National Republican., 1873-11-14
MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.

mBihNCHOIt BtIehUb.
rrsa'c Death Of an EmIpeus Bankev-saa
Bcrcnveuscut Of his Levery Fassily-Ter-
perary Abcrratien the Cawse-Sketch OF
tho Late whitmnn q. Bcstor.
Yesterday morning tho public was startled
with The strange announcement that whitman
q. Bestor, of the nrm OF Riggs 4 Co., bankers,
had shot himself. and died Of tho wound within
. few hours after It's lunlction.
A general feeling Of incredulity was strongly
manifested a. the matter was rehearsed 70 new
and anxious listeners, which at last gave way 10
tho verncation given TO inquiries at the banking
house, as well a. TO the deep dark badge OF
mourning which was soon placed upon the mas
aiye door telling tho sad truth by its pOTtentOus
and gloomy silence. 'Tis almost needless TO
mention that nervous impatienoe iuduoed
hurry TO learn
which had led TO so tragic termination Of life
whose course had run so smoothly and uangslly
beneath the influence OF one Of those pecnnau
settled temperaments which estrange them frOr
any turbulence OF passion and swelling OF emo
tions, and arc apt TO excite criticisms from 90.
servers that they lean too much to GOODNESS ana
Born In this city over nfty yearssgo, and reared
amid Its citizens, almost without separation 0I
duration worthy OF mention, the deceased was
and calculating In his business relations as TO
preclude tho supposiiion that financial
irregularities srdssH ,sn n.cos sc ,0nSi.,os %SsSSa0ls
the monetary interests OF tho times,
seconded by the failures OF others ~ we'll
known and as unhesitatlngly connded 10, even
induced tho whispered fear that either per-
sonally or as a banker he had shared the mlstor-
tunes Of the crisis, and sought death rather than
dishonor. But the closest scrutiny and most de-
tailed inquiries only mystined the event, as MT.
RIGGS assured US that Mr.. Bestor WAS earning .
handsome living, saving annually from hts In
come AZ q banker, and beyond this had over
my thousand dollars invested In the most salts
Inquiry beyond this, though apparently IN.
called for, was made into his personal and social
relations, and these revealed the fact that his
home was ono OF those beautiful types OF social
and domestic happiness, where husband And
wife, vieinR with each other In attentive anec-
tlon, train q son and three daughters y imlta-
tiou OF those heavenly virtues with which God
has kindly tempered the scenes OF human life,
and which form, the sunlight that streams upon
mans otherwisr shaded pathway Ano transforms
the shadows into Its own radiant beauty.
ALL The pAcm
which could 30 gained were the following. q
| told us by Mr.. Higrs, and reiterated BY the
father Of the dece ceased, at his home, No. lrio
CURED about o'cioci yesterday morning.
The deceased MAS Of slender form, entirely
devoid OF anything which could DO termed
10 ten hours daily the year round, seldom taking
| any protrncted summer respite. HIS outdoor
exercise was limited, and connneJ almost ox.
skating in winter. This, with perhaps osseI
| causes, had encouraged growing dyspepMA,
from which hc was OF late becoming, a severe
| sufferer. No new development Of this Stseass
had, however, pcen noticed Of late.
Some depression Of feeling had been Noticed
aud remarked ~ seen In tho deceased within Z
following, as told to us by Nr. Riggs:
On Tuesday last the deceased remarked v
Mr.. Riggs that he did not know how hc could
ever manage the interests OF the bank without
the counsel and aid Of the Bonior member Of tht
| arm. Mr.. Riggs replied that In all probability
/ he would he with him for pme time to come
should both retire, their sons could ali theii
vacant places. "Yes,r sa'd the deceased, '.bu
II only had your head / should have no fear o.
ss,ou o hat Ss nsa ever gwen OF OF his mistinst i
his own ability to solve anticipated hnancia
DEOSlems, which were only the fancles OF af
| oveytaxed and disordered brain.
