The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-02
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY-SUICIDE OF YOUNG
MAN.
coRoNER's INQUEST

CoRoNER's INQUEST.
About o'clock yesterday morning, young
man aged between twenty-five and twenty-three
years, boarding at the house of Mrs. Elizabeth
Wilson, No. GA South Eutaw street, committed
suicide by blowing his brains out with pistol.
The terrible act was committed while the unfor-
tunate man was yet in bed and the other inmates
of the house at the breakfast table. The report of
the pistol startled every from the table, and
on rushing to the room most appalling sight of
horror was exhibited. He lay in his night dress
with the bed clothes half thrown over him with
his head hanging over the side o. the bed while a
continuous stream of blood flowed from the wound
made by the entrance of a bullet in the right side
of the head, about an inch and half above the
root of the ear. From the position in which he
was lying after the fatal shot had been fired, it was
coniectured that he must have inclined his head
little to the left in order to prevent any possibility
of the pistol missing the mark. Both the hands of
the deceased were blackened with burnt gunpow-
der. The pistol was found lying on the bed beside
the corpse, despatched all with blood, while
the covering and linen of the bed, the clothes of
the deceased-in fact almost every article in the
room, which is very small, was sprinkled with
gore.
1t appears from the evidence elected at the
oner's examination that the deceased named
Orlando F. Parsons, and that he was originally
| from Alexandria, Va, or Washington, D. c. He
has some relatives now living in these places, as
we'll as in Georgetown, d. c., and New York city. In
the latter place he had to the latter part of Jan
uary, 1858, been engaged clerk in the city post
office. None of his relatives reside in this city, and
| a total stranger himself, he came here from New
York about two weeks ago, and took up his lodging
| with Mrs. Wilson, who always considered him a
pious thoughtful, and well disposed young man.
During the whole time he had been in the city, he
was in very low spirits, and had, on three several
occasions, tried to end his existence by taking NOR
phine and strychnine. Some two or three days ago
be paid short visit to Washington City, in search
of employment, but returned again to Baltimore,
| unsuccessful, and in most melancholy state oil
| mind In the pockets of some of his clothes were
found receipt for making head-wash, written on a
post office blank large paper of arsenic, silver
pencil case, and pocket-boOk containing AZ cents
in small silver coin. Letters from many persons
were found in his valise, among the rest the follow
ing letter recommendatory from the Hon. Charles
Jas. Faulkner:
| WASHINGTON, Sept. %.
| take great pleasure in recommending Mr.. Or
lando F. Parsons as young gentleman OF gooe
habits and fine understanding. He would do credi
to any establishment in want of a clerk with thu
above qualifications. My knowledge of him is de
rived from his having been in my employ as clerl
in the National Democratic COMMITTEE HIS ser
vices were dispensed with by me, for the reason
that had no longer necessity for them.
Yours CuAs JAS. FAULKNER.
: A letter. written in the hand of the Hon. Levi
Cass, dated February sth, 1859, was also found i
which the writer regrets the situation IN whlc
young Parsons was placed, and states that it is en-
trey out of his power to confer upon him an mp
pointment On this letter is endorsed, In blu
pencil marks, the words: Coward, right onward,
by Mrs. Y. c. Turhill, author of 81 will be Ger
teman." .-.. .-
The following letter to his landlady was foun
in of the pockets of his coat. 1t is without an
date and reads thus:
"Dear Madam Il said that took morphine
make me sleep, and so far was speaking truth
fully. large vial full of it would make most an,
one sleep so sound that they would hardly dream
but it appears that God is not willing that shoul
die vet, for it must be some superhuman agenc
that could arrest the effect of IL cents worth
strychnine which have taken, and on two othe
occasions full vial of morphine have been swa
lowed by me without any deadly effect ! ha,
! told you a lie as regards, my connection with II
: | correct / was there eighteen months, but r
: signed the position occupied on the 3lst of Ja
uary last, for the purpose Of filling more pr1lt
: inrton, which was promised me should have, b
INV friends. through several inhuentals at the Ca