Thriller Thursday - Joseph H Craig

 One would not think that the following obituary from January 8, 1905 would qualify Joseph Harrison Craig as a Thriller Thursday subject.

CRAIG.

News was received in this city last night of the death of Mr. Joseph Craig, of New York. His remains are now en route here and will arrive over the C & O at 5:10 this afternoon. He was a son of the late Parker Craig, who for years was one of Lexington's leading commercial men, running a livery and sale stable on Short street where the Smith-Watkins Hardward Company is now located and being interested in another business. His son, Joseph Craig, went to New York some years ago where he had been successfully engaged in business. He was sixty-five years of age.

However, his Kentucky death certificate (this type was filed with an out-of-state death) says otherwise.

 Being the curious sort, I went searching for further information. Sadly, I did find two Joseph Craigs, one in Sandusky, Ohio who died from poisoning, from his wife accidentally overdosing him. The subject of our Thriller Thursday post, however, was a widower. 

The other Joseph Craig, was indeed from Kentucky, and was a giant at 7 feet 8 inches tall and 400 pounds who worked for Barnum. This man died in April, not January.

Therefore, I've had no luck in determining whether the poison was blood poisoning, or food poisoning or suicide.

(Joseph Harrison Craig was my second cousin three times removed through the Parker family.)

Copyright 2011, ACK for Gene Notes