The New York herald., 1874-08-20
A CHEvALIER's SUICIDE.


nance of Self-Destruction I'm Charles
ton-A Young Tippler's Hurried Exit
from Life.
william J. Oxner was young man In Winns-
boro, S. O., addicted to frequent libations, yet In
love with the daughter Of wealthy citizen Of
Charleston The girl refused to correspond with
him unless he joined temperance society and
cease drinking. This he failed to do and proceed
ing to Charleston, where the young lady resides,
on Sunday morning he took laudanum and died
upon the piazza OF his lady loves residence. The
Neos thus speaks OF the case:-
The only evidence relative to the motives which
prompted the act Is that which WIS found in the
letters on the person OF tae deSeased. rnhea 10
Queen street, Charleston, S. g. On one side OF this
envelope, written In blue ink, were the following
words:-
Sa Sp vsS da1s edu Sf es ss
h@ yo" TAKE my ring on ar Of my & nnser end hsye nv
my darling Send letter to JOHNNIE Aiken at W. p. u.
on the other side OF the envelope was written in
the same ink:-
BE sure and bury me by little Florence. Tell Miss Ella
looks for her st poke & It you love me- yoS VII Kiss
The following were the contents OF the letter en-.
AUGUST Is, 1874.
rhs o ss Kin s0nY s s Ifssh
%S SS Sss wasn s as desd w ana ss
do keep The ring have on my finger to remember Willie
dfSa Sys BY py e Gsd,ipf porenss s no" yours
In the same envelope were several verses cut
from newspapers and picture Of the lady, on
which was written IN blue Ink
SWEET mBury me BY ,he esd side Of little Florence 81
he, 1sfa hq: aocd Sns amy dan Tor
Enclosed in this was the following letter from
the LADY,
for ns and .ss
Will be entirely recovered leave very early in the
II @ fssH Sss S s5S o 'Rs
me ss y S YsH %
niE aiEsha sGu will soon be well is the wish OF your a'
Show this note to no
"Jno. ". Aiken, ESD, S. and 4. Teiegi aph Com.
stamped, and was intended to be mailed to Its ad-
dress. This letter was opened by the Coroner and
was found to contain the following letter.
n ths olty, Yours in haste. -
And also the following note, which was indorsed
in pencil, in the deceaseds handwriting, "From
Darling - June H. 1874"
Mr. Oxsnx--Comei will be happy to sec you.
The following Is a copy Of the letter inclosed to
CHARLESTON, August l5, 1874.
asn sns 70 go 10 S.saen die
x try die a. happy possible 'sE
% s % o s %qfT a sI y aSe aud
% me sa e hs atRE s
my darling - sat on Thursday evening. John, when
die will In my pocket pistol, took from your
drawer when lott WinnslorO. Ask Miss -, ior my
sake to keep the gold ring have my little finger.
don't know Il will go to heaven not Hope have
tried to stop drinking but cannot; farewell, dear
| John. You have always been tayOrte OF mine Tell
your brother Ed. and Walker Brown g0odby for me- also
John McCreight. Yours am who vii! die to night
WILLIE j. OXNER.
In the pocket of the deceased was found the
pistol referred to in the letter above, and also q
| pOcketbook containing some loose cnange. The
physicians VINO attended him gave as their opin-
ION that death was caused by an overdose OF laud
anum, and the jury Of inquest rendered verdict
to the enect that the deceased came to his death
from an overdose OF laudanum administered Dy
his own hands Tor the purpose OF taking mis- LIE, as
has been previously stated. Oxner has fine
face, dark halr, and was neatly dressed IN dark
colOred coat and light cOlored pants. 1t Is said
that this was not the first time he attempted u
commit suicide, and that lie made an attempt on
| his own lie some time ago In WinnsborO and &C
tually shot himself through the shoulder. The
little Florence so pathetcally referred to in his
letters Is the little sister OF the young lady whom
he loved so desperately. Hts BODY was taken In
charge by the city authorities The remains will
be sent to Winnsb0ro tonight, in compliance with
the instructions received by Mir. Alley from the
father OF the deceased