Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-05-04
Out of Money and Work and Away from
Friends-Has Seen the World, and is
Weary of 1t,

From the Natchez (Miss.) New South, April l6
On Thursday, the 18th inst, about two
o'clock in the afternoon, Mr.. Norris Della
plane, of Hillsboro, Highland county, Ohio,
committed suicide at the residence of Mrs
Edward, in this city, with whom he was
boarding A short time after the deed was
committed our reporter was on the ground.
1t appears that while the family were at
dinner they heard pistol shot in the room
which Mr.. Delaplane was occupying i'm
mediately across the hall from the dining
room. Several parties Immediately jumped
up from the table and rushed into the room,
where they found Mr.. D., lying on the
bed, weltering in blood, with pistol shot
through his heart. He breathed but few
moments. The pistol was a small cartridge
revolver, and had been placed against his
breast when fred, for his shirt bosom by
being scorched and blackened gave evi-
dence of it, but strange to say the revolver
was found upon a sofa on the opposite side
of the room from the bed where he was
lying. Upon his dressing-table were found
letters addressed to the Coroner, Mrs. Ell
ward, Mr.. Donaldson, his sister In Hills
boro, Ohio, city paper, and a lady in this
city. Upon a small table in a corner of
the room were clean clothes, and his best
suit in which he desired to be buried
Delaplane was writing letters all the morn
ing II the book store of Messrs Donaldson
d Go, which are supposed to be the same
found on the dressing table. Soon after
the melancholy occurrence, Mayor Weldon,
acting Coroner, held an inquest on the body
of the unfortunate man, and the Jury re-
turned verdict, "Premeditated suicide" !"
A letter addressed to the Coroner said,
''You must find a verdict of suicide, for
such is the case"
His letter to Mr.. Donaldson was in re-
gard to the disposition of his effects, and
was minute and precise in detail.
| Delaplaine was about % years Old a man
of good education, good habits and fine
address-was educated at Miami Universi-
| ty, at Oxford, Ohio He came to this CITY
in search of work, but was unsuccessful,
although he tried hard to get something to
do. He spent considerable money, but at
the time of his death the money had given
out. What he wanted was occupation, and
to this, we think, may be traced the imme-
mediate cause of the foolish act. There
were no evidences of alteration of mind
about him in life; on the contrary he was
regarded as having extraordinary good
sense and judgment.
The following letter was addressed to
city paper:
NATcHEz, Miss, April -,f1870.
Mr.. EDITOR: [ write to request the press
of Natchez, through your columns, to allow
no writer to attribute my death to any par
ticular cause. The idea of suicide did not
originate at Natchez, nor even in the sunny
South, consequently no one here can posi-
lively tell why L killed myself. I doubt
whether any individual in the known world
can give even a shadow of cause. In al
most every suicide, liquor, love, remorse,
or disappointment of some kind is the sup
posed or actual cause, but in my case none
Of the above causes prevail. I have seen
the world and am weary of it, is about the
truth. Yours respectfully,
NORRIS DELAPLANE
MATCHES, Miss