NORMAN

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Friday, November 14, 2008 at 04:13:49 :

Marin Journal
Thursday, June 12, 1924
Page 1

Man Ends Life With Chloroform

The body of a man identified as Frank S. Norman was found Wednesday morning floating in the water off San Quentin Point and removed to the morgue.

Identification was made last night by Herbert A. Norman, a brother of the dead man, who has arranged to have the remains shipped to San Francisco for burial.

According to the statement of the brother, the deceased, an insurance broker, was injured some time ago when he stumbled and fell over a chair at his home, 34, Woodland avenue, San Francisco. He was taken to the Franklin hospital for treatment, and remained there until Tuesday afternoon, when he left without the knowledge or consent of his relatives. He was an amateur musician, of a temperamental nature, and highly educated, and it is presumed that despondency over his physical condition prompted the rash act which ended his life.

In his pockets were found a partially filled bottle of chloroform and a quantity of absorbent cotton. Coroner J. Ray Keaton believes that the man took the chloroform while en route between Richmond and San Quentin on a ferryboat. He was 50 years of age. Coroner Keaton will hold an inquest next week.