The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-04-12
AN AWFUL TRAGEDY IN MEMPHIS.
A WelI.knOHn Citizen Kills HIS
ROOm-AIRte, Attempts the Life OF
Friend, and then Com.
mItS Suicide.


n Friend, and then Com.
mIts Suicide.
FEO1n the Memphis Avalanche, April 7,
For startling occurrences in the way
OF blood and violence, Memphis has ar
unfortunate and aggravated notoriety
and an event of that kind took plact
yesterday calculated to make the cal
tingle whenever 1t is told. In the third
story of the building at the corner o.
Walt and Newberry' Gibson had sleep
ing room in common, with two win
doWa fronting Front street, and one
looking north on Adams street. Glib
son had bed on one side the room
near the door, Walt had his bed on the
other side, near the window. The room
was cheerless and bare, having neces
sary furniture, but wanting In the
comforts OF home, and without any
| touch OF elegance. Here, Mr.. Walt,
| who before the war was successful
and prosperous merchant, mourned and
dropped over i'll fortune and barren
ventures, which had stripped him OF
all. He brooded over his crushed pros
poets until the mind trembled on its
balance, and sometimes forgetfulness
had been sought in the cup that onl y
deceiVes. With him was Mr.. NeWberry
Gibson, himself a business man, gen.
tleman respected for his quiet, retiring
DeQAVlOE, anu huu hluulJ
qualities. He was Waits friend, watch
ing him in sickness, and consoling him
when trouble weighed him down with
| intolerRble depression. or late, Mr..
Waits fits of gloom had become more
serious and frequent. he would some-
times speak OF death as friend bring
ing relief, and he had shown an inten-
tion to seek oblivion in the depths OF
the Mississippi River, but care on the
part of his indefatigable friend, Mr..
Gibson, had prevented any such catas-
trophe occurring.
on Monday Mr.. Walt was absent
throughout most of the night; how long
appears uncertain. he was about In
the morning, however, and appeared
resides in some part of the building,
and who had heard him complain the
previous evening of being sick, prepared
some coffee for him, and on taking 1t
up stair, she found him walking about
in the corridor, with marks OF agita'
tion and disquiet. She invited him to
take what she had prepared for him,
but with some grutfness and hastlness
OF manner and voice, he declined to acs
cept it and told her to take 1t way.
After this interview, precicely what
took place can never he known. The
darkness that broods over settled mel
ancholy grew blacker and keavler-to
the mind of the unhappy man death
seemed TO be the only release from the
miseries of a-vorld that had only bit
ter disappointment in the past, and
hopeless gloom in the future. The
aching heart, the troubles renewed
every day, and that destroyed sleep
every night, could be borne no longer.
must die, but to that rest OF oblivion
his faithful friend must go with him
and be his companion in the repose of
eternity, as he had been in the tossing
tempest OF life. The unfortunate man
apparently went to the stove, near the
head of his bed, and took up hatchet
that lay there, and was used for split
ting kindling and breaking coal. With
it he went to the bed where Gibson was
living, sleeping securely and uncon-
scious of danger. With vigorous blow
the blade of tho hatchet was buried in
the sleeper's forehead. Another blow,
striking near the temple, folloWed:
Maddened by the sight of blood, Walt
rushed to the room in the rear, Where
Mr.. George Nelson was sleeping, the
latter had time to rise and reach the in
furiated man, who approached him with
cleaning eyes and face lived with un.
controllable excitement, the hatchet,
red with blood, in hand. 1nstnnta-
neonsly, helpless as he was nelson as
mis- hand to ward off the coming blow.
The hatchet came down swiftly, split
ting cartilage, muscle and bone OF the
upheld hand, as we split tirewood. Nell
SONS room. door was near the nead OF
the stairs, and he contrtved to rush
down them to the street. ana nastlly IN
form Officer Chamberlain, of the police,
and his companion of the position of
thinos. But another was telling the
awful story under circumstances more
friohtfuI than even the sight OF a man
from whose hand was gushing a atorrent
Of blood from cleft that ATTENDED to
the wrist.
walt appears TO have prepared to &C
oomplish his purpose-suicide. But
frat he must gaze once more on the lace
~ his friend whom he had made his
companion in death. He went BACK 70
the room where the dying man lay: he
then assembled the window seat, 1orty
feet above the ground, and, with 1nco-
herent mutterings, bid his farewell 10
the world. Here the policemen stand
ing below saw him-they rushed up
stairs to strive TO save him. Their In
reference only hastened a catastrophe
which was becoming most horrible to
the snectators assem- bled below. Still
toIkin0 and muttering, still bidding the
world farewell again and again, the
nnhappv man let bis body hang from
the window, retaining hold by his hands
and even setting his foot upon hook
| that projected from the wall, below the
window. and within his reach. Again
1e rested a moment or two-moments
that were like hours to the terror. strick-
en- pazers below. Again his voice was
heard in wild EXPLANATIONS. Suddenly
he appeared 10 hear the policemen
who had now reached the room door
coming to offer him that release from
death he was determined not to accept.
He released his hold and fell upon his
back on the pavement. The spine was
n1ortslIv injured by the fall. But few
marks showed that his end was vio-
iant one. A little while he breathed {: a
law more pnlsations came from the
haert that had ached its last, and An
drew Jackson Walt had gone into the
land of shades, whose mysteries no
human eve has peered into.
The policeman, in the mean tune,
we're paralyzed by the sight OF the
wounded man, who was lying uPIn
the had. Blood was yelling from the
horrid gashes in the forehead: Inc
sheets We're dyed crimson with the
gore, which was dripping from luz
mattress upon the floor. The suueIeL
WAS breathing stertoriously, gasp now
and then came up from the unconsiouss
bosom, then all was over-tne Ir a
had fled to the shadowy Ianu, ~nse
the trends hand had so rHdely sum
moned him. xUo-.
Mr.. Nelson wRs removed to the WoIo
sham House, were loss OF blood ana Ine ne
terrible wound stretched him upon M hls
bed. Coroner Samuelson was sent LOT
| and called together an Intelligent jury
of which NJ. D. T., Skewart was 10re-