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Description: COL. C.A. ADAMS DIES SUDDENLY
HEART FAILURE CAUSED BY USING MORPHINE.
Newspaper published in: Chillicothe
Source: Microfilm
COL. C.A. ADAMS DIES SUDDENLY
HEART FAILURE CAUSED BY USING MORPHINE.
Took drug to relieve pain and never recovered from its effects – widely known man.
Col. Charles A. Adams, Livingston County’s representative in the last Legislature, died suddenly at his home northeast of Chillicothe at 2:30, Tuesday afternoon, from heart failure, caused by an overdose of morphine, taken to alleviate pain.
Col. Adams had been suffering for some time with bowel and rectal trouble. He had been ill for a week or more, but not sufficiently to call a physician. Monday he was suffering so much that he took a dose of morphine in order that he might get some sleep. He took the dose about 6 o’clock, and about 8 o’clock went into his bedroom to sleep. Soon after that he was found to be sinking, and the Drs. Barney were hurriedly summoned to attend him. They worked with him Monday night and again Tuesday morning, but their work was of no avail. The Colonel’s heart, evidently weak, had been affected by the morphine and that organ did not respond to treatment. He never recovered consciousness but continued to grow weaker, until the end came at 2:30.
The attending physicians are of the opinion that the dose of morphine taken by Mr. Adams would not have been sufficient to have hurt him if his heart had been in healthy condition. He was not aware of the weakened condition of his heart, and when he sought relief from pain and sleeplessness took a dose that would have only had a mild result with a man in robust health.
The news of Colonel Adams sudden death came as a great shock to the people of Chillicothe, who so loved and respected him. He was a man of the greatest popularity, as was attested by his being elected to the Legislature last fall in a Democratic County. During the many years of his business life here he had made for himself a warm place in the affections of thousands of friends who admired him as a man of vastly superior attainments and noble, manly qualities. No man in the County was more universally liked, and the death of none would have caused more profound sorrow.
Mr. Adams had long been identified with the business interests of Chillicothe. He was a man who transacted business on a large scale and always made a success of it. For many years he had been in the creamery business. Adams butter was the best that the market afforded and had won first premiums at State and national expositions. Subsequently he and his sons engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery business. After being in this business several years they closed out their retail business and have since been wholesaling exclusively. The name of Adams & Sons stands high among the merchants of Missouri and adjoining states, because of the irreproachable methods always used by Col. Adams and his sons.
During the last few years Mr. Adams had not been actively engaged in the management of the grocery house. He spent the greater part of his time on his fine farm, northeast of town in Rich Hill Township.
Charles A. Adams was born in Vermont, November 23, 1837. He was educated at Ludlow, Vt., receiving a fine education. When the war broke out he enlisted in the First Vermont Cavalry and was made major. He was discharged in June, 1865, after having served nearly four years. In 1869 he came to Chillicothe and this continued to be his home until the time of his death.
In the summer of 1900 Col. Adams’ first wife and the mother of his children died at Mooresville Springs. Last fall he was married to Miss Mamie Todd, who survives him.
Col. Adams was the Republican nominee for Representative in 1900, and was elected, defeating F.K. Thompson by three votes. He was made a member of the Committee on Appropriations and in that capacity served the Industrial Home for Girls well, besides being an able and careful representative.
Besides his wife there survive Col. Adams two sons, C.F. and A.E., associated with him in business, one daughter, Mrs. Carrie Jones of Rich Hill Township; a sister, H.M. Pollard of St. Louis, and a brother, Henry Adams of this county.