National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-12-29
THE LATE SUICIDE.
DENLALS AND EXPLANATIONS IN
THE NATTER.

MEETING OF THE MINIsTERs-REsoLU
OF REGRET-ARRANGEMEN FOR. THE
FUNERAL-sTATElIENT OF DIR. sUNDER-
LAND-A FRIEND TO THE RESCUE.
The excitement created BY the suicide of Rev.
DR.. J. N. Coombs, on Sunday morning, has not
in the least subsidized but TO the contrary, has be-
come greater. Yesterday 1t was the general
topic OF conversation In the District, and great
sympathy was expressed for DR.. Coombs. An
during the day the body was visited at his late
residence, No. 722 Eighteenth street northwest,
by his many friends, including ministers of the
different churches and members Of his congregs-
tion. .-.. -..- ....... Ia. -....l.
In the First ward, where DR.. Coombs had
been located as pastor of the Western Presby-
terrain church, the excitement over his demise
was intense, and crowds of people collected about
the stores to discuss the cause Of his committing
the terrible deed, Some claimed thatlately DR..
Coombs had acted peculiarly, while others as
serted that his death was caused b. the article
stances of Saturday night were quoted and dis
puted.
-. re. DENIALs AND DETERMINATIONS.
Among the latest charges in the matter is that
chant he gave his name as Rev. Mr.. Healy, and
Afterwards gave his proper name. To this charge
there 4 given denial IN Which the STttfhoFity
accounts that Mr.. Ooombs gave the name Of
Healy is grave Misrepresentation. Mr.. Ooombs
himself by assuming false one. The suggestion
that he was Mr.. Healy is believed to have come
from bystsnder who witnessed portion Of the
scene, and who, in giving the name Of Healy, was
himself mistaken, and that misled MIR. Beall."
REPORTED INTERVIEW.
On Saturday evening some gentleman who had
seen or heard Of the occurrence suggested that
some of Mr.. Coonbs' brother ministers should
call on him, and DR.. Sunderland went up to see
him. Mr.. Coombs, on being asked as to the
truthfuiness OF the reports, said apparently In e
taking book from a booksellers; 1don't know
why did It, for had money to pay for II" at
$50 in his pocket. He further said to DR.. S. that
it was too bad, and he could not meet his congre-
cation on Sunday.
DR.. sUNDERLAND's STATEMENT.
In answer to the above DR.. Sunderland sent
card to THE REPUBLICAN, in which he says: 81
had an interview with Kew. Mr.. Coombs on Sat
urday evening, but no one is authorized to state
All representations otherwise are unWarranted,
and all statements published in the papers Of
what was said or done are without the slightest
authority from me-"
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As will be seen by DR.. Sunderland's card, he
does not deny the truth of the statement, but
denies giving any one the right to publish it. or
that he furnished the information to the press.
The affair Of Saturday night weighed heavily
on the mind Of DIR. COOmbs, and 1t is asserted
that when he arrived at his home after the occur
renee he was much depressed in spirits and in con-
Yersation with Mrs. Oathcart remarked, This is
very short and brief life, and unsatisfactory"
She attempted to cheer him, and inquired why
life unsatisfactory and he replied at is full
1t is alleged that. Mr.. COombs has been de-
tected before taking books. On one occasion, Il is
said, he was followed to his house and charged
with the deed, Whereupon he fell upon his knees
and begged for mercy, asking God to forgive him
also, in the most excited manner. HIS piteous
appeals for silence were acceded to on condition
that he would return the different books he had
taken, and he sent back some twenty volumes.
Other cases are also reported.
ACTION OF THE MINISTERS.
The ministers Of the Presbyterian churches OF
the District held . meeting yesterday morning,
when a committee, consisting Of Drs. Sunderland,
the sessions Of the Western Presbyterian church,
and make arrangements for the funeral services.
The ministers Of the NJ. Z. Church also held q
meeting yesterday; Rev. S. Shannon occupied
the chair, and Rev. @. H. Mytinger, secretary.
The following resOlutionsi were unanimously
RESOLVED, lat a meeting of the preachers of the
NJ. Z. churches Of this city, That We have heard
with profound sorrow Of the untimely death Of
the Rev. ]. N. Csombs, pastor Of the Western
Presbyterian church; that we desire to record our
undated confidence in his personal and minis
curing in the verdict Of the coroner's Jury that
the act was committed in paroxysm of insanity.
ReSOlred, That as an expression Of our sympa-
thy we Will, in body, attend the funeral.
For some unknown reason the proceedings Of
the Presbyterian preachers meeting are, for the
present, kept secret, and the result Of the con-
ment Of the committee, are unknown. The con-
ference, probably, will be given to the public
to-day, when all the funeral arrangements will
be announced. 1t is believed that the committee
are making q thorough examination into the
causes which led to his committing suicide.
The funeral will take place Thursday at
o'clock, from the Western church, when Hiram
Lodge, No. 10, Of Masons, with other organiZa-
lions Of which Mr.. Coombs was q member, will
attend.
A FRIEND TO THE RESCUE.
To h = n al
there is one feature in the published statement
which it may not be Rmiss to notice. 1t is stated
that the unfortunate gentleman was in the habit
Of frequently visiting the bookstore, though he
never bought any books, leading, and not unnatu-
rally, perhaps, to the inference that he deliber-
Rtely went there to steal, while such, in fact is
not necessarily the case. i have, as bookmRn,
known Mr.. COombs we'll for about two years; he
has spent hours at our store glRnclng over books
and occasionally, though not often, buying one;
but as knew his fondness for books, and that
he already possessed excellent private library,
nothing was more natural than that he should
frequently drop in, though not always to buy.
Every bookseller understands how this is, and
knOwnMr Cosmbs, II is not at all probable that the
matter would have terminated SO fatally. For
myself, have had many dealings with Mr.. O.,
have sold to him, again bought back from him,
and sometimes exchanged with him, and have
ever found him scrupulOusly nice and honorable
in our transactions, not careless or extraVagant,
but never mean, and would now stake my exist
enee that the unfortunate weakness in which he
was detected, was with him, not as a rule, but