Harrisonburg Rockingham Register
December 29, 1905
FOUND DEAD IN BED,
Charles Coffman Expired Suddenly at
His Boarding House-—Death Perhaps Due to Narcotic.
Charles E. Coffman, a resident of Harrisonburg, was found dead in bed Thursday morning at the residence of John Southwick, on West Gay street, where he was a boarder, His death was discovered about half past 6 o'clock by Mr. Southwick, who had shared the room with him over night.
Mr. Coffman returned to Harrisonburg one week ago last Wednesday from Brocks Gap, where he had been at work for some weeks at the Excelsior Bark Extract Works. He began drinking after reaching town and was about his boarding house only at irregular intervals. He appeared there at 1 o'clock Wednesday afternoon and went to bed, saying to Mrs. Southwick that he was feeling badly.
That evening he did not appear at the supper table. Mrs. Southwick called upstairs to him and was informed in a "far away tone of voice" that he preferred sleep rather than his supper.
Mr. Coffman was awake at 10 o'clock that night and talked with Mr. Southwick and the latter's son, Wm. Southwick, who together occupied another bed in the same room. He soon fell asleep again and during the night his breathing was unnaturally noisy—a fact commented on at the time by the other occupants of the room, but accounted for by them on the theory that it was due to intoxicants.
Mr. Coffman was alive at 4 o'clock in the morning, when the other men awoke and observed his continued heavy breathing. They left the room later, and when he did not appear at breakfast the elder Southwick went to the room to arouse him. He found the man dead.
Dr. T. C. Firebaugh, coroner, was notified and went to the house, but deemed an inquest unnecessary.
The character of Mr. Coffman's breathing during the night was such as results at times from a heavy narcotic. This fact is believed to have been responsible for a rumor that he had taken an over dose of laudanum. An investigation, however, failed to reveal the purchase by him or possession of any such drug.
Mr. Coffman was a son of the late Wells Coffman and had spent the greater part of his life in Harrisonburg. He was about forty years old.
He leave a brother William Coffman, of Harrisonburg, a sister who resides in Indiana, and a young daughter who makes her home in this place with her mother, who was granted a limited divorce a few years ago.
The funeral was held at 10 o'clock Friday morning from the rooms of Undertaker Wm. F. Fultz, on East Market street.
December 29, 1905
FOUND DEAD IN BED,
Charles Coffman Expired Suddenly at
His Boarding House-—Death Perhaps Due to Narcotic.
Charles E. Coffman, a resident of Harrisonburg, was found dead in bed Thursday morning at the residence of John Southwick, on West Gay street, where he was a boarder, His death was discovered about half past 6 o'clock by Mr. Southwick, who had shared the room with him over night.
Mr. Coffman returned to Harrisonburg one week ago last Wednesday from Brocks Gap, where he had been at work for some weeks at the Excelsior Bark Extract Works. He began drinking after reaching town and was about his boarding house only at irregular intervals. He appeared there at 1 o'clock Wednesday afternoon and went to bed, saying to Mrs. Southwick that he was feeling badly.
That evening he did not appear at the supper table. Mrs. Southwick called upstairs to him and was informed in a "far away tone of voice" that he preferred sleep rather than his supper.
Mr. Coffman was awake at 10 o'clock that night and talked with Mr. Southwick and the latter's son, Wm. Southwick, who together occupied another bed in the same room. He soon fell asleep again and during the night his breathing was unnaturally noisy—a fact commented on at the time by the other occupants of the room, but accounted for by them on the theory that it was due to intoxicants.
Mr. Coffman was alive at 4 o'clock in the morning, when the other men awoke and observed his continued heavy breathing. They left the room later, and when he did not appear at breakfast the elder Southwick went to the room to arouse him. He found the man dead.
Dr. T. C. Firebaugh, coroner, was notified and went to the house, but deemed an inquest unnecessary.
The character of Mr. Coffman's breathing during the night was such as results at times from a heavy narcotic. This fact is believed to have been responsible for a rumor that he had taken an over dose of laudanum. An investigation, however, failed to reveal the purchase by him or possession of any such drug.
Mr. Coffman was a son of the late Wells Coffman and had spent the greater part of his life in Harrisonburg. He was about forty years old.
He leave a brother William Coffman, of Harrisonburg, a sister who resides in Indiana, and a young daughter who makes her home in this place with her mother, who was granted a limited divorce a few years ago.
The funeral was held at 10 o'clock Friday morning from the rooms of Undertaker Wm. F. Fultz, on East Market street.
