Smyrna times., 1871-11-15

LOVE AND SUICIDE-Witliam :. First n
young and promising lawyer of Wilmington.
Committed suicide by shooting himself in tbe
library room Of Col VIM. g. Whitrlcv, Tatnall
street above Delaware avenue. about | o clock
on wednesday night last We compile the
following facts from our Wilmington exchanges:
He was about tWeutv-six years old was the
son OF widowed mother who was deyotedlv
attached 10 him; had read law in the Office Of
lion: Ihos. T. BayIrd, and was admitted to
the Bar last November. He had been under
intense excitement Tor two days caused by
letter from young lady near Chrl>tiana.
ruecilng his attentions as suitOr He had
been thinking quite freely and on Tuesday
went to physician, DR.. Kane. to get some
thing to make him sleep, which he had not
done tor two nights. The DR.. gave him some
medicine aud advised him to dcsiSt from his
habits FIRST replied " You would drink, too,
II YOU were as unhappy as am He thank-
cd The doctor tor hi~ advice, however. At an
Inquest held by the Coroner, Walter Cummins.
OF this town, law student in Senator Bayard's
Office testified as io.lnw> Was the confden
tiaI iueni OF the deceased, aud knew all about
his troubles; on Monday he received letter
which caused him deep sorrow; it was fIom n
lady IN the evening he drank freely: saw
hm the next morning, aud he said he had not
slept 'he preceding night; he gave his pistol
and knife 70 me, and rem irkcd that he did not
know what he might DO with them he talked
W"d'y' ana sad he did not know what might
hanpcn; he took his papers from a drawer
and 'ol i me what to do with them; he said he
wanted to see Bishop Becker and get some
advice; we Went 10 sre the Bishop; afterwards
| went to DR.. kancS and got some medicine
which he took; next morning he said he had
slept VOL the previous night; yesterday he
talked pleasantly, and asked for his pi>tol as
he wished to have it in his room at nights he
seemed better and was quite sensible; he re.
ceIved another letter viii Ia gave him more snr
row; he made list Of his debts and of money
owing TO him which he Slld was necessary in
case OF accident; he was mentally depressed
on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and
could read neither books nor papers; he talked
about dying, and said he would not live long.
Mrs. FIRST, his mother testified that on
Monday, her son went to his chamber very
much excited. She followed him, and he dis
closed his troubles. He continued terribly
excited, but made no ausion to his troubles
after Tuesday. lie left the house after dinner
on w Wednesday, and she saw him no more till
brought home, dead, that night Mr.. WLitecy
testified as follows: First i)ined him on thc
street and walked home with him to smoke a
cigar, lie was evidently in great deal of
trouble. He pulled out two letters and wanted
witness to read them. Then exhibited his
pistol. Witness finally got the pistol away
from him, but returned it on his promising to
90 home, and saying he always slept with It in
his room. Still said he would not go home
tlll witness read the letters and gave him his
advice. Witness told him that it would not be
proper for him to read the letters and tried to
divert his mind by changing the conversation
to some other subject; he insisted, however,
aud witness read one letter and advised him to
calm himself and let the lady go. Whilst read
ing the other he was startled by the pistol re-
port, and sprang at once to his feet and found
the young man had shot himself in the head.
He died almost instantly. He was bitterly de-
nOuncing the girl just beforehand. The Gdzettc
says of him He was excessively fond Of
literary pursuits, and gave promise of attaining
an enviabe distinction. He was fine writer
and during the last Presidential campaign in
this State and until admitted to the Bar, con
tributed numerous article to the columns Of
the Gazette. We saw him in the street bu; a
few days before the deed was committed look
ing more strong and active than usual. The
deceased was remarkably free from the vices
in which young men too frequently indulge and
possessed many virtues which commended him
to a large circle Of friends, and was one of the
last men that we should have supposed could
have been driven to 80 rash an act