New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-21
The Suicide Of John Beev.

ten o'clock in the morning, John Beer vas
found, hanging TO . bedpost IN a room az
No. 10 Toulouse street-dead. Papers
found in the room indicated a deliberate
intention of suicide. and one of the letters
found contained most bitter and Nindlctlve
expressions of feeling against a brother
and an uncle in France, which we refrained
from publishing. We have since, under
date of February -, 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 R~EPUBLICAN:
have read with great concern IN the
New Orleans papers, lately received, the
shocking suicide of my late assistant, Johh
Beer, and his unnatural attempt TO revenge
himself for quite imaginary wrongs upon
two of his nearest relatives. Inc nrs'' MI
Henry Saegelv, of MarseIlles, being unfor-
tunat+ly Frustrated since several months by
severe and dangerous illness, IL unable to
take coonizance of the charges made against
him. but | am informed that he assisted t!S
nenhew on several occasions, though. ~
his wrongheadedness, he had forfeited
any claim he may ever have on his Kindred.
Tn second Mr.. Henry Beer, my ex-partner,
ia forbidden by his grief and by a very
nroner feeling, which every high-minded
man will understand, to take up the pen in
hi. own defense. But in face of the wide
nnhlicity which this sad case has untOrtun-
.ateIv obtained, and knowing more about II
than. perhaps II body else. l think II my
duty to address You the following brief re-
marks in vindicatiOn of my friends. They
will [ think, to certain extent, prove the
| Justice of your own editorial comments IN
your paper of the eleventh of January.
; .Jobn Beer has written the history of his
Iifo "a he liked: but here are the
trina facts: took John Beer
into nv office about ten years ago at the
rpuuest of his brother, who was then him
| self onIy an assistant i'll my business, and
| had he been a man of his stamp he would
soon have made his way IN the world; but
a more wrongheaded man l never met III
nv life; no reprimand or reasoning had the
SLIGHTEST effect on him; three or tour times
| discharged him, but always took him
hack at the urgent prayer of his brother.
| for whom | had a 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 to remain in my Office for
many wears, until at last it became quite
| imDDSHlDlt loI IlO W hSHD AlihA Guy OA5'A
After a certain time, during which he lived
entirely at his brothers expense, and find.
inc he could not get another situation, l
consented. for his brothers sake, TO give
him one more trial more. and set him up az
AN AGENT at Delhi. The work to be done
was Of the simplest kind, and might easily
nave been managed by him; but. untortu'
nately. he gave hlInselt up to pleasure
and somewhat to drinking also. l 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 afterward
with another agent in Mirzapore. Both at
tempts failed. as I had tOretoId, but the
French war had nothing to do with it. The
last attempt had very nearly involved MT
Henry Beers position In my firm, and find
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 his mother in Switzerland
from where, after 3 short stay only, he
went to New York, travelling and living
always from India 10 Europe, and froM
Europe TO America, at his brothers expense
Having again lost his situation at Ne"
York, he came back to France. where he
met his brother, who had been compelled
by the failing health of his wife. TO leave
India. a circumstance which he only learned
on his arrival here from my own lips, anG
not in New York. as he would make 1t ap
pear for the purpose of his history. lie re
manned about four months in Bordeaux anC
Marseilles, always at his brothers expense
as | we'll know, for | made, myself. severa
payments, but as no situation could be lOunC
for him he was persuaded to 60 to Switzer
land to try his luck there. 4 situation wa:
at last procured. but what he wanted wa.
that his brother should start a firm il
Hayre or Bordeaux. which he though
would open to HIM once more the way Il
fortune, and when he found him dIsin
clined to resume business. he threw up hi
appointment, saying hat it could not sui
him to drudge as a common clerk.
Poor fellow. with his limited capacities
he ought to have been only too glad to hav'
any situation at all. But he had got hole
OF Il new idea-to 20 to New Orleans. tt
make his fortune there. His brother wa
very much against II, as he did not know
anybody there whom he could have aske'
to watch over HIM, but, as usual, he woulC
not listen to reason. He lert in great ange
with his brother, and never wrote ID sirgl
line after his departure, so that his famil.
did not even know that he had arrived a
his destination. Assistance having neve
been refused to HIM, the last acts Of his lif
must seem inexplicable, and | can come t
no other conclusion than that brOOdinY
over his imaginary grievances, coupled wit
his disappOintments, had entirely upset tn
little Judgment he ever had and driven hUI
to madness: for with all his faults he wa
not IA bad man. and had he been of SCUM
mind he would certainly never AVE don
what he did. His posthumous reveng
proves only what his whole career in lt
has so unfortunately proved-wTongheadeC
ness and failure.
Under these painful circumstances NJ
Henry Beer has the consolation to posses
the sympathy Of relatives AMI friends bes
acquainted with all the facts. He leave
his unhappy brother to Gods mercy, an
tried to forget, as he fully forGives. til
wrongs he has inflicted ON him.
Apologizing for my long letter. ! all
dear sir. yOnr most obedient fervant.
II. CHARRIOI..
Senior partner OF Robert Il Charriol. 1
Calcutta.