Death Before Dishonor-- Suicide (?) of an Illinois State Senator

Springfield August 10 1878  “News has reached this city that Hon. O V Smith of Lawrence County, State senator from the forty- fifth district in Southern Illinois committed suicide on Saturday by swallowing two ounces of laudanum.  Smith was elected state senator by the Democrats in 1874. His term expired in January 1879.  He was a native of Ohio, aged 38.

“Smith had been treasurer of Lawrence County. The cause of his suicide is thus explained:  In closing up his affairs as county treasurer four years ago, he was found to be a defaulter.  The amount was immediately made good by his father and his bondsmen, and the whole affair was considered amicably arranged.  No criminality on his part was charged, but careless business habits were considered the cause, it appeared that important vouchers had never been taken or if taken lost.

“It has now been developed that some person appeared before the grand jury recently and a true bill of indictment was found against Smith. It is supposed that he in some way obtained knowledge of this and hence his self-destruction.”

I was surprised that this news had not made the Rural Republican. There was nothing about it except a notice of dissolution of partnership between attorneys N C Sands and O V Smith on August 16, 1878. There was no death record nor a coroner’s report which surely would have filed in an individual as well known as O V Smith. So I researched a bit more…it seems Springfield didn’t get it right. Surprise.

The Newton Press, (August 21, 1878) quoting from the Democratic newspaper of Lawrence County, the Lawrenceville Herald:

“In regard to the attempted suicide of O V Smith, present state senator from this district, the Lawrenceville Herald has the following to say:  It was rumored on the streets last Wednesday afternoon that O V Smith had taken two ounces of laudanum for the purposed of committing suicide; and declared to his physicians who were in attendance shortly after he had taken the drug that he would not take an emetic but wanted to died.  This report of his taking the two ounces of laudanum proved to be untrue, and that it was not his intention to take his own life, but merely to have an effect upon the grand jury which was in session. He also declared his determination of carrying out the rash act.

“But on Friday night he took the western- bound train and the supposition is that he has gone to San Francisco, California, having a railroad pass to that city.  It is not necessary to state to our readers the condition of affairs as former school treasurer—he having been a defaulter to a large sum of money ($3000)—but the loss was promptly paid by his father and the whole matter considered amicable adjusted.

“He leaves behind a number of creditors who will no doubt think of him in their prayers. The grand jury on Wednesday found two bills against him one for forgery and the other for embezzlement.”

So, Readers, the trail then just disappears.  I need a sighting of O V Smith. What happened to him? Maybe, he died in California, maybe, he returned to Illinois. Are there any researchers out there who can help find this man?