The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-10-30
The letter OF q Suicide.

The Letter OF a Suicide.
ZION the 10th Of September Colonel H. Nj
Becky committed suicide at the MaltbJ
House in this city. He was o native o
Virginia. and had been held in high esteem
AZ an upright and honest man. He lef
upon his table several letters. one Of whict
was addressed to on intimate friend, ano
in it he recounted the causes which mao h ,,n
PEELED him to take his life. This lettel H%,
been placed at our disposal. ns Pu rarn.
it that 1t may serve as lesson anu ,.;rd;ca.
ing to the living, and as par'iSa aod The
ton of the memory OF Ia: ~ who he's
offences Of the unhappy oeius o " life
gone to render his account lor rasouoo mo
stond confessed, and it does not p.Sue p,,t
En- nass our Judgment upon thein Nv %s ,;nht
h;s friends desire that whate7er NC ny: =.
80 En- offer that ssvored OF excuse ~, nis
a",s shonld 90 before the world. we lhihh
thsv are right, for the opproorlum "nlch
W.. W.. have attached to the name OF one VINO
led so criminally may be lessened oy the
knowledge that in his last frenzied hour ne
hawailed his sin IN agonies of penitence and
shsme. This plea will, we believe, be mer-
c;fullv considered in another world, and his
sorrowing family trust it will find lndul-
rence here.-BdHimore Gazette.
"BALrIMoRE, September Is, 1868.
uNv Dear Friend,-This is the last time
.,aIjeve address you, for even before you
receive this will be dead.
81 will be rs brief as can in stating
the causes that have led me to the commits
sion of this act. In my early youth my
mother died and my father having much
business that called him from home, l was
thrown into the company of the VICIOUS, or Of
rather. having no one to restrain me- !eii
;nto vicious habits, the most fatal OF whlch
ros nlayinp cards. The habit grew on me
co ran;dly that almost before was aware
~ i I was satisfied nowhere save when en-
caoed in gaming. In sober, rejecting mo-
ssaents knew and realized that it was ruin
;nr ma. but SO complete was the strange
;nfatuation that although l resolved over
and over again to abstain, with each recur-
zinc temptation | was sure to fall. Life IN
Tho army contributed to strengthen this
terrible vice. However, for some time after
The war ceased, succeeded in mastering
nv passion, and even fancied that l had SO
far overcome desire in that direction that
I would in future escape the snare, but my
strength of mind and purpose was not suttl-l
Gent. and ever since my life has been a
constant warfare with this my besetting
sin.
"A little over twelve months sought to-
strengthen my good resolutions by connect
inc myself with the Church, and thus draw
around me the mantle of her protection. |
succeeded until ] came to Baltimore. L
came here, as you are aware, nearly bank
rupt, and the insidious whisperings of hope
that might retrieve my broken fortunes
kept whispering to me, until at last, unable
to withstand temptation, l fell and was lost.
lost what money had. l borrowed and
borrowed again, still thinking and hoping
that a streak Of good fortune would enable
me to succeed. But why go farther? IT'S
the same old story. Led on by blind in
fatuation that | had not the strength to con-
troll, lost until honor itself was lost. IT'S
that that cannot survive the loss of. You
can never know and scarcely dream of the
agony am feeling this moment, and the
bitter, burning remorse that is flowing over
me in such food that my very heart
strings are swapping one by one. Soon,
very soon, the last will be broken.
ooh, my dear friend, never, never
touch card, not even for amusement.
commenced for amusement. | lost 81 ,050
at faro bank. ! leave letter to him
which / hope you will deliver, asking him
to return one-half to my family, who are
left destitute. / desire that you will take
charge of my remains and convey them to
Fincastle, and have them inferred in the
90 oh,,nr FOL chor IF
my trunk, etc. have 9 suit of clothes and
one pair of pants at Ohem's, on Pratt
street. Burgh knows where they are. My
watch and chain are at o pawnbroker's on
Gay street; you will find ticket in my me-
morandum-book. Had l simply lost this
money without deceiving any one, would
not mind it. 1t was the first dishonest act
of my life. cannot survive disgrace. I
can never more respect myself. | have
been unfortunate in business, and some
times could not pay when ought, but
could always look man in the face until
now.
"My family will be left destitute, but
they are innocent and God has promised
care for the widow and orphan. II could
have had any hope that some kind friend
would have listened to my tale of shame,
and then helped me out of it until could
have gone to work and paid him. But who
would trust me after confession that
had deceived others? Oh, what would |
give to undo the past two weeks. All the
letters have written l leave in your charge,
to be forwarded to their destination. In
form the house am living with of my end.
II you telegraph to Fincastle, do so to James
H.H. Figgat. If you can spare the money
sixteen dollars) wish you would redeem
my watch and chain, and give it to my little
boy Gilbert Lee" but do not do SO unless
convenient. H.
"Your unhappy and ruined friend,
"H. M. Becky"