Harold Whetstone Johnston (March 18, 1859 in Rushville, IllinoisJOHNSTONE, Harold Whetstone
in ''

Marquis Who's Who Marquis Who's Who, also known as A.N. Marquis Company ( or ), is an American publisher of a number of directories containing short biographies. The books usually are entitled ''Who's Who in...'' followed by some subject, such as ''Who's Who in A ...

'' (1901-1902 edition); via archive.org – June 17, 1912) was a classical historian and Professor of

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

, best known for writing '' The Private Life of the Romans''.

Personal life

Johnston was the son of DeWitt Clinton Johnston and Margretta Hay (Bower). In 1882, he married Eugenia Hinrichsen.

Death

Johnston died of

cyanide poisoning Cyanide poisoning is poisoning that results from exposure to any of a number of forms of cyanide. Early symptoms include headache, dizziness, fast heart rate, shortness of breath, and vomiting. This phase may then be followed by seizures, slo ...

on June 17, 1912 while on a train from Monon, Indiana to

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

. The coroner determined that he had ingested

potassium cyanide Potassium cyanide is a compound with the formula KCN. It is a colorless salt, similar in appearance to sugar, that is highly soluble in water. Most KCN is used in gold mining, organic synthesis, and electroplating. Smaller applications include ...

intentionally, and his friends indicated he had been upset due to financial difficulties.

Works

* 1897 – ''A collection of examples illustrating the metrical licenses of vergil'' * 1903 – , Publisher: Beaufort Books (1972 reissue) * 1910 – ''Selected Orations and Letters of

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer and Academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises tha ...

'' Scott, Foresman and Co.

References

External links

* * * 1859 births 1912 deaths American classical scholars American Latinists Suicides by cyanide poisoning 1912 suicides Suicides in Indiana {{US-historian-stub