Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-06-04
From the New York Sunday Herald.
Horrible Tragedy In Leonard street.


SUICIDE or 4 DISAPPOINTED LovER
Last evening, about seven o'clock, most dis
tressing case OF suicide occurred in the house Of
Cinderella Marshall, No o. Leonard street. At
this hour, Thomas Bailey Russum, formerly Of Ban
Francisco, blew his brains out with pistoi--the
cause, refusal Of girl in this house to marry him.
AS far as we have been able 10 ascertain the facts
of the are these;
On the above evening the deceased visited Miss
MarshaIs for the purpose Of seeing this girl, with
whom he had fallen desperately In love. He en-
treated her to leave the life she was following and
Join her hand with his in marriage, but she firmly
refused for reasons best known 10 herself The
loye-stricken man then became much excited and
threatened, If she did not instantly promise him
her hand In wedlock, he would blow his brains out,
ut the same time drawing pistol from his pocket.
The threats Of suicide 90 alarmed the lady OF the
house that she sent across the street. to the Fifth
Ward station-house for the police TO come and
take Russum away. Captain Carpenter, who was
in the staton-house at the time, instantly accom-
panied the messenger, and, going up stairs, saw
the deceased standing in the middle OF the room,
where the young woman was holding converse with
him, with pistol In his hand. Captain Carpenter
Immediately approached him, and in q conciatory
tone remarked Give me the pistol, and come
along with me to the station-house, where we will
settle this matter, after having talked II over"
resigned manner proceeded to follow Captain Car
penter down stairs
Not thinking for Q moment that the wretched
man had another pistol In his possession, Captain
Carpenter went down stairs first, while Russum
followed close behind him, apparently satisfied to
20 to the station house. However, at the bottom
Of the stairway and when about two or three steps
from the hall landing, Russam suddenly pulled out
| a second pistol, and placing the muzzle OF the
weapon close to his ear discharged the contents Of
the same into his brain. The scene that followed
may be better imagined than described. The UNI
fortunate man, all covered with blood, instantly
fell headlong to the floor, and there for few mo-
ments lay conyulsed in death. Aid was instantly
procured from the station house. and the body was
conveyed to that building, weere the suicide lin
gered for ten minutes, gaspng in the agonies Of
DEATH and then became lifeless corpse. M
The deceased never spoke word after receivr
ing the mortal wound. The ball entering the skull
Just beside the ear on the left side Of the head,
passed outward and lodged in the left eye.
This horrible tragedy is tinged with romance.
The suicide occupied high position in the city Of
San Francisco, where he formerly held the Office Of
Register. There he left wife and two children,
and came on to New York with ample means to
defray his expenses here during his stay, which
was meant to have been short. While In New York
he boarded at the Carlton House-was brought in
contact with q girl boarding at Cinderella Mar
shalrs Of very captivating and pleasing manners
| With her he became deeply enamored, and so deep
was his ovefor her that he offered her bis hand in
marriage His offer was refused, for what reasons
we could not learn a deep melancholy seized upon
| the rejected woer, and he determined on commit
| ting suicide, and thus end all his troubles.
| To this end he, on the 2lst Of April last, pur
chased vial Of laudanum, and proceeded to the
residence of the late captivating woman, and there
told her his intentions If she would not agree to
the propositions he had previously made. His
arguments in favor of marriage were secuted at
which had such an effect upon his mind that he
instantly in presence Of his "evi star" swallowed
the entire contents of the bottle. Medical aid was
| procured, and Russum was conveyed In an insen-
sible condition to the Carlton House. Here, after
lingering between life and death for two days, he
recovered from the deadly effects Of the poison,
but seemed quite disappointed at the result Of the
| attempt at suicide, and even on his sick bed de-
clared that soon as an opportunity would offer
he would commit selfdestruction.
His friends reasoned with him on his foolish
course of conduct but be was deaf to all their en-
treaties, and would listen to no alternative save
death or marriage with the woman he loved.
| As determination to commit suicide was evin-
ced, his friends and medical attendants thought the
most proper course to pursue would be TO send the
infatuated man to the lunatc asylum on Blackwells
Island. Thther accordingly, on q commitment
issued by Justice Connolly, Russum was conveyed,
about month ago, and here he was treated after
the manner of all those affected with disease Of
the mind. How he got from the lunatic asylum,
and arrived here in the city few days ago, has
not yet been ascertained; but 1t Is thought that
his friends, thinking he had got over the mad at
that possessed him, removed him from that insti-
tuition, not supposng that he intended to make q
second attempt at selfdestructiou. But how
greatly they were deceived and mistaken, the
above can bear witness. His deep love for this
woman had not abated, Notwithstanding her per-
emptory refusal Of his hand but had increased two
fold with the heavy reverses that seemed to come
between him and the object Of his affections.
His visit to the courtesan last evening his final
offer, his refusal, his suicide, and the shocking
scene that was then enacted, close this fearful
drama
The deceased was man about 10 years Of age,
and was more than ordinarily handsome; was
about six feet high, Of dark complexion, and had
black hair and moustAche. He d, We understand
native Of Baltimore, but for many years past
had been citisen Of San Francisco, where, hold
| ing the once of Register, he commanded great
| deal Of respect, and won for himself many friends
and admirers. His untimely end will, no doubt
be snoerey regretted by his friends, and DO hard
blow 70 his unfortunate widow and orphan chill
dren. The coroner will hold an inquest upon the
body Of the deceased to-day.
Distribution IN CnAxBKRs, ALAnANA.-The fol-
lowing Is an extract from letter received some
days since by the editor Of the Montgomery jour
nal The writer Is Hon. Samuel Pearson, Judge
Of Probate for Chambers county:
wheat crops, however, are coming in good,
above an average, but oats are entirely cut OFF
am issuing coumissary this week, for the county,
TO distribute some corn by the Commissioners
Court for the destitute Of our county; and could
you have witnessed the applicants and heard their
stories, for the last few days, am satisfied you
could draw picture that would excite the sympa-
thy Of the most selfish heart. am free 10 confess
that had no idea Of the restitution that prevails
in this county. Why sir, what do you think Of a
iridop and her children living for three days and
nights on boiled weeds, called pepper grass-yet
such, am credibly informed, has been the case in
Chambers county. Friend johnson, ! am gloomy,
and have awful forebodings Of the future, not that
have lost confidence In my Maker; by no means
for know he win do right, but fear he has a
Judgment In store for these United States"
Archbishop Hughes has just published, In book
form, with lengthy preface, his correspondence