The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-06
sninide I'm New York.

About O'Clock on Friday night a returned
soldier, named William II. Foster, was found
dead on q lounge In the apartments corner OF
Franklin and Noble streets. Greenpont, with
two small vials empted and marked "laudanum"
on table beside him. Deceased had been
living alone for some time, his vile and three
children having abandoned HIM in conseq uence
OF his Incorporate habits He had been q
private in the l7Oth New York Volun-
teers, and was honorably discharged from
the service on the 10th OF September,
1865. About four months ago his con-
duct as alleged, became 80 intolerable that
his wife obtained temporary places for her three
children, the Oldest OF whom Is but eleven years.
and got permanent home for herself in North
Second street, Williamsburg. She then called
upon her husband and requested part of the
furniture. This he refused at the time; but
afterwards sent her word that she could have
whatever she needed. When Mrs. Foster went
for the furniture her husband seemed quite re-
pentant, and helped her to remove the things
from the apartments. Seeing that he was desti-
tute she gave him a dollar, half the money she
had. This seemed to affect him senslbly, and
he remarked that he would drown himself,
so as TO give her no more trouble. He
went to wolS at his trade shortly
afterwards, however, and seemed to have re-
formed. On Thursday last he visited his wife
and told her to remove the furniture from his
apartments, and she agreed to call at s O'Clock
on Friday night for that purpose. She found
the door OF his room locked and the key inside,
and she received no answer when she knocked.
cint Station House and stated her case when
Officer Phelps went to the place, forced the door
and found Foster in the position above stated.
Coroner Smith was notified, took charge Of the
body, and ordered postmortem examinotion
The following letter was written by the suicide
on Thursday, on the evening of which day il is
supposed he took the fatal drug:-
GRBENPoINT, March 1.-Dear Wife and Children
Il will address you perhaps for the last time in this
world Through the course Of family matters and
self abuse by that demon of manxmd, rum-it has
caused nae to commit self destruction by taking
poison tlaudanuml would gladly love to see your
self and the children in order to give you ali part
ing kiss; but you refuse an audience to me. Alas!
we NUT part, which, hoping through the mercy of
our blessed Redeemer to all meet IN heaven. Dear
wife, take of the children, and bring them up
in the love and fear of sod, and in1use INTO their
hearts the destruction that rum will do unto man
kind; learn them TO remember that they once had q
ia her that was man. but not Always q brute.
The remainder ofthe furniture you may take, as it
may be OF some benefit to you; and as regards my
BODY, you may 1t into the hands of the author
tiles, IN order that it may ill drunkard's grave.
Goodby, dear wife and children; everlasting
good-by on this earth, and may God, in HIS infnlte
mercy, watch and care for YOU and the children,
is the fervent prayer of your once loving and happy
husband, ~ N r I.|.N. = &
P.s-My age is SO ye ars, IL months. .rf'
t"tt ... WILLIAM a.. FOSTER.
Foster was a native of New York, and an
ironmolder by occupation.