Amos, Ben F. (Death Record)

AMOS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 2/11/2009 at 13:20:21

Death Record Plymouth County, Iowa, Courthouse
Book #1

Name: Ben F. Amos
Male
Single
Occu: Real estate
Date of birth: Born in Iowa
Date of death: 07 Feb 1896, LeMars, IA
Age at death: 40 years of age
Cause of death: overdose of morphine (per funeral home record)
Buried: 08 Feb 1896, LeMars, IA
Courthouse Record: Page 115
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Le Mars Sentinel, February 10, 1896

Poisoned By Morphine
Ben Amos Takes an Overdose of the Drug and is Found Dead in Bed

From Saturday's Daily:

Ben F. Amos died at his room over Ashley's bakery at 10:30 last night of
morphine poisoning. Amos has been on one of his periodical drunks for some
time past and has been in pretty hard shape for two weeks. All of yesterday
he was very much under the influence of liquor, although he was, as usual,
able to keep his feet with perfect ease. It is his custom, when recovering
from one of his sprees, to use considerable amount of morphine and their
frequence has caused him to be considerably addicted to the use of the drug.

He obtained seven, one eighth grain tablets from Dr. Mammen the day before
yesterday and had two of them left at six o'clock yesterday. Billy Shields,
a fellow who scrubs floors, etc., in the saloons and sleeps at the city jail
was up in Amos' room for some time previous to 10 o'clock. Ben said he was
feeling badly and "I wouldn't care if I were dead." Shields swept out and
cleaned up the room and went down to Henry Braband's to scrub the floor.
When he returned he found Ben dead. As soon as he was quite sure that life
was extinct he went down for the police. He first told Peter Crane, then
Frank Young, a cigar maker, who he met on Sixth street, and, later Oscar
Haerling. The four went back up to the room. They were all satisfied that
Amos was dead, but sent Henry Frerichs, who, with Roger Molampy, had been
called, after Dr. Mammen. The latter pronounced Ben dead.

The deceased has been a well known character of the town for many years
past. His worst fault was his periodical sprees. Tuesday and Wednesday of
this week he was in Sioux City and was intoxicated the greater part of the
time. Last night he showed Joan Jones, who has the room next to him, two
pint flasks of whiskey and a box of morphine. None of these could be found
after his death. Whether the drug which caused his death was some of his
own or some secured from Shields, who is a morphine fiend, is unknown.

Amos leaves a wife who left him on account of her husband's dissipation. An
inquest was held at 10 o'clock this morning at the office of Coroner Mammen.
Robert Black, J.A. Herrington and Abe Fletcher were called as jurymen.
Considerable evidence was introduced.

The jury brought in a verdict of "death by excessive use of liquor and
morphine administered by his own hand."

Ben Amos was a good-hearted fellow, and one who was always more or less
popular. He had considerable ability as a real estate man, but was hampered
at every turn by his taste for liquor. It was disasterous to him through
life and the indirect cause of his death.

The funeral was held this afternoon.