West-Jersey pioneer., 1876-05-11


/ Matthias Simmerman was found dead
in an clubhouse on Mill street, Second
ward, this morning. He is supposed to
have died of apoplexy.
On Saturday afternoon last at G. o.
Davis Hotel the property of H. L. Ogden,
| (Assignee's Sale) was disposed of to the
highest bidders. The bidders were few,
and the bidding anything but spirited Our
friend, Clark Iredell, bought the four brick
houses in South Jersey Institute Row
for the small sum of $780, These are
the cheapest brick houses ever sold in this
vicinity, as they are encountered only to the
amount of $4,000.
One day last week an individual in
an open wagon went quietly riding up Com
mercc street. When nearly opposite the
Episcopal Church, however, things began
to be anything else but quiet, for one of
the hind wheels of his vehicle sped off, and
he was tumbled into the dust, as it were
On examining the hub our astonished driver
discovered that the Inch pin had been out
ever since he left home, as he distinctly
recollected taking it out to grease the axle,
but had failed to replace it, Next timo he
goes riding he intends to pay more attention
to his Inch pins, especially after he has
been oiling up.
MI. IL. Q. G. Whitaker, the gentle
manly Express Agent of the West Jersey
Railroad is erecting a very pretty residence
on the corner Of Bank and Myrtle streets,
First ward. 1t is a single dwelling of the
most modern style and finish. An attrac-
tive feature of this model home is an Upper
and Lower Bay Window on the South side,
OF beautiful design. The interior of the
house is finished in the best manner There
is bath room, heating apparatus, large
water tank, and other conveniences, to-
gether with hot and cold water in each
chamber. The celler has fine furnace
and the kitchen is unusually well arranged.
Tho parlor and sitting rooms are both ON
the south side of the building, and thus
made at once comfortable and pleasant all
the year round. When completed Mr..
Whitaker's residence will be one of the best
in the. city.
On Sunday afternoon last, about four
O'Clock, terrible tragedy was enacted in
our city. The facts of the case are about
as follows:-John Willis IL man aged some
sixty years, generally known to our citizens
rs a very mild and industrious person,
through poverty and domestic troubles
deliberately committed suicide in his house
on Orange Street, Second ward. For long
time Mr. Willis had been greatly troubled
over the prospect of his not being able to
pay his rent which was due, because of the
fact that he could get no work of any de-
scnption. Preying upon this and other
troubles there is no doubt but that he be-
came insane, and in q fit of frenzy took his
life. The suicide was deliberate and sure.
Mr.. Willis retired to an upper room of his
house, took off his boots, placed the muzzle
of small single barrel gun directly under
his jaw, and then drew the trigger The
gun was heavily loaded and the charge
Weub IOItI Will SUCH lOTCG rs TO literally
tear the mans face and head into frag
ments. His brains were blown out, and por-
tions of the same spattered over the walls.
The life blood of the suicide almost covered
the floor Of the room, and the scene pre-
sented was terrible to look upon. Soon af-
ter the sad offair crowd of curious people
poured in to view the body, and it was late
in the evening before matters in the neigh
borll5od had quieted Mr.. Wallace Taylor
took charge of deceased and saw that he
was decently laid out and placed in the
hands of undertaken. The funeral of the
suicide took place on Wednesday morning,
but before the body had left the house Mrs.
Willis, wife of deceased, fell dead, it is sup
posed of heart disease. This melancholy
occurrence caused the greatest distress in
the family, and took hold of the sympathies
of our people generally. 1t is thought that
Mrs. Willis trouble in the loss of her hus-
band in such manner was the chief cause
of her death. We learn that two other mem
bers of the same family are seriously pros
trated over the sorrowful affair.