Thomas W. Dorrah, 56, of Decatur, committed suicide early Sunday morning by drinking poison after attempting to kill his divorced wife by forcing some of the poison down her throat

Dorrah dropped dead on a sidewalk in the 200 block East Cerro Gordo street, two blocks from his wife’s home.

Mrs. Dorrah’s life was saved by prompt action on the part of a physician in St. Mary’s hospital. The poison was pumped from her stomach. She was in a serious condition in the hospital late Sunday night, suffering with internal burns and burns on her face, due to the poison. Her mouth also was cut by glass from the bottle which her husband broke in forcing the poison down her.

Dorrah, a former factory worker out of employment, had been seeking a reconciliation with his wife. She had refused to see him, and had called upon the police to keep him away from her home in 558 North Main street.

A short time ago, Mrs. Dorrah admitted her ex-husband to her home and cared for him when he explained that he could not find work. They quarreled and she sent him away.

He returned before daylight Sunday and knocked on the front door. Mrs. Dorrah refused to open the door. Several hours later thinking he had gone, she went to the door. He seized her and thrust an open bottle to her lips.

Mrs. Dorrah resisted and in the scuffle her glasses were broken, her artificial teeth were forced from her mouth and she received bruises from blows.

Dorrah kept pushing the bottle into her mouth and its contents flowed down her throat as the bottle broke in her mouth. Mrs. Dorrah spat out as much of the poison as she could and screamed. Neighbors called the police who rushed her to the hospital. A physician used a stomach pump to remove the poison. Burns on her mouth and outside of her throat were dressed.

Meanwhile Dorrah had drained the contents of another bottle of poison. He staggered east in Cerro Gordo street and dropped dead. Moran’s ambulance took him to St. Mary&rsqup;s hospital where he was pronounced lifeless. His body was taken to Moran’s funeral home.

Mrs. Dorrah was asked whether funeral arrangements should be deferred until her recovery. “Do whatever you want to with him,” she said. “I don’t care what you do.”

Coroner Roy M. Dawson found a note in Dorrah’s clothing which revealed that the poison had been bought in a drug store last October. The note said “No matter what has happened between us, I still love her.”

Dorrah worked for Staley’s about two years ago. Later he went to work for the Wabash. He was laid off last June, and had done odd jobs since.

He was born near Shelbyville on March 27, 1875. He came to Decatur nine years ago from Nebraska. He leaves his former wife and a son. The son lives in Nebraska.

Funeral arrangements await an inquest to be conducted by Coroner Dawson.

Decatur Herald, Monday, May 11, 1931, p. 4

Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon for Thomas W. Dorrah, Decatur man who committed suicide by drinking poison after failing in an attempt to kill his divorced wife.

The services will be at 1:30 in the J. J. Moran & Sons chapel with burial in Graceland cemetery.

Coroner Ray M. Dawson has delayed the inquest into Dorrah’s death in the hope of calling Mrs. Vera Dorrah as a witness. Mrs. Dorrah is recovering from external and internal poison burns and is in St. Mary’s hospital.

Decatur Herald, Wednesday, May 13, 1931, p. 13

Vera Dorrah, who was released earlier in the week from St. Mary’s hospital after her husband attempted to kill her by poison and succeeded in committing suicide, was arrested by Decatur police Saturday afternoon in a raid on her home in 558 North Main street. She was charged with keeping a [bawdy] house.

Gertrude Smith was arrested as an inmate of the house and John Richards, Indianapolis, also was brought into headquarters. Mrs. Dorrah paid a fine of $28.15 after pleading guilty before Justice John Knowlton and both of the others were fined $13.15 on similar pleas.

Decatur Herald, Sunday, May 24, 1931, p. 3