Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-01-26
CHAs. CO.
His Funeral at CIeVe-
land & Ashtabula.
ter.

announcement That CHARLES COLLINS, the
Chief Engineer Of the L. S. & N. 5. Road,
was dead, without any ean>e but that he
was found lifeless in his bed. carried every
one back in mind to the bridge calamity,
and there was an intense eagerneSs for an
explanation. The evening papers brought
tbat exclamation. but with it an increased
effect upon the sensibilities of our citizens.
He was. to be sure, found dead in his bed,
but beside him were the implements tell
ing the manner Of death. He died by his
own hand. The story of his death we alb
stract and cOndense from the Cleveland
-dailies, as follows: Mr.. Collins assistant
Mr.. l. C. Brewer, of the Toledo division,
sought his presence at his office on Water
street, on Saturday morning, but not find
ing him, or hearing of him, passed over to
his residence, and being informed by the
colored man in charge, that he was not
there, determined to make an examination
of the house for the settlement of the ques-
tion-whether be was in the house. Upon
passing through the house, everything in
dicated order and quiet, but loneliness,
until the bedroom was reached. Here he
found the person of his search, dead, and
in the first stages Of decomposition, mark
ed with blood, revolver at hand, with
which the deed was done. and the handle
of another just showed from his pillow
The determined purpose that controlled
him was shown by the means for making
his obstruction sure. A razor was also
found upon the bed. 1t was found that
the muzzle of the revolver had been placed
in his mouth, and the direction of the ball
was upward through the roof Of the mouth
and out through the upper and back part
of his head The first shot seems to be the
fatal and only one.
In casting about for cause for this vio-
lent and shocking death, circumstances
point to the effect upon his mind of the
bridge accident at this place. We find
that he laid it deeply to heart, and when
he first beheld the scene, he wept over it
in an outburst of grief. That affect he
seems not to have been able to shake off.
1t followed HIM night and day, leaving no
taste for food, and driving sleep from his
pillow, until ne was led to say to some
of his more intimate friends, that he be-
lieved it would drive him crazy. His was
a gentle, sensitive nature, and his profess
sion carried to its utmost perfection and
success, which was shown in the superior
condition of the road, and all its appoint
ments, was his chief pride. This pride,
we apprehend, never extended to this
bridge, as his rather guarded observations
in reference to it, from the beginning, suf-
fciently indicate. In the minds of many
of the best informed in this community,
he rather shrank from the responsibility
of it. The special care of it, therefore,
seems to have been in a great measure, at
least, committed to other hands. What
ever his feelings, however, he could not
in his position escape responsibility. The
sense Of that responsibility seems to have
had striking effect upon him in the recent
examinations by the Legislative Com,
and conferences in which he was present on
Wednesday, K5Afternoon and evening-the
night, prog23i6ly, upon which the fatal act
was committed. His state of mind was not
unobserTed by some of his intimate com
Wa ko1I kkaA
his trusted assistant, had, at his earnest
solicitation, consented to remain with him
during Monday and Tuesday nights, and
was surprised at the alarming slate into
which his mind had fallen.
1t wss further shown by the act, and
the manner of il, of =
TENDERrNG HIS RESIGNATION
to the Board of Directors, Oh the Monday
before, when with tears he said. 81 have
worked for thirty years, with what fidelity
God knows, for the protection and safety
Of the public, and now the public, forget
ting all these years of service, has turned
against me-"
The resignation was, of course, not ac-
cepted, and he was assured that his view
was entirely unjust and unworthy, but all
to no effect. The thought of possible in
justice still haunted him.
ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT
Mr.. Brewer intended to go, as he had done
the two previous nights, and stay with him
at his residence on St. Clair street.. But.
upon calling at the office and being assur-
ed that he had left no word for him either
in regard to the evening, or concerning the
trip Of inspection contemplated for Thurs
day, he concluded that the deceased had
left for his home in Ashtabula, where of
late he spent much of his time. Thus af-
fairs rested till
SATURDAY MORNING,
when, learning that he was not in Ashta-
bula, Mr.. Brewer feared that some evil had
befallen him, and going to the house he in
quired Of the colored man, went through
the house to the family bedroom, and
found the remains of the deceased as de-
Scrlbed above.
There is little doubt but that Mr.. Col
Inns intended to go on the proposed tour of
inspection on Thursday, for his travelling
bag was found neatly packed in the bed
room. 1t is probable that the act was one
of momentary desperation, when the trou-
bled thoughts of the previous DAYS and
nights weighing upon him, made life hard
to bear.
Mr.. Collins family had been in Ashta-
bula, where his wifes relatives reside. for
several days, and the colored man suppos-
ed that he was alone in the house. But the
quarters of the latter are in the back part
of the house, while Mr. Collins room is in
the front. It is supposed that Mr.. Collins
came in without the knowledge of any one
and went to bed on Wednesday night. Ev-
erything in the bedroom confirmed this
opinion. The various articles of his dress
were disposed about the room, his collar
and necktie upon a stand near the head of
ha had - I