Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-15

An Ex-Federal Soldier Seeks Death tn
aCriddle street Bagnfe--A Fatal ~ af-
rfHge, q ieeserted Wife. n&ld AN AHaHs
dOned NDn--FareweEH Ar1fer OF =
World-Wenry Wanderers.


An Ex-Federal Soldier seeks Death tn
aCrlddle street RagIsie--A Fatal vi as
riHge, ieeaerted Wife. ntld an A1sssas
dOned NDn--FarewelH Lptfer of =
Horld-Weary Wanderers.
The neighborhood of CriddIe street, one
Of the most swretehed, God-forsakenlocali-
ties with which Nashville is cursed, and
where the most degraded of its unfortu
mates make their homes, was last nigh the
scene Of another of those tragic occur
rences which of late so often crowd the
local columns Of the daily newspapers.
At midnight, in the house of Mrs Frank
Miller, No. 39, young man named Harry
Hildreth, during the war member of the
Isl Ohio Cavalry, was lyingupon his death
bed, and a strange group were gathered
around him. The foam oozed slowly from
his mouth as he lay unconscious upon the
lowly couch, and the ready hands so near
we're doing all for him in vain.
During the afternoon he had come to
Mrs. Miller's house and handed her note,
requesting that she should not open it I'M
til hisdeaih, and saidto her that ifhe should
get sick she must not send for a doctor.
Thinking he was only testing, the woman
promised all he wished, and as he ceased
speaking be drew glass of water, into
which he had privately thrown quantity
Of morphine, placed it TO his lips, took her
hand and said, 'Give me your hand on il"
swallowing the mixture quietly as heidi so.
Toward night he complained of being i'll,
and retired, soon after which some person
attending him discovered in his room sew
eral papers labeled morphine" one of
them marked "43 grains" A physician
was at once sent for, but arrived only to
say there could be no hope for The unfor-
tunate man.
The story of Hildreths misfortunes, and
the cause of his rash act, may be told in
few words. Three years ago, while a sol
der, he became enamored Of young wo-
man living here named Jenny Nelson, who,
it seems, was of very questionable reputa-
ton. Marrying her, he took her to his
home, at Mount Vernon, Ohio, where his
father resided, but it was not long ere some
little incidents occurred which BETRAYED
her trne character and husband and wife
we're at once driven away from the parental
roof Jenny remained at Mount Vernon,
while Hildreth returned TO this city and
found employment at the Chattanooga de-
pot, making associates among the vilest and
most depraVed of the low characters of
Smoky Row, and giving himselfup to hard
drinking. Remaining here only three
months he became weary of living and on
Tuesday attempted to take his own life, but
vomiting the poison, recovered, only to
renew the attempt yesterday.
The following is the unsigned letter
which he addressed to Mrs. Miller. He
addressed similar one to her husband.
who tore it up without reading it.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, August II, 1S67.-
DEAR FRANK: hope that you will for
give me for all that have DONE have
left my friends and home and have nothing
to live for. l am tired of this world and
anxious to see the next. believe that God
will forgive me for all that | have done, so
you will do me and all my friends favor
if you will have my body embalmed and
sent to my WIFE, Please tell the Coroner
not to put anything in the paper bad, for it
might go to my father, and it would grieve
him very much. If you will send my
body and nv trunk to Jenny, yon shall
have my last blessing. Whisky is all the
cause of ii, and all of my people have
abandoned nae, and do not want TO live
any longer Direct my coffin and body to
James B. StauntOn, Mt Vernon, Ohio.
P. S. My folks will pay all expenses, so
you need not be at any expense yourself.
Tell Bill johnson that if he will send that
watchguard home will thank him very
mucb