Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-01-24

that Ill mail matter addressed To the Governor
of Texas shall be delivered. to Richard Coke
and i'll mail matter addressed to Governor +. D.
Davis, or tn II. j. DAVIS, Governor of Texas
shall be delivered 20 h. J. Davis. Similar nc
ton should be- taken rs to the other Statn "ti-
GERS Joan A. j. CRESswELL,
Postmaster General.
SINGULAR SUICIDE OF a CoLnRED MAN.
This morning, about Que clock. Robert NJ.
Wood, colored man, who has Tor Il month
past been engaged in Keeping l rrlrrshmcnt
saloon at the corner OF 10th and i streets
northwest. shot himself in the forehead with a
pistol. His wir,. who was present in the room
ct the time, Immediately blew a whistle and
the police officers responding, L physlcluu DIR.
StearnS, was sent for, but could do nothing for
the sufferer rs the wound was tata, and death
cnSucd about 81 o'clock this morning. DR..
Patterson, the coroner was summoned, and on
making Inquiries into the case, asccrtaincd tho
following facts from the wife and cousin of the
victim, the latter a boy For some time past
Wood has been embarrassed in business.
Persons he was indebted to were pressing
him, and he was unable to collect money due
him. For three or four days past he has been
unusually depressed in spirits, walking much,
in IL thoughtful mood \ little over month
then had been impressed with the idea that
persons in the ncightorhood were prcjuliccd
against him. An old man from Alexandria,
named Page, about 80 years old, had been to
see him, and promised to give him good luck. tell
ing him to nail left-toot horse shoe outside
his door, and right-foot horse. shoe inside,
and to drive nine penny nails in a circle in a
certain plank, and good luck would certainly
return to him. He did not follow these dlrec-
tons, and the man, when he came again, gave
him piece Of root telling him to drop some
Will key on it three times day, and wear it in
his pocket, and whencvcver he was making a
bargain he should put his hands on this root
This he did, but still his good luck did not re-
turn, and he was then told TO put it in running
water, to remove the spell.
He said that the work was done, and he
couldn't do any more, and yesterday said he
must die. He told his wife that IN article in a
paper yesterday headed ~ Sckening Mys-
terry, referred to him. The wife said that she
had been to a fnrtunc-tcller's, and was told
that two storckccpcrs in the ncighborhood :
one tall man and the other short man-had
got the old man to conjure her husband Last
night he said they were going to be surrounded
and crushed. She also stated that last night
he sent her to Mr. Maurice llurlcy's to borrow
a pistol, saying that he was afraid of being at
tucked, and about IT,! O'clock at night Mr..
Hurley raped at the door, when Wood said to
his wife that they were there then. She re-
cognzed Mr.. Ilurley's voice, and the
deceased got up, and cutting one OF the
window cords, let it down to him (llur-
lcy) and drew up the pistol thereby.
She then told him to be careful, saying that
she was afraid it would strike something and
60 off. They both laid down again, and about
| o clock this morning he awokc her, saying he
heard some one. He then jumped up and
went to the back window, and said he SAW a
man on the shed lie told her to look, and
as she went to the window he said he would fix
him. She did not see any onr, and as she was
turning away the pistol went off aud her hus-
band was killed
She believed that it was accidental; that the
pistol was discharged by striking the bed. DR..
Patterson decided that an inquest was unue
cc,sary coming to the conclusion that the de
ceased killed himself while laboring under a
fl, of instantly, and gave Il certificate to that
effect
The deceased was quite good-looklng, ro-
bust man, and is said by his neighbors to have
borne good character, being sober and indus
trous, and attending strictly to his business. -
WASH. Star.