Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-11-28
sELr.DEsrxuCslON


SELT.DESTRUCslON.
The readers Of the daily press can
not have failed to note the alarming
increase Of suicide, especially on this
coast. A few years ago death from
this cause was seldom heard of. Now
. half. dozen . week, and sometimes
two or three q day, in San Francisco
alone, Is no uncommon thing. The
mslady, or whatever else it may be
called, is confined to no particular
class ofindividuals- "they all do it ~
the rich, the poor, the refined, the ig-
norant, are alike prone to fee from
the ills, fancisd or real, to which the
flesh is heir. The merchant. ruined
by reckless speculation, or by a re.
verse of fortune, puts an end to his
life to escape the poverty bis folly or
misfortune has brought upon him
and bssely leaves bis poor wife and
children to battle their way through
life as they may. The fair, though
frail shame stricken female. plunges
in the hay and adds to her sin and
shame the heinous crime of murder.
The dishonest clerk, seeing that his
guilt can not much longer be con.
cealed from his employers, sends q
bullet through his brain to escape the
punishment he feels he richly de-
serves but which he dies to avoid. The
love struck lunatic. after composing q
number Of ridiculously poetic effu-
sions for the amusement Of his cruel
lady love, and the sensation loving
public, takes poison and dies, making
himself subject for fools ia
make sport Of; and 20. day af-
tor day, more suicides are add
Cd to the already too long list.
In reading ove the accounts OF the
different suicides, one cannot fail te
notice two things: One is the different
manner in which it was, and is com
mitted; and the other, the widely diff
fsrent way in which it was, and il
reported. In days gone by. when ar
unfortunate creature determined &c
commit suicide, he did it with as much
secrecy as possible, often leaving nc
clue to his fate. If, however, b,
he should leave q letter (which very
rarely happened). it was written in
manner which clearly proved that b,
felt he was about to do . very dishon
orable and ~inexcusable action. Now
when . self-murder is committed, re-
marks the Mail, it is done with the ev
ident intention Of making q "sensa
tion," the guilty party choosing
crowded thoroughfare, . saloon, Of
sven . place Of worship. Should
quiet death be preferred. rs it some
times il, . long epistle is LEFT behind
containing repeated assertions of per
feet sanity, and boasts Of how cody
and delibe1ately the deed was done
Then II w reported ~ . 'sad occur
renee" "a shameful end" or 20 dread
full DEATH" now it Is jocularly referred
70 ~ "ons more gone up" another
explorer Of the spirit land" o.
else . pitifully romantic story i.
woven. and the adherence will
which the act should b looked
upon IL lost in the pity and sometimes
even admiration felt fer the person
committing II. These p~eculiaritie'
point out, perhaps, one Of the reason,
Of the increase In number Of suicides
viz: . number Of sentimental writer.
Of prose and verse have given to tn,
foul deed such an cir Of romance tina
u = NO longer looked upon v . COW
ardly. dishonorable, unmanly thing 4
do. Addsd to this th ere IL . growing
disbelisf IL that somsehing aher death
tho far of which Shskespears saie
"nakes m rather bear the Ills VI
have than to Ayto others that We know
mot o." Whilst Il would b folly L
hope that suicide could b prevented
there y q the same time no reason te
doubt that II the crime was looked
upon In the trus light. there would b.
lhr less cases 10 chronicle. To strip
the oct Of all romantic seeming. and Ia
expose It In all it, sbhorrsnt reality
b . judicious course Of the
press and pulpit. II this wsre done
the set Of suicide might be Of SIS rare
occurrence ~ II was In former days.
THEY have . Postmaster In Carroll
ton. Mo-. ~ conscientious regarding
The Presidout's Civil Service order that
b refuses 70 shake hands nth . can-