New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-22
zlew 0tleans Republican.
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL or NEW ORLEANS
The Suicide of John Beer.

Cen o'clock in the morning, John Beer was
found, hanging 20 a bedpost in a room at
No. 10 Toulouse street-dead. Papers
.ound in the room indicated deliberate
intention Of suicide. and one of the letters
found contained most bitter and Vindictive
EXPRESSIONS Of feeling against d brother
and an uncle in France, which we refrained
from publishing. We have since. under
date OF February u. received the following
communication from the head of an East
India commercial house, at Bordeaux
which gives some interesting details in the
history of the unfortunate young man:
EDITOR REPUBLICAN:
have read with great concern in the
New Orleans papers, !atelv received, Inc
shocking suicide of my late assistant, Johh
Beer. and his unnatural attempt TO revenge
himself for quite imaginary wrongs upon
.wo of his nearest relatives. The first. Mr..
Henry Naegely, of NarseIlles, being untor.
tunatrly Frustrated since several months by
Eeycre and dangerous illness, is unable to
take coonizance Of the charges made against
bim. but ! am informed that he assisted his
.eobew on several occasions. though, by
his wronghea dedness, he had forfeited
.rv claim he NAV ever have on his kindred.
The second Mr.. Henry Beer, my ex-partner,
"a forbidden by his grief and by a very
proper feeling. which every high-mlnded
man will understand, to take up the pen IN
mis- own defense. But in face OF the wlde
publicity which this sad case mas uniortun'
ateIv obtained, and knowing more about II
ybon. perhaps anybody else, ] think 1t my
dutv to address you the following briet re.
marks in yindicatiOn of my friends. They
will. | think, to a certain extent, prove the
Justice of your own editorial comments in
vour paper of the eleventh of January.
= John Beer has written the history of his
life a. he liked: but here are the
true facts: I took John Beer
into my office about ten years ago at the
request Of his brother, who was then him
sell only an assistant in my business, and
had he been a man Of his stamp he would
coon have made his way in the world; but
a more wrongheaded man never met in
NV life; no reprimand or reasoning had the
slfghtest effect on him; three or tour times
discharged him. but always took him
back at the urgent prayer OF his brother,
for whom bad IA great regard, and who,
fearing. with very good reason, that he
would never be able to get on with stran-
gers, was very anxious to keep him with
him
Thus he came 20 remain in my Office for
many years, until at last it became quite
impossible for me to keep him any longer.
After certain time, during which he lived
entirely at his brothers expense, and find
ing he could not get another situation /
consented, for his brothers sake, TO give
him one more trial more, and set him up as
an agent at Delhi. The work to he done
was OF the simplest kind, and might easily
have been managed by him; but. unfortu-
aately, he gave himself up to pleasure
and somewhat 10 drinking also. ] am
afraid he neglected his business. and finally
was compelled to close the agency with
considerable loss to the firm.
His brother, still hoping against hope.
made two more attempts to help him. first
with our agent in Cawnpore, and atterward
with another agent in MirzapOre. Both at
tempts failed, as / had toretOld, but the
French war had nothing to do with it. The
East attempt had very nearly involved Mir.
Henry Beers position in my urn, ana hnd
ing that there was no more hope for his
brother in India, and a change OF climate
having besides become necessary, he sent
him back to lis mother in Switzerland
from where, after a short stay only, he
went TO New York, travelling and living
ALWAYS from India to Europe, and from
Europe TO America, at his brother s expense
Having again lost his situation at New
York he came back to France. where he
met his brother, who had been compelled,
5y the failing health of his wife. to leave
india, a circumstance which he only learned
ON his arrival here from my own lips, and
not in New York. as he would make it APP
pear for the purpose of his history. lie re-
:nained about four months III bordeaux and
Marseilles, always at his brothers. expense.
AS | well know. for ! made, myself. several
payments. but as no situation could be found
FOR him he was persuaded 10 20 to SWitZcr.
land to try his luck there. y situation was
at last procured. but what he wanted was
that his brother should start firm In
Havre or Bordeaux. which he thought
would open TO him once more the way to
fortune. and when he found him disin-
Clined to resume business. he threw up his
appointment. saying that it could not suit
him to drudge as common clerk.
Poor fellow. with his limited capacities,
!e ought to have been only too glad to have
any situation at all. Bur he had got hold
of a new idea--tO 90 to New Orleans, to
make his fortune there. His brother was
very much against 1t, as he did not know
anybody there whom he could have asked
10 watch over hun, but, DIS usual he would
not listen to reason. lie LETT in great anger
with his brother, and never wrote single
line after his departure, so that his family
did not even know that he had arrived at
his destination. Assistance having never
Been refused 10 HIM, the last acts OF his life
must seem inexplcable, and can come to
Go other conclusion than that brOoding
over his imaginary grievances. coupled with
his dsappOntments. had entirely upset the
little Judgment he ever had and driven him
90 madness: for with all his faults he was
not u bad man. and had be been Of sound
mind he would certainly never have done
what he did. His posthumous revenge
proves only what his whole career i'll life
has SO unfortunately proved headed
tess and failure.
Under these painful circumstances Mr..
Henry Beer has the consolation to possess
ihe sympathy of relatives AMI friends best
acquainted with all the facts. lie leaves
his unhappy brother to Gods mercy. and
cried to forget. he fully forgiyes. tine
wrongs h. has INFLICTED Oh lin.
Apologizins Tor my long letter. am.
dear sir. youT most obcdient tervant.
j. A. tllAKRiOL.
Senior partner Of Eober; y CEarg'oi. %!
Calcutta.
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fInme NeR. from Ahrnnh.