Death From Morphine,
The Singular Story of Elisha ( meaning Elijah-mis-named in the article)
Shaw of Bells-
Sherman, Tex., Feb. 8 - Some forty years since Elisha Shaw moved
to Grayson County, Tex., from Illinois and located near the present town
of Bell's. He went energetically to work and when the war came up left
his family comvortably fixed and took up his arms in behlf of the South.
When the war eneded he came home, went to to work and made a good citizen.
He was highly respected and had been for years a member of the Masonic
Fraternity. Although in his seventy first year he was hale and hearty.
About three months ago he suddenly disappeared from home and no trace could
be found of him though a thorough search was made for him by his sons,
who are all well to do and respected farmers and with one exception citizens
of the same locality as that in which they were reared. About three weeks
ago a neighbor while passing an old deserted house near the residence of
the missing man, found him asleep on the floor. When awakened he state
he had been in Illinois on a visit with his relatives. He went home and
remained there for about a week when he suddenly disappeared again and
a telegram was received at Bell's that he was dying in a hotel in Whitesboro,
this county, from the effects of morphine. His son , James Shaw, left at
once for the scene but arrived too late to find his father alive. It appeared
the drug had been purchased the night before and the drug clerk says he
sold him sixty grains. He had not taken all, for when he was prepared fro
the casket today quite a quantity of the drug was found in the wrinkles
of his shirt where it had evidently been dropped from the old man's hand
as it was being conveyed to his mouth.
His remains were interred in the Chaffin cemetery (now referred
to as the Shaw Cemetery) , four miles West of Bells, this afternoon at
4 o'clock.
From those who were most with the old gentleman
after his returned form Illinois. The News reporter , while in Bell's today,
learned that he had been visibly off mentally for a day or two before he
left the last time.
Grayson
County TXGenWeb
