Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-05-17
MORE MORPHINE.
The Suicidal ManIR-Sudden Death
Of Clinton Clineh, n FiFema0-

of Clinton CIineh, n FiFema0-
separated I'm Lffe, United I'm Death
A few days since a member of the
demi-monde, a resident of Madam
Clark's bagnio on Second street, near
Madison, while labOring under the effects
of ardent spirits, caused by the supposed
desertion Of her friend" with whom
she had been intimate for six months
previous, empted a vialful Of morphine
into her stomach, which life-stealing
drug Immediately produced insensibility
and then death. The announcement
of the untimely and violent death Of
this unfortunate soiled dove threw her
friend" Clinton Clinck, into a state Of
mental depression, and be sought sur
cease Of sorrow in drink. He attended
the wake Of the dead woman and acted
strangely, giving vent to violent emo.
tons and svowing his belief that they
would not long be separated, although
he still was a weary dweller on this
earth and she had gone to the land Of
the Hereafter, where all is mystery and
dread silence, no echo ever reaching
back from there to the shores Of this
orb, and where the wicked cease from
troubling and the weary are at rest, in
that spirit land, at the entrance Of which
is ever heard the Almighty's wise saying
to censorious and presumptive man:
Judge not, or ye shall be judged" and
Let him that is innocent cast the Grst
stone"
The day following the death of the
courtesan her remains we're conveyed 10
the cemetery and all that was left Of sin
and shame became a little mound Of
earth, above which the birds sang as
sweetly as if the mound covered the re-
mains Of the best and purest of US.
What a moral these birds teach us-one
of charity and magnanimity. Such a
song issuing from the throat of a mock
ing. bird is worth a thousand dull and
dreary sermons.
THE SEQUEL OF SUICIDE.
Since that day Clinton Clinck has
been a changed man. he drank to ex.
cess and became, as it were, a maniac
lover, mourning over some lost "Lenore,'
or brooding over the propriety of self
murder as a means of reioining the wo
man who had gone before. Such a phase
of life is not that Of the higher planes
of affection; it belongs to the plane o.
the lower order Of animal life, an erotiC
life, intense to 6erceness, but devoid o.
that wonderful halo thrown around love
by education and refinement or philoso
ply. Mr.. Clinck was a member Of the FRI
department of the city, and owing to BIZ
drinking and absence from duty haC
been suspended. he was now not o
sound mind, and wandered on blindl,
toward his doom. A few nights sine,
he hired a hack and visited the GENE
terry, where the grave Of the "unfortu
nate was bathed in dew and wa
lighted up by the rays from the moor
and the stars. He remained at the gravl
for some time and returned to the city
He continued to talk despondently, ant
referred to death as something to be de
sired. During one of his spells up tow
he swallowed a large dose OF morphine
but, being detected, a druggist applied
the stomach pump and saved his life
Last Saturday evening he left home anC
wandered away. His wife, to whom b.
had been married many years, became
uneasy, and secured the services Of tbs
police at eleven o'clock Saturday nigh.
to hunt him up, fearing that he woulC
commit suicide while laboring undel
temporary insanity. Officer Pryde, o
the force, went in search of him, bur
while the officer vas absent on the
search Clinck presented himself
at the Adams street engine house, ant
taking a seat engaged in conversation
with the men.
THE SUICIDE.
After informing the men that be in
tended to kill himself, and being advised
to 60 home and take a good sleep, he 20.
up and went into 10 McCuller's LIVERY
stable near by, adjoining the Adaml
street station-house. He went back L
one Of the stalls near where the pumI
was situated, and after remaining Their,
for some time returned to the engine
house and took a seat upon a bench out
side. He stated to the man on watcl
that he was tired Of life, and asked hin
to tell Captain Haley that he Lived him
and also to tell his (Clinck's) wife that h,
loved her. The fireman on watch hat
heard him say these things many time
during the past few days, and advise,
him to go home and take a goo,
sleep. II will sleep enough befor
morning" answered Clinck. Just the
the negro boy who sleeps at Nc
Culler's stable appeared, and calm.