Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-02-13
Tragic Death Of Joseph B. Trahern Of
New Providence. Tenn.


On the evening of the 4th inst. oul
village was convulsed. Joseph B
Trahern passed from the lips of his
babe into the presence of God without
moments warning. The business
pulse ofofthe western portion of the
town has lost much of its vital forces.
He was man of affairs. The pros
pective domestic felicity that hung
hopefully over his house, has been
dissipated by an unerring archer. A
young wife and baby-hoy shorn oftheir
strength; while widowhood and or
phanage reigns, and blights, where pa
ternal companionship but recently
shone and blessed. The Coroner's
Jury, upon primary examination, de-
cided that he had suicided. Upon
further investigation, however, they
reversed their verdict, and decided
that they could not ascertain whether
accidental or intentional. No blame
attaches to them, they are men good
and true. There are three possible
causes of this terrible tragedy.
/. As the Jury first decided, he
may haze committed suicide. ESQ he
did it amid his ususl flow Of spirits,
and social surroundings; for he left
his table, passed into an adjoining
room, kissed his babe in the crib, and
died between there and the door open
ing into the hall. That he kissed his
babe | infer from the fact that he left
the handkerchief. used at the table, In
zthe crib. If he suicided he devirted
from the usual course pursued by this
poor unfortunate class. He left no
explanatory letter, or statement, had
no previous mental depression. met
with no serious disaster in business,
nor any thing else to check the tide of
an uninterrupted decade of prosperity.
Why commit suicide ? Could 10. Ira
hern, in the prime of his manhood,
vigor of his intellect, tide of his pros
perity, and'in the midst of elegant So
cial surroundings which make life toll
cradle, assume entire proprietorship of
himself, become weary of life, and with
his own hand-a hand ever ready to
toll and to bless-rend the veil skirt
ing eternity, and go, unsummoned. be-
fore his maker.
1t may have been accidental. His
Clerks informed me that gentleman
wished to purchase pistol in his store
that day. Mr.. Trahern told him that
he would bling one from his residence
that night.
The pistol used in the killing was his
own, and had recently been taken from
his wardrobe drawer. Might he mot
haze killed himself accidentally aolSile
taking the pistol from the draaoer?
Similar accidents are occurring all
over the country.
3. He may have been murdered
Though few knew where the pistol
was, it would only require one to go
quietly into the room while the family
were at supper, take the pistol from
the drawer, conceal himself in the hall
it was very Oakland as the victim
endeavored to pass out at the door
shoot out his brains. Who knows 3?
can see the possibility of this last
surmise /; the probability of the second;
but cannot accept the first.
But he is gone-the very embodi-
ment of a noble and generous man
hood. Warm in his nature, fast In his
friendships, and man Of integrity.
His family are bereaved indeed. L
note with a sad pleasure the manly
tear and deep-seated grief of mis- Will
ON partner. What volume itspeaks
May Heaven deal gently, kindly, ten
derly with his wife, to whom theworld
now seems so dark and angels guard
the beautiful bright-eycd boy along
life's troubled pathway.
And may his deeply bereaved sister
who now feels so lonely, find consola-
ton in Gods blessd word.
T. J. DUNCAN.