The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-11-03
AN OLD MISERY'S SUICIDE.
Making Preparations for the Fatal Deed
The Secrets of John Armstrong; Sealed
Abode--The Suicides will.

Making Preparations for the Fatal Deed |
The Secrets of John Armstrong; Sealed |
Abode-The Suicides will.
MATTEAwAN, n. Y, Oct. 1S.-Forty |
years ago John Armstrong, of England,
was brought to this country by the Matte
avian Manufacturing Company to super
intend their works. He was and always
has been bachelor, the love of his early
days having been separated from him
through misunderstanding. When he
reached this place he acted as draughts-
man and bookkeeper for the Company,
always attending to his duties faithfully
and commanding esteem from his en-
ployers. He was possessed OF rare in
tellect, and was great admirer of ma
chinery and philosophical works. His
habits were of a very eccentric character
For twenty years he ignored friends, be-
ieving only in one man, Mr.. John Roth
cry, proprietor of the file works here.
His friendship for him was of that kind
which binds one man to another in ad-
versity and misfortune.
A few weeks ago ne had conversation
with Mr.. Rothery, during which he
said that
HE WAS TIRED OF LIFE,
and sometimes thought that when next
his friend called he would not be found
alive. Then it was concluded that he
was laboring under temporary aberra-
ton of mind.
Monday morning, at s o'clock, Mr..
Rothery called to see him at his rooms
over Mr.. Davis's store. His apartments
consisted of two rooms, which it is alleg-
ed no one but the deceased and Mr.. Roth
cry had entered for twenty years. When
Mr.. Rothery entered them on Monday
he found deceased in bed, and after a
few moments talk left him to attend to
some business. At 8 o'clock A. NJ. per-
sons in the vicinity heard the report of
a pistol, but paid little attention to it, as
the boys in the neighborhood are in the
habit of firing off pistols. At l P. NJ.
Mr.. Rothery again visited his friend,
when
A HORRIBLE SIGHT MET HIS VIEW.
Mr.. Armstrong lay dead in the room
below his sleeping room on bundle of
shavings, which had been placed upon
two benches. One side of his face was
blown entirely away, and portion of
his skull and teeth were lying several
feet from the body. The floor, shavings
and benches were saturated with blood,
and the wall and ceiling besmeared with
blood and brains. Near the body lay a
single-barreled pistol, which had been
discharged, and which, in a dumb way,
told the terrible story. The thumb and
forefnger of the left hand were lacerated
The bullet was picked up on the floor at
the foot of the couch. Judging from the
situation of things generally, the de-
ceased man must have sat upright on the
pistol in his mouth,
BLOWING HIS HEAD PARTIALLY OFF.
The following note was found pinned
to the coat sleeve on his left arm:
"This is my own doing. l ought to hav,
done it before. Send my body to Dr. j. w
Draper, New York, for dissection. John Roth
cry, file maker, Matteawan, is my executor, an(
has my will in his safe
"JoHN w. ARMSTRONG"
Underneath the above, which wa
written with ink, was the following
written with a lead pencil, and apparent
ly with trembling hand:
"Giye him the little paper parcel on tn
table,"
g The parcel referred to lay upon com
, mon table in the room. Upon openin.
! it the keys to the suicides rooms wer
, found and private note to Mr.. Roth
cry. This note gave directions in rela
: tion to some unsettled bills and restate,
that Mr.. Rothery was his executor, an
; would know what to do in the premise:
: 1t also showed that the suicide had beel
around the day previous paying up smal
! bills. Before the will was opened it wa
= rumored that the dead man had
0 LEFT BEHIND A LARGE SUN OF MONEY,
/ many rating it at $4,000. 1t is not ye
e positively known how much he did leave
S There are strange stories concerning hi
g rooms. 1t is known that large bag {
t silver has been found therein, and it
It also known that, secreted in his room
are several closely packed and strongl
), locked boxes. AS yet Mr.. Rothery hs
e not examined them, wishing to be SUI
e of his full power to do SO. The will
r however, has been opened, and it is
IS curious one. 1t bequeaths to John Rotf
= cry all Mr.. Armstrong; tools and ms
IS chinery, valued at from $4,000 to $500
o and also all the personal property. I
/. William Rothery it leaves
u A VALUABLE MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY,
,S g valued at $4,000. To Mrs. Burnett, wit
:, whom he once boarded, he leaves $50
!, for kindness, and $50 in gold for bott
:, of VINE, given him by her ten yea
= ago. He never entered church in fort
20 20 years, but believed firmly in God. I
~ made his will six months ago. At tim
- he. was subject to terrible nervo,
headache Hic funaral tool placa 4
: day, and the remains were followed
the Methodist burial ground by a nun
:, ber of citizens. He was seventy-thr
7 years of age.
ct