The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-03-03
An Extraordinary suicide.

we DrieHy noticed, Oh Monday, the suicide Of
Adopbe + Branda. native of Norfolk, Va, aged
81 years, in San Francisco. 1t appears that he
was confidential clerk and book keeper in the
house of Mscondray Il Co The San Francisco
Herald says:
lie had, by strict attention to business-and as
was supposedly scrupulous honesty--obtanctl the
unlimited confidence and esteem of his empIover..
but lattery he had acquired those habits of lux
urious living and dissipation. which have ruined 50
many young men, aud on Tuesday night il was dis
covered that he had overdrawn his account with
the firm to the amount of nineteen hundred dol.
lars. He had pursued a system of making fai.e
entries which had saved him from previous de-
lection. No effort was made to subject hir to a.
criminal prosecution, but he was charged with tbe
crime and voluntarily acknowledged it,
Itappears that legacy was left him some time
ago, aud he stated TO Messrs. Macondray Co. that
he expected $2bG00 to arrive in short time- sIO
900 on his own account, and a like sum on account
| of his mother-to be invested here, and that he
would then refund the money he had taken No
more vas said about the matter, and Yesterday
morning he sent word TO the store that he was too
unwell 10 be at his post at the regular hour for
commencing business but would reach there at 2
o'clock Abont o'clock he went to livery sta
BILE hired horse, and rode out by the Presidio
road to Lone Mountain Cemetery. Within the
bounds of the cemetery, asd at a spot upon its
rorth side, he wrote letter, directed it to Mr..
Macondary, placed 1t together with ten dollar
piece in handkerchief ana tied the bundle to the
horn of the saddle. He then turned the horse
loose and it returned to the stable in the city
where the bundle was opened, the letter found
and sent 10 Macondray. That gentleman openea
and read it, and was horified at its contents
They Immediately proceeded to the spot indica-
ted in the letter, and found him in the agonies OF
death, and he soon breathed his last. The follow.
lowing is the letter addressed to Captain Macon
aray:
'CAPrAIN MAGoNDRAr.-I have injured you-you.
one of the best of men. Forgive me; oh, / am
nearly crazy and will soon be dead. Think of It /:
in few moments to be in the presence of God
feel cool, yet mad-to think that l am thus sud-
denly to leave this world, this beautiful view and
all my friends. Oh, God, my poor mother; do
hope she is not alive. This misery will kill her
pray all forgive me- i feel cold; this damp air,
the steamer has just fired her gun thank God she
is off, Tell George Clifford to take my pencil and
do afterwards with it as he thinks best, aud to be
kind to the gver leave ten dollars-give the
man of the horse that amount. Say to Judge
Hager that am mad and ask forgiveness of him.
Jan. -, 1888. A. Il. BRANDA."
ded ''You will find my body the hill near the
Lone Mountain Cemetery Please have me buried
in the Mission Yard, as ! sni or rather was a
Catholic. II | am wrong ia leaving this world
where nothing remains but misery, may God for
give me. have been looking at the steamer; how
sad feel Please do not allow any publication 70
be made about me-the note, for instance. This
ask for mothers sake. As / write this in the sad
Macondray aud Judge Hager to open my letters for
me-"
BRANDAs DYING THOUGHTS.
On the ground where the deceased was found,
wero several pieces of paper he had torn from a
memoraudum-book. On the first piece of paper
deceased wrote:
.iYet the thoughts of my poor mother keep my
heart warm or rather hot, for feel am her muir
derer God help me! How slowly time passes |;
it seems TO me nearly half hour since took the
fatal dose-yet ! do not suffer. How chilly it ID
| feel stiff from the cold"
Numbertwo:
sit is fearful to die thus, alone-to look around,
see the hills, hear the OF the ocean; your
fellow beings moving in the distance, yet die
alone. just after my third dose q man passed and
told his friends / crazy. God forgive me.
hope / Am. What terrible suspense, this waiting
for death"
Number three:
s-For science-half Of the bottle have taken;
four doses of the strch-at intervals of about .hree
minutes, yet do not suffer feel nervous, but
will note the time Oh the back of this thuk il
has been fifteen minutes since took the first.
am cold and chilly. May some good resnit from
my death"
On the fourth piece the writing is without any
order The words are spread irregulariy over
the paper, lengthwise and diagoEally. They are
as follows:
"-fully half an hour. am dying: God help
me. A.TBn
Number five:-"l am dy-"