The Daily clarion., 1876-04-09
REFUGE IIN DEATH.
10 Escape Hnsanity,a weII-knOWn
NEississippian Deliberately
Suicides.

Edward L. Jones, IOrmeTIy VI N"h
ton, Miss, but who has been a resident
of j Jacksonville, Ind, for the past four
months, committed suicide by taking a
dose of laudanum and morphine, yester-
day, at the Falls City Hotel, in Jeter-
sonville.
The circumstance of his suicide is 4
most melancholy affair. He has been
guest at the Falls City Hotel since he
came to Jacksonville, some months ago.
During his stay there nothing peculiar
had been noticed in his habits or conver-
sation which would lead to the belief
that he was insane. The deceased was
formerly Colonel in the Confederate
Army, and is said to have been well con-
nected and highly respected at his home
in Mississippi.
Col. Jones left three letters-one to
Mr.. Kleespies, proprietor of the hotel,
one to DR.. A. j. Phelps, Louisville, and
another to Coroner Roose. The letters
show no evidence of mental weakness,
although he states that the reason of his
taking his own life was the fear of i'm
pending insanity.
In his letter to Mr.. Kleespies he states
that for months past he has been con-
scious of partial insanity, resulting from
his pecuniary embarrassment and trouble,
caused entirely by the late war. He also
states that in consequence of his mental
distress, he has been compelled to dull
the sense of such suferings at times by
the use of alcoholic drinks to save himself
from suicide. He said that he had hoped
to obtain enough money in Louisville on
Thursday to pay him the small balance
which he owed him for board, but, being
disappointed in this, he became wild with
despair, and concluded to take his life.
He states emphatically in his letter that
his desperate resolution was not caused by
any family troubles. On the contrary,
ho adds. ''I have a wife near Canton,
Miss, whom most devotedly love, and
to whom [ have been true during all this
long separation" He begs Mr.. Kleespies
to faithfully comply with the requests
which he makes, which are that as soon
as he has found his remains that he will
communicate with DR.. A. J. Phelps, No.
526 Third street, Louisville. IF he could
not be found, he requested that his
cold friend" D. w. Sanders, ESQ,
corner Center and Green streets, Louis
vile, be advised of his death. He final
ly requests that his gold rings on his
little finger, left hand, and his sleeve
buttons be buried with him, as his wife
purchased them for him in Paris, France.
He asked that the daguerreotype OF his
darling wife, be laid upon his breast
in his grave. His baggage, papers, ETC.,
he requests to keep carefully till his
friends in Mississippi can send for his
trunk. He enjoins Mr.. Kleespies to
have the particulars of his death kept as
quiet as possible
AS soon as it was known by the in
mates that he had attempted suicide,
Drs. Fouts and Mcclure were called in,
and did everything that medical skill
could do to restore him to consciousness.
but without avail. He fingered in an
unconscious condition till 5 o'clock P. M.
when his pulse ceased to beat. His
friends in Canton, Miss, were immedi-
ately advised by telegraph of the sad
affair, and telegram in answer was re-
celved, instructing that the body be for
warded to Canton, which was complied
with, and the body was forwarded last
night on the midnight train from this
city. The body was placed in a neat
coffin by order of his friend, DIR. Phelps, |
who was present, and instructed as to
how his remains should be disposed of.
The Coroner of Clark county, Mr..
Roose, being requested not to hold a Jury
of inquest, complied with the same.
The following is a copy of the letter
addressed to the Coroner
"DEAR SIR: Let me say that it will
be utterly useless for you to summon a
jury OF inquest as to the cause of nv
death, as deliberately end my own life. |
ON account of business disappointments
and pecuniary troubles, and conscious
ness of approaching, if not existing, in
sanity. EDWARD P. JONES
The requests made by Col. Jones were
complied with by Mr.. Kleespsies in every
respect.
Col. Jones was well-educated gentle
man, and is said to have been quite
wealthy before the war, but lost all du-
ring that time, although his wife is said
10 be quite wealthy at present, owning
plantation near Canton, Mississippi.
Durlng his stay in Jefersonville he
had been engaged in working up patent
attachment to harness on buggies and
carriages, but is believed not to have
made much money. He was not in debt
to Mr.. Kleepsies more than $40, which
ne could obtain at any time from his
friends in Louisville, but his pride and
peculiar temperament forbade him ASKING
fayors from his friends.
Col. Jones was about fifty-fve years
of age, and was man of fine anneayanoe .o
and genial disposition. ''--0o