American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-09-09
A Romantic Suicide--The Letter
Written by a Dying Lover.

| WHICH ny a. Ivy LIE AOSCls
On Saturday afternoon romantic
and touching suicide was committed at
the South Orange Mountain House,
Orange Mountain, N. J. The victim
was fine-looking gentleman of about
40 years, and dressed in the uniform of
a naval officer. Three days previously
this man, who gave his name as Henry
Montrose, and announced himself as a
Lieutenant Commander in the United
States Navy, arrived at the hotel with
out baggage. He said to the proprietor
that he was expecting the arrival of a
number of friends in few days. The
stranger soon became a favorlte at the
hotel, but he seemed to be victim to
melancholy, and exhibited occasional
freaks of eccentricity. On Saturday af
ternoon the stranger kept his room,
and at o'clock he was found sitting by
his table in dying condition. A ply
stefan was summoned, but the suicide
died soon after his arrival. On the to-
BILE by his side was a glass, hypoder-
mic syringe, an open letter, and an old
| account book, with some of the leaves
torn out. County Physician Ward was
notified. He searched the papers and
effects of the deceased man with
view to ascertaining his identity, but
without success, all evidence of
his identity being destroyed. 1t seems
that the name he gave was an alias,
and that his representations were made
with view to hide his identity. The
open letter found on the table covered
six pagess. closely written, and was adj
dressed to DIR. Thayer, Portland, Me.
The penmanship and the composition
were scholarly. The burden of the
missive was a passionate appeal to the
spirit of his ssbeloved Pauline" who, it
appears, died some time ago. From the
letter it would appear that the spirit of
Pauline was constant presence to the
miserable lover, reproducing him for
living, and Turing him to the spirit
land. This hallucination is an explana-
ton of the suicide. 1t was only short
step from Spiritualism to insanity.
The letter concluded as follows: 81
fleave this letter unsealed, that they
may add to it that I have taken my
passage. Pauline is again calling me,
and asking why stay so long. must
go. Darling, my love, my life, I come
I come-I do not fear or falter. Reach
me your hand, dear one, and SO, Doc
tor, good-by." The following in PEN
Gil was added, probably after the writer
had taken the fatal poison: "The last
act in the great drama of life is almost
finished. I have this moment swallow
ed the deadly draught that will give my
spirit joy. Twill soon have passed to that
bourne from whence no traveller ever
returned bodily. Uncle Fred wrote you
and gave his address; please inform
him. 1 am calm, and am counting my
pulse. 1t is now $50, wiry. My head
feels full, and my lower limbs tremble.
1t will soon be over, and shall have
fathomed the great mystery. will
come to you, Doctor, to inform you, as
I learn how. The light begins to fade.
Oh, thou Divine Father! I have taken
the life thou gavest me, but, trusting to
thy mercy, go without fear" In the
letter was mentioned rose given to the
suicide by Pauline, and which he de-
sired to be buried with him. The little
faded flower, with a single geranium
leaf, was found Enclosed between two
pieces of adhesive plaster, on which
was written, "Semper Fidele,'' and
pauline, to thee I comet" In the
torn account-book the following was
written in pencil: "For family reasons,
1 have omitted signing my name, and
also have destroyed every thing that
would haye revealed it. I don't care
for my body, for my spirit, my very
self, will be at rest in the arms of my
beloved. Please bury the rose with
met is the credential of my fidelity.
Perhaps in years to come some one, a
beloved sister, may inquire for me.
Preserve a lock of hair, handkerchief,
or any thing else about my person, to
give to her, and say 1 joyfully sailed.
Father, go without fear, trusting in
Thy infinite mercy. Thou canst COM
prehend Thy earthly children when men
can not" On another leaf was writ
ten: "That there may be no doubt
about it, and to save trouble to those
acting in an official capacity, 1 say that
I have taken two deadly poisons. Kind
people, think as leniently of me as pos
sible; have nothing to live for on this
shore; all that is dear to me is beyond.
1 90 without fear. Am sane and of
sound mind.'' The body was taken to
Compton's Morgue, at Newark, and the
County Physician sent q telegraphic dis
patch to the doctor to whom the letter
was addressed.
On investigation it was found that the
deceased had registered at the Cont
mental Hotel, Newark, on Aug. 81, as
" Clande l. Avenstine, U. S. NJ A
handkerchief was found in the pocket
of the suicide, bearing the initials c. l..
A. These facts left no doubt in the
mind Of the County Physician that the
name registered by deceased at the
Continental Hotel was his right name.
Last night a telegram was received
by the County Physician from DR..
Thayer, of Portland, Me-, giving the
name of the suicide as Claude L. Aven-
slime, of the United States Navy, and
that he left wife in Portland. DR..
Thayer's dispatch also contains re-
quest that the body may be kept for a