The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-11-24
[From the Cleveland Herald of Nov. lsth.l
SUICIDE.
Heart-rendinS Death of Jep-
tina G. Buell.. Cashier of Ihc
Second National Bank.

HeartsrendinE Death Oh sep
tina G. Buell., Cashier OF the
Second National Bank.
The news of the death of Jeptha @. |
Buell., ESQ, cashier of the Second Ma
tionaI Bank, fell upon the ear of our |
citizens with fearful shock Monday |
morning. The circumstances of his |
death are as follows:
He resided on Euclid avenue, at the
corner of Dodge street, and his father
in-law, George @. Dodge, Esq, lives
with him.
His wife rose and the children |
came into the room. He excused
himself from getting up till he was
alone, and all thAreupon went down
to breakfast. Some ten or fifteen
minutes after-about a quarter to
eight O'clock-his little son went up
to see why his father did not come,
and quickly returned saying, Father
is lying on his face and there is blood
on his arm.' The fearful thought of
suicide flashed through the minds of
the family, and they rushed to the
room, to find him dead, lying upon
his face, under the bed clothes, and
the pistol by him. Upon table in
the roomwere lying many letters-to
each of the daily papers, to the Tele-
>
Coroner, and to various firms and in
dividuais. 1t would appear that af'
ter his wife and children left the room,
he rose and took the letters from his
pocket, and placed them on the table,
got his pistol, and covering himself
with the bed clothes that the sound
mighG not be heard, leaning forward
upon his face, and with the pistol in
| his right hand and the muZzle at his
heart, pulled the hammer. Death,
| of course, was instantaneous.
Mr.. Buell. was thirty-six years old,
and had lived in Cleveland, in the
family of George @. Dodge, from ear
/ ly boy hood. InyeuLh he was clerk
| in the wholesale establishment of w.
J. Gordon, then on River street; af
| forwards Deputy County Treasurer
under George G. Dodge, and lastly
1 was engaged IN the Bank OF Com
merce- afterwards changed to the
Second National Bank-rising to the
cashiership, which position he held
| until the time of his death. He was
regarded as peculiarly fitted for the
| place, and had the respect oteur busi'
ness men. His extensive aequa1nt'
auce, his important Office, and his So
cial qualities and family connections
/ made him a man of mark, and no
similar event has ever startled the
community or created more sympa
| thy for friends. His health was, in
general, good, though we understand
| he suffered much from VaFicOSevein.
or late he has been noticed as despOn-
dent and moody at times. and disin'
clined to talk. In one instance he ex'
cused himself suddenly from party
Of friends, without apparent reason,
and to the surprise of all. People do
ing business with him in the bank
h We noticed this dependency, and,
sometimes, bsent-miudednesS.
We are informed by insurance "a
gents that Mr.. Buell. had insurance
on his life in New York companies
to the amount of forty or fifty thOus'
and dollars. The idea comes natur'
aIly into the mind that insurance
would not be paid on a life taken by
the insured's own hands, but it is a
wrong one. Whenever disputed by
the company and referred tothe coI:rts
it has been held that the act ofsuicide
was the result of insanity, and the in
| surers were liable. It is settling, OF
has settled into a principle, and in
surauce companies pay without dis
pute-
Inc lGIl0E " GnlS O1I1C0 was dS 4Ol
lows:
SECOND NATIONAL BANK,
CLEVELAND, Nov. IA 1861
MEssRs. FAIRBANKS, BENEDICT 1
Co.
Gentlemen. Please do not tannounc
through your paper my death ant
dafalcation, or give it any motto
whatever, In giving the matte
: much attention 1 can see no possible
t good and much harm. For the com
r munity at large, it will furnish gossip
and parties interested will find it on
f soon enough themselves. With al
/ the evil, 1 have done some good, ant
P for my chiIdren's sake, 1 make this las
I request, which I feel you will compl.
e with. Yours,
Il J.C. BUELL.
1t was out of our power to compl
with the request of the letter, hoWeN
> er much we might sympathiZe wit
), his bereaveG friends or how much n
- gard we might have for the telling
= of the deceased. He was a publ
= man, his suicide was known and tall
ed of by every one, and surmis'
- were numerous as to the cause, an
2 as chroniclers of public events it b
came our duty to MAKE known sue
y facts as we could get. We belieN
. we have stated no untruths, an
p what we have said has been with tt
~ kindest feelings for the many Sc
hearts that mourn his untime
death.
The moving cause of this determi
alton to destroy himself, while scar
In the prime of life, surrounded
lr every comfort and by hundreds
friends and in good position, and
thns abandon wife and children, W
ID undoubtedly shame and mortificatit
ng at heavy losses in stock and go
ch speculation, it being known tn
or. heavy losses for himself and Otht
OF were made. These losses were
zee yond his ability to pay, and as d
no cOVery must soon be made, his pri
am revoIted at the thought OF taciHg /
ms dignant losers, and at his suppos
ne consequent loss of reputation amo
De his business friends.