The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-09-20

Extraordinary Suicide-A Strange Life
and its Strange Ending.
In 1861, there lived in Bangor, Me-.
physician named William II. Jewett
a well educated and intelligent man,
who enjoy ed a good practice. An ardent
Democrat, he shared the prosecutions
which at that time were bestowed upon
those Of his political faith, until in dis.
gust he abandoned his practice, packed
up his effects and left the place. After
some wanderings he settled at North
Haven, one of the Fox Islands in Pen.
obscott Bay, where he occupied house
alone. He held little intercourse with
the people Of the place generally, seem.
ing to brood over the injustice which
had exiled him from his home. With
few, however, generally young men,
he formed acquaintances, and charmed
them with the extent and variety of his
information and his flow Of converse
ton. He practiced medicine to con.
siderable extent, and was known as a
skillful, though eccentric physician.
But to the world generally he was cold
and reticent, living in house entirely
alone and preparing himself his simple
meals. Within few months he fell
i'll, and during that time two young
women had gone daily to his house to
do the work and look after his com fort.
Last week the editor of this paper,
who had known DIR. Jewett only as a
subscriber, received from him the fol.
lowing letter:
NORTH HAVEN, Aug. 10, 1872.
WiiliDm II. Simpson:
| DEAR Sin :-lt you will send to me the author
or the faith er-in-law TO the article in your
Journal Of June 20, 1872, first column.
A" Handling and Docility of Farm Stock"
will make him (you indorsing him as the
real, linden tical author, or as the man who
at heart entertains such feelings). will
de Use to him the amount that will enable
him TO carry his humane, holy, and hope
heavenly purposes to some notable results,
if he needs such help. / think my earthly
career is nearly ended. think that with
in ten or twelve days l shall pass the river.
Let him come soon. l am indebted to the
Journal about three-fourths OF a year. If
he comes, end your bill if you please. And
please forward the inclosed letter as directed.
Please write me. Yours, &C.,
WILLIAM II. JswErr.
The article referred to is one showing
the advantages OF treating animals
kindly rather than harshly. The letter
inclosed was addressed to the Secretary
of the New York Society for the Pre-.
vention of Cruelty to Animals, and was
written as requested. A reply to this
letter was mailed on the 18th, stating
that the real author of the article was
unknown-that it had been copied
from an agricultural publication not re-
membered. Before that letter reached
It's destination the hand that it sought
was cold in death. DR.. Jcwett had died
by one OF the strangsst suicides ever re.
corded in the history of self.destruction.
On the morning of the 10Th, six days
after the date OF the above letter, he
sent one young woman tor two quarts
of spirits of turpentlne, which was
brought to him. All night he told his
attendants that they need not call as
early as usual, or not until about eight
o'clock. What transpired in his room
during that long night no mortal knows,
but just before the hour fixed for the re.
turn of his attend ants cry OF fire was
raised and smoke and flame we're dis.
covered issuing from the house. The
persons who rushed to the SPOT found
the doors fastened on the inside. They
were burst in. Those VIII first entered
behold an appalling sight. Stretched
upon his bed, with no garment but his
shirt, lay the Doctor with the great ar.
terry OF his leg severed. The blood
flooded the bed and fell in streams to
the floor, mingled with turpentlne which
had been previously poured over the
bed and floor. The back portion of the
room was mass of fame Strong arms
seized the bed and bore the unconscious
man to the open air. They laid him by
the roadside, and stood around his bed,
knowing that no human aid could avail.
The red streams Of his life blood con.
tinued to pour out, few struggling
gasps, and the poor recluse had laid
down forever the burden Of his sorrows.
Kind hands closed his eyes and COM
posed his limbs. And those unused to
weep found tears upon their cheeks as
they thought of his silent, solitary,
cherries hermit life, and his strangely
mysterious death. 1t remains for US
only to say that the house and all its
contents were burned, although his de-
sign of being consumed with it was
frustrated.-Belfast Me.) Journal.