From the Reno Gazette-Journal, July 20, 1908.
MAN DIES AFTER EATING LIBRARY PASTE
GOLDFIELD, Nev., July 20.βA post-mortem examination was performed by Dr. Turner, the county physician, on the remains of the unknown man who died near the automobile garage. As a result, the doctor has concluded that the man was nearly starved, and that he had eaten the contents of a glass jar of library paste. The digestive and respiratory organs showed a badly run-down condition. The identity of the man has not been determined beyond the fact of his having a letter addressed to the name of Ross.
For context, library paste was largely flour and water, but also contained toxic chemicals β not enough to hurt someone healthy, but deadly in large amounts for a homeless man on the edge of starvation. Mr. Ross, the man the letter was addressed to, apparently didnβt recognize him, and as far as I know thereβs no information about the contents of the letter. Iβve seen people say this is a hoax because the headstone looks too new and nice but the historic cemetery in Goldfield is genuinely very well looked after and most of the older markers are in this red-on-white-paint style.
I am very much a person who believes in laughing at the absurdity of death. I think itβs also worth remembering that this is a man who died in genuinely terrible circumstances, in a place where no one would ever call him by name again.
π· Hereβs to you, library paste man. We havenβt forgotten you.
