Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-09-07
MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.
A Man Cuts his Throat with &
Pocket Knife.
THE SAD RESULT OF BLACKMAILING.

broken by the startling intelligence tina
the outskirts of the village had been th'
scene OF suicide of peculiarly aggra
waiting character. The victim of thi
self-wrought tragedy was Mr.. William
A. Hale, man of about thirty.fve year
of age, residing with his wife and chile
on Pine street just beyond its intersection
with Spring. The last that was seen O
, Mr.. Hale alive was on the morning o.
Saturday last about nine o'clock. A
that time he took leave of his wife, after
giving her his pocket book and watch anc
agectionately kissing her and his young
child, telling his wife that she would
never see him again. He passed out O.
the house and turned up Pine street
paying no heed to the fond entreaty
papa, papa" with which his curly haired
boy of three years called after him. His
wife being naturally alarmed at this un
usual conduct of her husband who had
never given evidence of mental derange
ment, or serious depression, watched his
course up the street from the window Of
the house which commands an unob'
structed view OF the northern part Of
Pine street and Mineral street.
She saw him turn into the latter street
and following it a few rods, turn to the
right and pass behind an ioe-house be-
longing to Aud q Co., when she lost
sight of him. Mrs. Hale spoke of the
unusual departure of her husband to her
neighbors, and expressed some concern
for his absence as the day advanced, and
| he did not return. But those who were
Familiarity acquainted with Mr.. Hale,
wonld not entertain the thought that he
had com mitted thu rash act of selfde
struction, and ridiculed the apprehensions
of his wife. Even when evening came,
and the missing man did not appear, there
does not seem to have been much concern
for his safety among those living near,
and no search was made, although Mrs.
Hale was filled with gloomy forebodings
Of his possible fate, and expressed her
conviction that he had committed suicide.
On Sunday morning, however, es moth
ing had been seen or heard of the missing
man, four of the near residents,
Thomas S. ellison Peter Robinson,
J. Fl. Truel and Ralph Smith
instituted a search. They followed the
course Mr.. Hale was seen to pursue, and
discovered his tracks in small potato
patch in the rear of the ice-house on
Mineral street. Following these tracks
across the field, which is two or three
rods in width, the party in search entered
the swamp adjoining, belonging to John
Cain, Esq, and separating, searched
among the thick underground. Suddenly, |
two of the party discovered the PROSTATE
form of the missing man lying on the
face in & narrow open spot, completely |
secluded from view by the thick growing
4hrubbery.
Ga turning over the iteless body, a
CHASTITY sight was presented to view. A
wound was discovered on the left side of
the neck from which the blood had flowed, .
sltur4ting the heavy beard and smearing
the iace with its crimson stains. The
wound was abont two inches in length
across the neck, and sufficiently deep to
have severed the jugular vein, from which
the life current must have flowed so rap
IDLY IS to have caused death in a short
time. a few feet from the body lay
small two-bladed pocket knife, with one
keen sharp-pointed blade open, the Grim
son staiNs upon which made it evident
that it was the instrument with which the
bloody deed had been committed 1t was
clearly case of self.destruction, as there
was not the slightest signs of a struggle
in the moist ground where the remains
lay
The unfortunate man had evidently
fallen forward at once on striking the fatal
blow, and died without a struggle AS
Mr.. Hale is known to have been left
handed man, it is supposed the knife was
welded by that hand, and there were in
dications from the appearance of the wound
that the knife had been twisted around
after making the incision, as if to make
the work Of self-destruction more sure.
Notice Of the discovery of the remains
was at once sent to Justices Everts and
aud to John Cain, ESQ, of the
board of selectmen. Physicians were al
20 summoned, and DR.. Pond, Pierce and
Hanrahan were soon in attendance.
From the nature of the circumstances,
the cause of death being apparent, an in
quest was not deemed necessary by the
authorities, and the remains were allowed
to be removed to the late residence of the
man. On learning of the
of her worst fears, Mrs
Hale swooned, and on being restor-
ed to consciousness, was almost distract
ed with grief, and refused to be conso!ed
by the kind attentions of sympathizing
friends.
On searching the pockets OF Mr.. Hale,
under direction of the proper authorities,
previous to the removal of his remains
from the swamp, letter was discovered
in the breast pocket of the coat
The contents of this letter revealed the
cause of Mr.. Hale's singular manner to
his wife on Saturday morning and afford
ed evidence of the motive that led him to
rashly end his life. We are unable at
present to give this letter in full, nor
would it, publication serve any better
purpose than to crafty a morbid curiosity.
1t was addressed to Mr.. Hale, and was
written by young married man of this
village named George A. Patch. 1t con-
tanned in substance an implied charge of
criminal intimacy on the part of Hale
with the wife of Patch, and demand OF
500 to prevent legal prosecution. This
letter was delivered to Mr.. Hale by boy
on Saturday morning, and was opened in
the presence of his wife, but he refused