Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-04-08
MELANCHOLY SUICIDE |
A Young Dry-GoOdS Clerk DELHI
erately Hangs Himself.
CAUSE ASSIGNED FOR THE
RASH ACT.
Testimony Before the Coroners
Jury-their Verdict.

Warren has been the scene of one of
those sad and deliberate suicides that are
so prevalent of late Throughout the coun-
Fy-one for which there seems to have
been little or no occasion-if occasion ever
occurs when man is justified In destroying
himself.
About 10 O'Clock last Sund sy morning,
James Fearns, a young man for several
years employed as salesman in the dry
goods store of Messrs. Parks & Weniz, on
Market Street, committed suicide by hang
ing himself in his s~leeping-roOm over the
store, where the body was found about IL
o'clock on Sunday evening. From an ex-
animation of the room, it was found that
he had employed for the purpose a COM
mon towel, such as are used on rollers.
This he had looped over the decreasing to
his room, and forming another loop in the
other end of the towel, had mounted a
chsir and placed the moose about his neck.
By kicking the chair from beneath him,
he was enabled to destroy his life by
strangulation.
This young man who has so deliberately
committed the crime of self-murder, was a
matt We of the county of Longford, ireland,
where he leaves a widowed mother, a sister
and other relatives to mourn his death.
A sister is also said to reside in New York.
Young Fearns had been in this country
about four years, was about % years of
age, and since his residence in Warren
has made many friends by his gentleman
" conduct, who are saddened by this rash
act. There is no cause assigned for the
commission of the deed, any more than at
times he has been subject to fits of de.
spOndeney, and it is supposed that during
one of these he concluded to end his world
ly troubles.
Below We give a portion, (the most i'm
portant,) of the testimony elected before
the Coroners Inquest, which was held on
Monday morning.
Mrs. Elizabeth A. Mosier being called
and sworn, ssys-I wss acquainted with
the deceased; he boarded with me for over
three years, as a day bosrder; left my
house on Sunday morning about 81 A. NJ,
the last time; he was al breakfast that
morning at about his usual time; know of
nothing that would tend to cause him to
commit such Al act; wRs a very quiet
young man.
Charles K. Delin, called and sworn, |
says-I knew the deceased; have been
acquainted with him for something like a
year; we were clerks in the same store
and have roomed together saw him last
alive about 9 A ~, on Sunday morning
was away from the store during the day ;
returned about 10 P. NJ, and found the
door to our room fastened, with his key on
the inside of the door; pushed it out
struck q light and found him hanging by
the neck in the doorway; was the first to
find him; this was about 10 P. NJ. Con-
versed with him in the morning, in the
store. when he was sitting by the stove
and smoking q cigar; saw nothing in his
conduct nor knew of anything to indicate
any such action; we were the only one
that had keys TO the store during the day.
d.. L. Spear, called and sworn, says
I wss acquainted with deceased; was call
ed by Mr.. Delin about 1O1 P. NJ, Sunday
night, who informed md that Fearns had
hung himself. Ny room is in the same
building with the one deceased occupied,
q hallway is between the ROOMS saw him
last on Sunday morning saw nothing in
bis conduct to indicate such q course. he
was dead when l first examined the body;
helped take the body down.
r. S. Parks, called and sworn, says
The deceased name was James A. Fearns f.;
think be was about % years of age; he
had been in my employ some three or four
years; saw him last alive on Saturday
evening; next saw him about midnight
Of Sunday, hanging BY the neck in the
doorway of his sleeping-room. He was a
steady and attentive young man while in
my employ; knew of 20 trouble that
he was gwen to fits of dependency he
was very quiet and reserved in his ways,
and of a saving DISPOSE ton.
William Gray, called and sworn, says
1 have been acquainted with deceased for
several years; saw him last on Saturday
night; was with him until II o'clock that
night; next saw him aboHt II P. NJ, Sun
day, hanging by the neck by means Of a
towel thrown over the decreasing Of his
sleeping room. I am employed in the
store of Andrews & Sons; visited with the
deceased occasionally at his room went
there on Sunday morning, about 10 o'clock
to see him tried the door and found it
locked went there again during the after
noon but found the door still locked. At
times he was given TO being down hearted,
but knew of nothing to cause him such
trouble as would induce him to commit
such an act. Have heard that some of his
relatives are given to insanity he has a
sister in the State Of New York; his
mother lives in ireland; has one or two
sisters still in the old country. He was
not given TO drinking liquors or keeping
bad company, to my knowledge.
We, the undersigned, Jurors, en-
panneled and sworn on the 9th day of
April, A. D.. 1868, by Garry G. Reed,
Coroner for TrumbCll county, Ohio, to
enquire into and true presentment make
as 10 the manner and by whom james A.
Fearns came to his death, after having
examined the body and heard the evidence
in the case, do find that he came to his
death by hanging, caused by himself,
/ while laboring under g fit of liberation
of mind. A. CAMP,
E. R. WISE,
GRANT BACON,
VIM. WILLIAMS,
JOSIAH SOULE,
q T. HILL. Jurors.