Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-05-28

by his own hand, shows how much fiction
may be exceeded in tragic interest by story
of the sad realities of actual life.
From the Newark Advertiser. May 18th.
THE DEATH OF HERBERT.
Our whole community was startled, last
evening by the brief announcement of the
melancholy suicide of Mr.. Henry Wi liam
Herbert late of this city, which came to us
| just as our paper was going to press. \ secret
| hope was fit that there was some mistake
about it, but the fall and saddening details
which came "A few hours later, confirmed the
announeamcnt-devcoping the most affecting
| tragedy our people have ever felt an interest
| in The act was evidently committed under
| the influence ofu long-protlncted melancholy,
amounting almost t. frantic despair; this
was the consequence of domestic difficulty
operating upon an eXquisitiv,ly sensitive
mind which unfortunately ran to extremes
of joy or sorrow. all through his unhappy
life. Indeed, those who have only seen the
occasional results of his uncomfortable impet-
uosity of feeling, and looked upon his unusu-
ally stalWart frame, have never given him
credit for the better nature which ovtrwht In
ed HMM sorrow at the reaction
The incidents more Immediately affecting
his mind commenced with his second mar
riagc, which occurred ut the House Of Prayer
in this city. on the 10th of February last. the
rector, the Rev. Mr.. Shackleford performing
the ceremony. The bride was Miss Adea r.
Budlon", young lady from Rhode Island,
with whom Herbert had formed Il sudden and
romantic attachment during II visit she was
making in New York. 1t appears. from his
own statement to the writer of this about
the time of the occurrence, that he relieved
her from the assault of some ruilian IN one of
the New York avenues, and accompanied her
to her hotei II corr spOudrncc followed and
resulted in the wedding, which was compare
lively private. only four gentlemen of this
city being present by invitation, with two
from New York, in addition to the brides
mother and brother. They came from New
York in the , p. IN. train, which was delayed
by an accident for about an hour on the way,
and it was late in the afternoon when the
ceremony was performed.
The parties proceeded Immediately to Mr.
llcrbert's cottage ut " The Cedars,' about ,
miles above the center Of this city, ON the
Passaic River. and for IA time they were per-
fectly happy in each others society. Some
SIX weeks after this ceremony the reptile
spirit Of calumny crawled into his quiet home;
it is alleged that some one, represented to be
IL lady, took occasion, (probubty without any
idea Of the tragic result, y and poured into his
witcs mind a recital of the worst features of
his life in the usual exaggerated gossip, and
on his return he found her alone and mclan-
choly
She told him what had passed, but refused
to reveal the person. This fired Herbert's
inhammahle temperament, and, in the heat
Of his impetuosity, he threatened to destroy
himself, if she did not reveal the name. She
o,J
tured small blood vessel OF produced Il he
morrhage of the lungs. This in turn alarmed
Herbert, who did all he could to restore her
health and relieve her mind; but, from hat
moment, she determined to leave him, and
did SO during his absence in New York.
According to his representations he passed
out of his back gate which leads into the
Cemetery, and she accompanied him +" tho
fence bidding him an aiicctiUnate adieu, with
kiss On his return she had gone, and the
full gush Of dcsolation and despair unbalanced
his sensitive mind. He strove i'll vain to
bring her back, and thinking it would pro-
mote the object, he left his cottage, which he
thought might D, too lonely for her, and took
apartments at the Stevens House, New York,
(atc Delmonico's) near the Bowling Green.
Here he used every effort of his ingenuity to
recover his wife, but she steadily refused to
lnSeI MN, anu IlltllN INSTRUCTED ntl utloillNy
to inform him that she would receive no fur
ther communications from him. This last
drop overfOwed the cup of his bitterness; the
future seemed all hopeless and he then med
itatcd his own destruction.
On Saturday he purchased Colt revolver
for the purpose, and had determined to shoot
himself in the Cemetery at the gate where he
parted with her he loved so well. On sun
day he sent for his friend, Philip II. Anthon,
who remained with him during the day and
till > o'clock on Monday morning. Al that
hour he was conversing with him ON the sub
oct that absorbed his mind, and suddenly
went out into an adjoining bedroom the
re ort of pistol was Immediately heard, and
the unhappy man came reeling back into the
sittingroom, excaiming - told you |
would do it ~ lie sank down, and after
few groans, expired.
Among the private letters left by him was
the following to his good friend and neghbor
Miles I'Anson
Ny Dear Miles FAnson: The time has come
and call upon you with the last words of dying
cUuntryman to come and perform your promise
My last friend, do not fail me.
When you receive this / shall be lying dead in
the cemetery l could not be easy in New York,
and must not be buried in the Potter's Field or
! by charity.
Have me dressed in the clothes which have put
in the carpet-bag with the little packet l have
to the shirt upon my heart, and the pin-cush-
ion with "lierbert" pricked upon it under my
head-a plain oaken coffin, with this inscription
only " Henry William Herbert-aged 81"
Let me be buried in your lot; send the coffin by
the steamer; no funeral and no pomp. | send a
note to Mr.. Shackleford; he will perform the SER
vice.
| inclose a draft of ten pounds sterling on my
sister, which will pay all expenses; have written
to her. Come the moment you receive this or you
will be too late, and they will thrust me into some
hole away from humanity. She has refused al
reconciliation absolutely and forever; but she il
not blame and it is my last request that friend
of mine will blan her defend me, except to say
what | soemnly swear with my dying breath, tina
l did not marry her for money-that l did mo-
know when l married her. and do not know nolo
whether she has any money or how much-that
never had a word or dispute with her about money
and never said one unkind word until that Monda,
when threatened my life if she would not tell M
who had accused me to her falsely.
God forgive and God bless her. forgive al
men who have wronged me, and ask forgiveness o
all whom l have wronged. Every shilling l ow
in America will be paid from the lease of the house
and the books which leave behind me, ready t
, be published
? Give my best parting love to all my friend:
think Of me sometimes as most miserable man
yet your true friend HENRY WV. HERBERT
! May Is, 1858. Stevens House.
, wish to have a very small, very plain head
e stone of Little Falls or Bellville stone with tn
q inscription:
'. HENRY WILLIAM HERBERT,
J. England,
o aged 81 years.
d IlfeiiciSsinus.
4 Will you take care of Vixen. his dog | She h
- been my only comfort. She has never left me f
I gha I