The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-06-04
SUICIDE.
a a6xsxa11ous AFTAxA.
DIRE RESULTS Or QUACKERY.

The town was startled this morning by
the announcement that Albert c. Herrick
an estimable, hard working Young man, In
the employ of Mr.. Lam bert, 10 the ice bust
ness, had made way with himself BY shoo''"s
himself through the heart with a 'ho.e w.
I The circumstances of the sad affair As 'Hi as
they transpired in the coroners ''4ue''' a'0
souo Mr.. Herrick went to bed at the
- I'm, last night, lying down with his
.,o,bes on, which was not an unusual thi ng
for him to do, his wife says, during warm
weather. The house they live in is on
the bank of the river directly opposite the
Office of Buford's pillow works. 1t
is small, one story cottage, the
two principal rooms of which were the
front or family room and kitchen and dining
room combined. About four o'clock in the
morning Herrick arose from the bed without
disturbing his wife, went into the adj dining
room, took down . shot gun, placed it to bis
side, it is thought, . and leaning agains, the
muzzle knocked the trigger off with his foot
The charge entered his side below the hear;
tearing his stomach and bowels. His wife
heard the report, got up out Of bed and go
ing into the kitchen found her husband lying
OF his back groaning. She asked what was
matter and he replied that he had shot him
self. He then arose with some difficulty
and walked iuto the other room and laid
down. His wife ran at once to DR.. Calls
house and alarmed a number of the neigh
bors. He was perfectly rational when DR.,
Gait arrived, and answered every question
that was put TO him, mildly and understand
ingly. He asked to be placed on the bed
which DIR. Gait ws,h the assistance of neig b
bors did He would give no one any
satisfaction as to what impeled him to the
rash act. With his wretched wife and ter
ror stricken family grouped around him, and
a number CT neigh bors who had come 10
render any assistance poss bic, he passed
into the darkness of eternity al hour and a
half after be had shot himself. A coroner's
inquest was held at noon to day, by Coroner
Knox, when verdict was found in sccord-
ance with the foregoing facts. Certain
facts thai have transpired since
his death, induce the suppositior
that it was that peculiar and unsccountable
mental malady called hypochoudris that i'm
/ PEELED him to the act He considered himsel
attacked BY distressfpl sni slowly watin.
disease and communicated with DIR. Gal
on the subject, who assured him that Their,
was nothing the matter with him He wa
a tail athletic young man ouly &c years 0
age capable Of great physical endurance
he was no, satisfied With this assurance, bu
still persisted in, thinking himself i'll. Fl
consulted some travelling quack across tn,
river, who of course assured him that he wa
a very sick man, and that hundred dollar
would be necessary TO effect "permanen
and radical cure" Mr.. Herrick paid hin
So, and obtained I'D inslalment of root
and SIM pies for his siIment. He probsbl
came to the insane conclusion that b,
would have to deprive his family of necesss
RES to cure himself. so he would cut tn.
Gordisu knot by taking his own life
The deceased was native of Michigan
and came to this city in lS55. He lived 70
a long lime with his half brother. an oil
citizen OF Rock Island, Mr.. NJ. c. Herriek
He was q distant relative OF Warren P. Hei
rick, of Davenport, clerk in the Dsvenpor
National Bank.
His funeral will take place Monda
morning at ten clock, i, being deferred t
give his relatives il Iowa time to be presen