The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-08-11
Our Albany Correspondence.
ALBANY, August 9, 1851.
Suicide most Horrible and Distressing


Suicide most Horrible and Distressing.
Our city was thrown into q state Of sadness and
melancholy last evening, by the intelligence, which
spread with the wind, that Robert Whitock, Jr.,
had committed suicide. The facts we understand
to be these. About o'clock yesterday afternoon
he told the servant girl that be was going to his
chamber fer the purpose of sleeping an hour or
two, and at o'clock he wanted to be Gale 1, add
ing, "when you come up to the room you will see
something at which you will be astonished." The
girl remarked, that as Mrs. w. (his mother) was
Lot at home, she "did not want to be frightened,
and if he intended it, she would leave the house"
lie went to his room, and when the time arrived
when he told the girl to call him, she at to his
room, opened the door, and found him suspended
by the neck with small cord She screamed with
alright, ran to the front door, and the first person
she saw was Henry Yates, livery stable man,
who, together with two Iaboring men. rushed to
the OF the horrid affair, and there saw young
Whitlock dangling by the cord. Mr.. Y. immedi-
atey felt in his pocket for mis- knife to cut the cord
but the extreme agitation which the pro-
duced so confused him that some two minutes
elapsed before be could find his knife, when he cut
the cord, and the men laid the body on the floor
BY this time physician arrived, who applied his
lancet, and, upon feeling the pulse, thought at
first he could perceive faint signs Of animation
But il proved different, and in a few moments the
unhappy youth was pronounced n corpse.
Young w. was sixteen years OF age, the son Of
one Of our most estimable, respected, aud worthy
citizens, who is one Of our most extensive lumber
dealers, and gentleman OF abundant wealth. The
mother was absent at Philadelphia, and one Of
bis sisters on a visit in Canada, to whom tele
graphic dispatches were Immediately conveyed
This is very heavy affection for the family and
friends, and Mr.. W, who is Of the fondest Of
parents, is inconsolable-his grief is poignant, 10
such extent that IL seems as If his heart strings
must burst asunder.
II appears incredible that youth Of only sixteen,
blessed with the happiest Of homes, the most In
dulgent parents, lovely and accomplished sisters
with the brightest prospects Of life before him, in
the buoysncy and elasticity Of youth, with the
bud Of life just opening its blossoms should commit
an act Of self destruction, and enter thus rsshly
int the unknown world. Rumor, however, never
idle, ventures to assign a cause, thus - that
the sudden death Of an accomplished and gifted
young lady, yestei dsy morning, about hH own age,
with whom he had been intimate from childhood
and school days, preyed 80 heavily upon his mind
a. TO have unseated reason from its throne-the
intimacy had grown into the strongest affection,
and that they were pledged in love, only waiting
for more mature years to crown their attachment
for each other with the marriage vow. Her sudden
death, snatching her from him, as IL were, in the
very moment when he anticipated a realization Of
his iondest hopes, it is thought, rendered him un-
mindful Of all else earth and, in a moment Of
despair, he resolved TO meet her, whom alone he
loved on earth, in the spirit world above.