The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-13
SELF-DESTRUCTION.
A Noteworthy Instance Of Emotional In
sanity.
A Young Man Shoots Himself Dead on
His Wife's Grave.

viii render 1t memorable. SO out OF the OF
binary line Of such events was it, as to tn
cause and the place selected, that it probabl
in these respects has no parallel. Horace B
| Gibbs, at once actor and victim in the trag
edy, is a young man within three days 0
twenty-three years old. He assisted hi
father as clerk in the l., c. and L. r. r
Office, and, SO far from being dismissed
left the position voluntarily upon the occa
sion OF a recent domestic bereavement, The
death of his young wife, whom he had known
and loved from infancy.
He became acquainted with Belle Ridenou
in Richmond, Va, years ago, correspondet
with her while boy sailing before the mast
and one year after his majority led her to tn
marriage altar. 1t was only last March tina
he married her, he twenty-five years old an(
Clair" was born to them. The mother sur
vived only four weeks and was buried il
Spring Grove Cemetery, week ago last Sun
day. His grief was inconsolable.
NO SYMPTOMS OF INSANITY
were observed in him by his friends. Abou
three years ago he requested his brother in
case anything happened to him to burn al
his correspondence with young ladies.
Last night he went to Mrs. J. r. Gun
ningham, on Court street, and obtained the
signatures of her and her servant girl to his
will, as witnesses to it. Night before last he
sat up late at his fathers residence, 232 Barr
street, reading a homeopathic medical work
contemplating a mode of suicide, as is now
usual, and was quite cheerful. Speaking Of
his purpose to visit Spring Grove, his parents
tried to dissuade him, but all to no purpose.
He took hack and went to the cemetery, ar
irving early in the forenoon.
| At the entrance he told the driver to run
his horses up and down the avenue, while he
visited the grave of his buried wife, About
noon the hackman went in search of Mr.
Gibbs, and found his body, with two empty
Deringer pistols by its side, lying dead upon
the wites grave. Both pistols were empty.
OF one. the contents had passed through his
heart and the other had evidently been dis
charged by his fall, for the ball plowed
through the hillock of the grave and gra zed
the maidstone.
His life has been singularly eveutful for one
SO young. Shipwreck was one Of the expert
ences of his sailor life. His residence since
his marriage was POS Dayton street. Among
his letters, in addition to the one printed be-
low, was one to his child, sealed, and marked
with directions not to open until December,
1890, when the child would be sixteen years
old. A letter to his mother other than the
one below was left by him, but is not given
IOr puDucauOn
VERY SAD LETTER.
The following singularly pathetic letter was
found on the dead mans person:
''CINcINNAr1, Jan. Z, 1875.
"My Dear Mother-This is, perhaps, the
last long conversation will ever have with
you. Oh, mother, you will not think me
mean in thus leaving you when you have SO
many cares.
Il have thought and thought it all over,
until am almost distracted. Mother, love
Belle. She is dearer to me than every tie l
have. She is my all. I know she would
not have waited a day had I died first. I am
in my full senses. am not crazy, as people
persist in calling men who do as am about
to do. ..
"Socrates died the same death by poison.
No man has ever said he was insane / SIM
ply do not care to live without Belle, and l
have perfect faith that 1 will be allowed to
Join her in the other world.
''Belle and I have often talked this matter
over before she died, and each said what we
would do in case one Of US should be called
before the other. Ma, I don't believe there
ever were two young persons who loved each
more fondly than Belle and T.
"The only thing that worries me is that I
go leaving pa all the cost and expense of
every thing. It looks mean in me, while on
l.
know is imperative. Oh, if he will only ac-
cept the trust without reproach to me,
will be so happy. and ii it is possible
in the other world, will try and help him
from heaven.
"Now, dear mother, don't want you to
grieve for my welfare in the other world for
the safety Of my soul God is love. He is
mercifuL I am confident of his love. Should
not you then be so?
II 60 before Him in perfect faith, as
repentant sinner, believing in His generosity,
and l know that my soul is safe with Him.
Belle and will soon be happy in each others
eternal love.
Tomorrow will be with her, for did not
Christ say unto the malefactor on the cross,
This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise 2 |
Dear mother, what is this world but long
day?
''God wakes US in the morning and puts us |
to sleep at night, but the second awakening |
is to glory with Him forever.
"Dear mother, l feel no dread at going |
before Him. He knows my heart; men know |
but the covering. While Belle was here,
although We had few trials, we were happy
IN each others love.
although we hoped to live to see St. Clair
grow up to be great, good man, we neither
IF US were afraid to die. We wondered at
he greatness Of God, but felt that His will
vas right, because He was the Almighty. He
brought us upon the earth, surely He would
AXE care Of us when we left the earth. Ma,
t is all for the best. Belle and 1 love each
'ther in the full significance of the word, and
t is Gods will that 60 to her. Dear mother,
know that you will do what is right by St
Jlair, and whatever You may do, will think
t is right. If you all, dear mother, father,
'rother and sister, and little son, knew how
lard it was for me to part from you, you
would then know my love for you; but dear,
lear mother, am not ashamed to say l love
ny darling better than all.
Il have loved her from the time first knew
Ter. She is the companion of my soul, and
know my love for her is not greater than
;ers for me. I would do anything within
he power Of my life for Belle. Now, dear
mother, father, Eddie, Maggie, Jessie and St.
lair, I must bid you last good-by. 1t is
'ut for little while, and ask you all to for
i've any wrong I have ever done you, for it
1as not Intentional. Again good-by. Think