Tuesday, July 14, 1908, an unidentified starving vagrant man met his unfortunate earthly demise by self-inflicted accidental fatal poisoning at the Mojave Desert town of Goldfield in Esmerelda County, Nevada.
Rest In Peace, Unknown Library Paste Eater.
The famished wanderer happened upon a jar of library paste in the local garbage dump & decided to make a meal of the discarded adhesive. Comprised mostly of wheat flour & water, the paste must have seemed reasonable to eat; however, it also contained alum, which is poisonous if a large enough dose is consumed. The effects of the alum, along with an already weakened health condition, appear to have been enough to cause the unfortunate man’s demise.
The Unknown Library Paste Eater was interred the Goldfield Pioneer Cemetery. Upon his tombstone are written the following words:
Unknown Man
Died Eating Library Paste
July 14 1908