He had manifested q particular anxiety within
| the past week to settle his outstanding mercan
tile accounts, as Is instsnced by the fact that h,
had asked Mr. N. W. Burchell several time
| within the short space referred to for his &C
count for groceries, which the deceased cale,
and sertled In person. at the store on street, OF
| such we're the only premonitory symptom
which led TO the sad tragedy which occurred II
bis bed-cho mber yesterday morning, when, 1rc
paratory 10 going TO market, he .fMa, In par
/ Arranged his 'oilet and was ahSut TO shave, whci
euifering from tempoD1ry alteration OF mind
he- e-rfkised sma u Colts revolver which laid mes
A hand, pointc,s II TO his head just behind N
ear, and DISCHARGED single ball, which cntere
lie fell to the floor, where hc was found b
some OF the members Of the family, who rushe
In from an adjoining lYonl. ss.onianed Ia At the r
Amazed at the sight pr, ventel before them the
were, for few minutes, helpless. but soon rea
ins pSG5 ~ man. saS snS pTs nast
and Barnes Immediately summoned, who pr,
nounced the wound fatal. After lingering abo,
two hours, during which u ne there was an o.
tire suspension OF conscious 1css, the dying ms
breathed his last beneath tn gaze OF the imm
diate family and Mr.. Riggs, who had been sun
Such was the termination OF a life on Walk
plenty smiled, and which pea 70 aud prospdri
united TO render happy.
During the morning Coroner ID, G. rattcrs,
called al the residence Of the 70. ully and view,
the remains, but deemed an Inquest unnccess
~. and gave as his opinion I. vat death "
| caused while laboring under temporary
sanity.
PERSONAL HISTORY oY M. BI sroR.
There Is littlo OF characteristic distinct,
which stands out In great prominencS ' In the II
. Of the deceased.
lie was a aWashinstonian by birth nd educ
, ton, and was nfty-0ne yeIrs OF nge when
died. His boy hood was schoolcd in tho c. Cohimbli
academy, under the tutorshp Of the ven crab
, John Mcleod, from which institution he nter'
upon business life with the foundatio o. OF
! substantial business character well laid ia tho
principles which 60 to make up true man hoo
While yet q youth, In 1std, he enteret u
clearinghouse OF X. W. LAthrop a Co., ant
NAMED with them until 1851, when the nrm VI
merged into Seldcn, Withers a Co., and "
then engaged by the new drm. He acte ]
: cashier, paying teller, chief accountant, an J,
, fact, passed through all the important posit to
, In the bank. In 1855, when this institu III
failed, he was taken by Mt. Rags as ''coDn 10
tial clerk"
|. Ho served as clerk and teller In the BAR
} proper at times, but during tho past ten yea
. has occupied the private once with Mr.. higg
4 who, for his devotion to business and Inv NluAb
1 experience and capacity. gave him an In tere
! In the bank some years since. Careful, cal sulA
/ Ing and honest, he was peculiarly ntted for ~
/ business with which no was Identified, and
which he had won the confidence OF the publ1
, as well as OF his employers,
lie was the son OF Chauncy. .Bestor. who was 10
many years clerk In the general Post ono
Department, and subsequently cashier Of tn
old Patriotic bank, an esteemed citizen an
faithful of1cer, who yet lingers with US to renee
the excellence Of the manhood OF bygone dayl
! In early life the deceased married Mlss Bald
win, the daughter OF an old Washingtonian, ,wh
survives her husband, with one son, now OF ags
! and three daughters. The son Is q young ma
J | OF good business qualities and attainments, oil
Ing position OF trust IN the bank Of Riggs q U
, The remains were taken In charge BY J. W.0Aw
Ter, undertaken, and placed In leo prior 10 thel
intermeDt. During the day many sympathikln
friends ca LED at Mr.. Bestors late residence an
J rendered the warmest coincidence and such sci
! Vices As might be desired.