn, Jr., who is in a drug store in Birmingham, and Howard Dunn, who runs on the Seaboard Air Line railroad, while Mrs. John Dobbs, a daughter, is one of the best thought of young matrons in Cartersville.  The many friends deeply sympathize with them in their great trouble which the tragedy has brought them.

The funeral of young Dunn took place from the home at 4 o’clock Monday afternoon.  The remains were interred at Oak Hill.

 

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