The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-03-09
wHIsKY,s VICTIM.
The Sad Death Of Once PrOInisdng
fOuth-TOuehtng Letters Written Just
Before Blowing Out His Brains.
1Correspoadence of The ST. Louis Globe Demo


The Sad Death OF Once Promising
IOuth-TOuclsingL Letters Written Just
Before Blowing Out His Brains
Correspondence Of the St. Louis Globe Demo
DIES MONIES, Iowa, February, 23.-
This city was startled Sunday morning
by the report that at one of the leading
hotels a suicide had been committed,
The following are the facts; Saturday
evening there arrived on the keokuk
train a young man, who went to ttie
/ Aborn House. and wrote on the regis
ter r. II. Wilson, Washington, Iowa.
He visited about the city until about y
O'Clock. when he was assigned room,
and soon after ordered writing material
and a glass of brandy punch. No more
was seen of him until about9 O'Clock
Sunday morning, when he was found
living on the bed dead, blood trucking
from his head down the pillow. A small
hole ia the right temple, and revolver
| living on the floor by the bed, beneath
the half-open right hand, told the tale.
Every thing indicated generalization
and careful preparation for the deed.
He had been TO the barber, and then
changed his Undertaking for fresh and
clean, put on his best suit, arranged his
coral studs, sleeve-buttons and breast
pin with care, sat down on the bed and
sent the bullet crashing through his
brain. in the first and second fingers
of the left hand was cigar half con-
sumed. On the table near the bed was
the goblet containing the dregs of the
! liquor; beside it were several letters.
One was addressed to his parents, one
to his aunt, and one other. That to his
parents was as follows, and was written
in a clear, neat, steady style:
ABoRN House, DIES MONIES, February
! 10. IS76.-Dear Father and Mother: When
! you receive this letter your erring boy VIII
be no more. | can not live and be curse 10
| YOU, and so take my life in my own hands.
! You don L know bow much tried to con-
quer my strong appetite for that cursed ar
! ticle that has caused my present course OF
action. For the last three months | have
fought the DeUa, but the first time let my
self be led from thestraightp path, and whose
fault? Ny OlrR, and no one else. do not
remember what took place after was at the
dance at home Thursday night. 1t seems
! like dream. Nv hand shakes so that ! can
not hold my pen, hardly, and l can not say
much more, and my head Is splitting. My
| God! NV God what misery | would have
come TO first, before | committed this act,
TO get glimpse of your dear faces again.
| But NV money run out, and no friends near
One thing more, and then no more. viii.
said something, the morning | left, about
John TOurbet leading astray. No such
| thing. Don't blame John with that. II
was my own strong appetite that done the
work. Ny eyes are growing dim and can
not see. If mother was only here
to soothe and battle my ach-
inc brow Oh, how nice il
would feel; but no, have found that the
way of the transgressOr is hard. How much
/ should like to take dear little Howard W
and hear his baby-talk again. God grant
! that he may be as much blessing TO you as
| have a curse. But for my good acts, if
ever did any, try to think Of them and moi
my evil ones. Give my love to all the chill
dren. and NAV they ever love and obey you,
| and they will make the kind of men and
women that the world needs; kiss dear little
| Howard for me, and don't let him forget
his brother Dick. Please forward $40 tC
Mr.. Cunningham, the amount / borrowed
| of him, with my thanks, and, father, as 4
last request, want you to grant me a favor
Lay me with my mother. / want Mr.. Claf-
lin to say a few words Of advice and warning
to the boys / was raised with. Some OF them
are in fair way to fall in the same pit that
| | have. Have him say. as dying request,
| ask, beg and imploTe Of them 10 let liq-
uor alone. Thinking of all the friends al
home, i could not come back after disgrace
| ing them and you the way did. Tell them
ali to try and forget and hold him up as a
warning TO all the children. GOod-by. Good
| by. Your lost boy, DICK.
The following was lying open on the
table, and on it plain, neat gold ring
/ ABoRN HOUSE, DIES MONIES, Iowa,
/, -. \ iryyf,
thought of you in my last moments, and
was sObered for few moments at the recol-
! lection of what YOU were to me. As much
/ as any mother | ever had, and always loved
you as such and could not forget you. am sc
I far gone that | can not hold my pen tC
write, but thought a few lines would be bet
terthan none, although they bring such bad
tidings. Your poor boy, DICK WILSON.
This, my mothers wedding ring, | want
Won TO have. ] am not worthy TO have it &c
to the grave with me.
Under the above was the following
ABORN House, DIES MONIES, February
! 19.-Dear Lizzie: You viii not forget Dick,
will you: Though bad boy, he was not all
bad; and, Lizzie, my last thoughts were OF
you. Lib, YOU don't know how hard it was
to part with you, knowing that | should
] never look on the face that | loved more
than any thing on this earth. You, Lib,
were in my last thoughts, and my last words,
they shall be Lizzie and mother. But | have
not been in Il bed from the time | left w.
except a few hours at o., and / can not see
to write much. Lizzie. don't forget Dick
| right away, for with all his Nildness and
| badness he loved YOU better than his own
I life, although / never told you so in words.
/ I am too far gone to say more. DICK.
f. p. S. / am so tired can't write any
more.
The last he wrote was probably the
following:
/ Apprise Mr.. KIober, the gentleman TOOK
supper with this evening, Of my act, and
l knowing myfather he will, as favor to me,
! telegraph him at once. As another request,
don let the whole town come and stare at
me, or if YOU do, charge them twenty five
centS-the sum to 90 to my widow and or
phanS. Hd! Hd! Yours in haste,
/ II. II. WILSON.
Address Washington, Iowa.
Mr.. KlOber referred to is travelling
salesman for Williams, Blair & Co..
Chicago, and knows Wilson IS the sor
of a wealthy hardware merchant al
Washington. He met him in the even
ing, when Wilson told him he was 90
ing home again, and he left him in GOOD
spirits Among Wilson's effeets5werC
found letters from ayoung lady at OSka
loosa, and other friends. His remaiss
were taken home yesterday.
Lord and Lady Duiferin's Grand Ball
A special to the Chicago 7riJun,
from Ottawa, Ont, 23d, gives the fol
lowing report of a grand social event ii
the Dominion, to which is added a de-
tailed description of the most notable
dresses worn by those present:
Their Excellencies Lord and Lady
Dufferin gave a grand fancy ball to-
night at Rideau Hall. About 900 invi
tations had been issued, and there was
almost full response. Nearly all the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of the Dominion
were present, each appearing in his ia.
vorite character, and there were any
number of Senators and members o.
Parliament.
The costumes were unusually bril-
liant. 1t was estimated that their tota
value was 100000. Their Excellen