Harrisonburg Rockingham Register
December 29, 1905
FOUND DEAD IN BED,
Charles Coffman Expired Suddenly at
His Boarding House-—Death Perhaps Due to Narcotic.
Charles E. Coffman, a resident of Harrisonburg, was found dead in bed Thursday morning at the residence of John Southwick, on West Gay street, where he was a boarder, His death was discovered about half past 6 o'clock by Mr. Southwick, who had shared the room with him over night.
Mr. Coffman returned to Harrisonburg one week ago last Wednesday from Brocks Gap, where he had been at work for some weeks at the Excelsior Bark Extract Works. He began drinking after reaching town and was about his boarding house only at irregular intervals. He appeared there at 1 o'clock Wednesday afternoon and went to bed, saying to Mrs. Southwick that he was feeling badly.
That evening he did not appear at the supper table. Mrs. Southwick called upstairs to him and was informed in a "far away tone of voice" that he preferred sleep rather than his supper.
Mr. Coffman was awake at 10 o'clock that night and talked with Mr. Southwick and the latter's son, Wm. Southwick, who together occupied another bed in the same room. He soon fell asleep again and during the night his breathing was unnaturally noisy—a fact commented on at the time by the other occupants of the room, but accounted for by them on the theory that it was due to intoxicants.
Mr. Coffman was alive at 4 o'clock in the morning, when the other men awoke and observed his continued heavy breathing. They left the room later, and when he did not appear at breakfast the elder Southwick went to the room to arouse him. He found the man dead.
Dr. T. C. Firebaugh, coroner, was notified and went to the house, but deemed an inquest unnecessary.
The character of Mr. Coffman's breathing during the night was such as results at times from a heavy narcotic. This fact is believed to have been responsible for a rumor that he had taken an over dose of laudanum. An investigation, however, failed to reveal the purchase by him or possession of any such drug.
Mr. Coffman was a son of the late Wells Coffman and had spent the greater part of his life in Harrisonburg. He was about forty years old.
He leave a brother William Coffman, of Harrisonburg, a sister who resides in Indiana, and a young daughter who makes her home in this place with her mother, who was granted a limited divorce a few years ago.
The funeral was held at 10 o'clock Friday morning from the rooms of Undertaker Wm. F. Fultz, on East Market street.
December 29, 1905
FOUND DEAD IN BED,
Charles Coffman Expired Suddenly at
His Boarding House-—Death Perhaps Due to Narcotic.
Charles E. Coffman, a resident of Harrisonburg, was found dead in bed Thursday morning at the residence of John Southwick, on West Gay street, where he was a boarder, His death was discovered about half past 6 o'clock by Mr. Southwick, who had shared the room with him over night.
Mr. Coffman returned to Harrisonburg one week ago last Wednesday from Brocks Gap, where he had been at work for some weeks at the Excelsior Bark Extract Works. He began drinking after reaching town and was about his boarding house only at irregular intervals. He appeared there at 1 o'clock Wednesday afternoon and went to bed, saying to Mrs. Southwick that he was feeling badly.
That evening he did not appear at the supper table. Mrs. Southwick called upstairs to him and was informed in a "far away tone of voice" that he preferred sleep rather than his supper.
Mr. Coffman was awake at 10 o'clock that night and talked with Mr. Southwick and the latter's son, Wm. Southwick, who together occupied another bed in the same room. He soon fell asleep again and during the night his breathing was unnaturally noisy—a fact commented on at the time by the other occupants of the room, but accounted for by them on the theory that it was due to intoxicants.
Mr. Coffman was alive at 4 o'clock in the morning, when the other men awoke and observed his continued heavy breathing. They left the room later, and when he did not appear at breakfast the elder Southwick went to the room to arouse him. He found the man dead.
Dr. T. C. Firebaugh, coroner, was notified and went to the house, but deemed an inquest unnecessary.
The character of Mr. Coffman's breathing during the night was such as results at times from a heavy narcotic. This fact is believed to have been responsible for a rumor that he had taken an over dose of laudanum. An investigation, however, failed to reveal the purchase by him or possession of any such drug.
Mr. Coffman was a son of the late Wells Coffman and had spent the greater part of his life in Harrisonburg. He was about forty years old.
He leave a brother William Coffman, of Harrisonburg, a sister who resides in Indiana, and a young daughter who makes her home in this place with her mother, who was granted a limited divorce a few years ago.
The funeral was held at 10 o'clock Friday morning from the rooms of Undertaker Wm. F. Fultz, on East Market street.
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