North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-05-23
REMARKABLE SUICIDE.
the Pretended Assassin Of President Linz
coin. Starves Himself 10 Death.
He Tastes Food but Five Times in
Forty Days.
A DETERMINED MAN.
CINCINNATI, Nav IL, 1856

CINCINNATI, May IL, 1866.
Sterling King, known throughout the
war as rebel spy and bearer of dispatches,
With the rank of COL, was born in England,
in 1884. and weie yet boy came with his
parents to this country, and found a per-
manent home near Richmond. Va He
received very good collegiate education,
and studied and practiced law in Richmond
Up-n the Inauguration of the rebellion he
was among the first to enlist as private
under Stoncwall Jackson. Badly wound
cd in an engagement the first year. and
distinguished for reckless courage, he WAS
soon promoted to Coionelcy and detail
ed to act as a spy. under orders from the
reb:l Executive.
In this capacity he Travelled through the
North, managing. as he brought experience
10 the aid of natural abilities, to work sue
cessfnlly in securing passes, passing the
lines. and procuring information useful TO
the Southern cause. He mad trips tlro'
all the Northern and Eastern States, to Gu
ba, Canada, and even to Europe.
He several times had business in this ci-
ty, and one occasion occupied a small office
near the Soldiers Home, on Sd street,
where, under the guise of a claim agent, he
occupied himself, during S, ,veral weeks, in
collecting from the inmates OF the House
statistics as to the strength and location of
all the regiments represented by those in
hospital.
He was fully acquainted with all the
business of the rebel mail service, and was
at one time employed in selecting men and
routes for that business. A couple of years
since he was captured here, and impri>on-
ed as a spy He was promised release
if he would reveal the whereabouts of Ger
tain rebel agents, but he refused and said
he intended to escape with his own hands
and di effect it.
Coming to this city about 3 months ago,
he hired horse for the purpose of @oing
to Louisville. At that place he sold the
rested as horse thief He was placed in
Jail to await the rcquisitioa of Gov. Cox of
Ohio, and then told the story that it was
he, and not Booth, WHO assassinatrd Lin
coin. He hoped, by telling this story. to
induce the authorities to take him TO Wash
ington, where he would be libei ated, and
so escape both charges.
In this he failed. and then he attempted
to commit suicide BY severing an artery in
the right arm (already published in the
MoNIToR) in which be also failed.
But the resolution to die WAS not to be
thas conquered. He ceased TO cat Of any
thipg that would feed the fire oil life, which
soon began to wane and then, day after
dav. grew more feeble.
In forty days this man tasted food but
five times, and all that he ate in that entire
time did aot amount to one full dinner for
a hungry man. Rapidly his flesh began TO
disappear, and the bones of limbs that cod
BE- easily spauned with the hand, grew hor-
ribly prominent. He ceased to walk or to
stand he only recined, breathed,
and refused to eat. Hewas toll
that the requisition from the Gov of
Ohio could reach him at a certain time
He wanted to die-not in ;he jail at Louis
vile, bnt out somcwh here where he could
breathe the pu air and see nature once
more. Aud so this living skeleton coo,Iv
calculated the length of time he had vet to
live, and finding that if be did not eat he
would die too soon, he took some soup.b cad
and preserves--fve times, as already men
toned.
Day before Yesterday Detective Haz N
reached bis prison. produced the rrquisition
took King up as though he were child. and
conveyed hIm TO the carriage, and thence
to a berth on the mail boat
He then cndeavored to induce him to eat;
but King. in a voice scarcely audible, said
Mr.. Haxcn, if you will promise me to
make such arrangement as will enable me to
compromise this matter. will commence
eating to-day. Mr.. Hazen could not prom
ise this, and the dying man shook his head
and refused the food
He calculated that hr had three days to
live, which would enable him to get to Gin
cinratI and settle mp his little affairs; but
at about 2 O'Clock yesterday morning, ALT
tie after the boat reached the landing here,
| the death rattle sounded in his throat, asd
the detective found him dead.
The jury called by Coroner Carey yes
terdav, rendered verdict of suicide by
starvation.
We understand that deceased has friend:
and relatives in Bowling Green Ky.
The Memphis Riot.
We uave last week short account n,