Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-12-25
MAsTIs's FERRY. December, 1856.
Suicide of the Sheriff of Brown
Co., Ohio.

The Brown Co., Democrat, gives the fol-
lowing graphic account OF the truly melan-
choy fate of the Sheriff Of that county:
DEATH OF D. W. W.ArPLEGATE-Mr D. W.
! Applegate committed suicide in one Of the
cells attached to he County Jail, in George
! town. n the mufning OF the Sh inst. lie
was the lev ly elected sheriff Of Brown CCun-
ty, and had been III office about one month.
| His health had been declining iur some time.
| He received Il fail from nurse about one
wear since, which resulted in breaking butn
the bones Ui his right leg. just above the an-
Gle. The large bone was compound fac
tare. This accident confined him 10 his bed
Tor long time. and was followed by all at
tack oc teter. This afiliction broke DOWN
his nervous energies and prostra:cd his gen.
eral health. He removed 10 Georgetown
from his farm above NewhOpe shout the
frs; o. November last to assume the duties
in person of The office OF sheriff of Brown
county, to which he had been elected shortly
before. II WAS supposed that the exercise
on hurse back incident TO that Otii.e wCuid
contribute greatly to the restoration of his
health. II did not. how, yer, remain long
tor his friends and family to be sadly disap
pointed in this anxious hope. His mind, un-
der his new resi- onsibllities as public Cfii-
Ger, suffering as lie did by disease of body,
sunk down 10 settled melancholy. On
last Monday morning after eating his break
fast wrh his iGmily he aalked into ah ad-
Ioining r, ON, and from thence upstairs 10 a
remote cell in the north west part of the
building, closing the door alter him. From
the condition of the body when found, it
was manifest he had cut his throat with
razor, that was found on the floor, covered
with a large quantity Of blood. The case
OF the razor was found in the window still
near by. and his cane, used by him up 10
that fatal moment, hanging TN the foot
board OF beadstead in the cell His throat
was cut very low, severng both OF the large
arteries OF the neck, the wind pipe, indeed
cutting his neck almost half off. His fami-
Iy supposed Mr.. ApPlegate had gone up TO
his office at the court house, until about one
o'clork on Monday, when his wife ieurned
that he had not been seen out in town, with
his oldest son. about twelve years old, imme-
diately repaired to the upper room of the
prison, and there found her husbands man.
gIed hoGy .culd in death. The alarm was in
stantly given, and IN u few moments the
largest portion of the male population o. the
town was on the spot. No language can
describe this horrible scene. A vile, and
five interesting beautiful children in anguish,
and widest screams, shedding untold tears
of sorrow ahd bitterness over the remains
of u beloved husband and atircuionate faith
er. The saddened faces and heart felt spr-
row manifested by our entire community,
will long testify their affection and esteem
for this valuable and estmabIe citizen, who
has so suddenly, in the prime of life, and in
the full enjoyment Of public confidence, sep
arated himself from Ill the living. We need
not ado that for his bereGred widow and chill
dren, who by this calamity are afflicted
ith grief that wrings the soul and bows
it down to earuh," there rs the strongest
manifestation of sympathy and feeling.
A coroners' jury was summoned, who, af-
ter hearing the testimony and examining
the body OF the deceased, as it was first
found, returned verdict that the deceased
had come TO mis- death by committing suicide
in a fit of insanity, resulting from ehtcebled
and declining health.