The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-01
Il MYSTERIOUS SUICIDE.

Il MYSTERIOUS SUICIDE.
| A Journe yman Tailor Commits Suicide
at tho Victoria Hotel by Hanging
| RimselE-Fan Particulars OF the Al
fair.
Last Tuesday morning well-dressed man
named John Vanhulst, arrived IN thls CITY
| from Nav York, on board the steamship Aan
haitian. He went to the Victoria Hotel. at the
corner of King and Princess streets, about
breakfast time, and applied for lodgings. 10
the course of q conversation with the proprl.
etor of the hotel, Mr.. cpdebeck, he stated that
he was a native of BRUSSELS, Belgium, but had
been living for some time In New York City,
where he had left his vile and four children.
He was tailor by. trade, and had come to
Charleston for the purpose Of obtaining work,
and he assigned as his reason for leaving New
York that the winter climate there was too
severe. He said that as soon as he succeeded
In getting q permanent situation he would
send for his wife and children. he
asked Mr.. Opdebeok for the address Of
the principal tailoring establishments In
the city, and that gentleman In com.
pllance gave him the address of-seVeral.
He at the same time showed Mr.. Opdebeck a
letter of Introduction to Mr.. John Rugheimer,
q well known merchant tailor of this city,
from Il. Weber. No. So First avenue, New
York. After breakfast he left the hotel, and
was absent some hours. In the afternoon he re-
turned, and said that he had got aplace in one
of the first tailoring establishments In the city.
He remained about the hotel In the afternoon,
and nothing unusual was observed In his con-
duct or appearance by any one. On Wednes-
day morning he left the hotel for work about
seven o'clock. The other employees OF the
establishment In which he had been engaged
say that he arrived there about quarter-past
seven o'clock, and applied himself steadily to
work until twenty minutes past twelve, when
he asked the hour, and got up to leave. He
had all the while appeared cheerful, and was
moderately talkative. On getting up to II ave,
he remarked that he felt giddy, aud staggered
a little, but he attributed 1t 10 the effects of
the motion of the boat during his recent
voyage.
Mr.. Opdebeck states that Vanhulst arrived
at tho hotel about ten minutes before one
O'Clock, and said that he was feeling unwell,
the motion or tue steamer DoIng sLill III Ills
head. Mr.. Opdebeck asked him II ne would
not eat something. he refused. but asked Tor
drink of brandy. Alter he had taken the
drink. he said that he would 60 and lie down.
At supper time Mr.. 0pdebeck sent o servant
up to Vanhulsis room, which was on the third
etory. In short time the servant returned
and said that the room door was locked, and
the key had been removed from the hole.
There being nothing suspicious in that fact,
Mr.. Opdebeck concluded that his lodger had
gone out, aud therefore gave the matter no
further thought. At breakfast time Jester-
day morning, the lodger did not make his ap'
pearance at the table, and the proprietor
again sent the same servant TO the room on
the third door. The servant returned and
said that the door was In the same
condition as on the evening preVi-
ous. and that the room was apparent
entity uuoccupied. Mr.. Opdebeck then
went up and unlocked the door with pass
key which he keeps. The door was, however,
bolled on the inside, and could not be pushed
opened. In attempting to force 1t, Mr.. 0pde-
beck discovered through an aperture thus
made the figure Of the man apparently stand
ing directly before the crack With the eyes
fixed upon him. A second glance assured
him, however, that the body was suspended
to post at the foot Of the bed by means OF
rope attached TO the neck. Mr.. Opedebeck
made no further attempt to open the door,
but repaired Immediately to the detective Of
fee and informed Lieutenant Heidi Of the
circumstances. The lieutenant with several OF
his officers lost NO time In going to the hotel.
The door being forced, the body was fouad
suspended as above described, with the feet
touching the floor and the knees bent out In
front. Life was perfectly extinct, and the
rlgidity of the body showed that 1t had been
go for many hours. The post to which the
body was suspended was strip OF ordinary
yellow pine two Inches Wide by three.quarters
of an inch thick, and constituted portion OF
the mosquito net frame. The whole frame
was bent by the weight of the body partially
over the foot of the bed.
I,Ieutenant Heidi allowed the body to re-
main In position and notified the coroner.
A Jury was lmpanelled, aad DR.. Raoul was
summoned to examine the body. The doctor
pronounced that the neck was dialocated
The verdict was that the deceased had com
mitted suicide by hanging in flt of menta
alteration.
Mr. Opdebeck tslegraphed, 10 the course o.
the morning, to Marcellan Dupuy, No. II.
Thompson street, New York, of whom tht
deceased had spoken on the first day OF hi
arrival announcing the suicide, and asking
that intelligence be communicated to the
afflicted family.
fragment of a letter to his wife was found
In the dead mans picket. 1t was written ir
French, Of a very defective nature. The fol
lowing is translation:
mfg Dear Wifs-I have arrived in goot
health In Charleston. On the way was yer.
sick. believed to die, but grace 10 God
am now very we'll. However. I have yer!
great courage. Also have found work tht
| very day arrived. As soon as possible will
send you some money. That will give nj
| great pleasure. Ihave finished"
The letter there ended without signature
It was apparently written on Tuesday after
noon, as 1t was upon sheet of paper then ob
tanned from the proprietor OF the hotel.
|