The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-01-03
An American ARTISTS Death.
philadelphia North American. ]

A private letter just received gives
the sad incidents of the wretched fate
of poor Henry Leland, the American
artist, who died recently in Paris. He
had model from whom he was working,
and, during one of the rests, he idly
seized revolver from a table near by
and snapped it at her. She jumped and
asked him not to do so, for she was
afraid. "There is nothing to be afraid
of, it is not loaded" he said. Mais
TAI peur toujours," she said. "But am
not afraid, look!' he replied, and he
placed the revolver at his head, pulled
the trigger, and killed himself. He was
sitting in her chair in front of his easel
She jumped and ran like lightning for
the concierge, and when they returned
he had fallen to the floor. They lifted
him up and laid him on a bed, and one
of them ran for doctor. When they
returned he had stopped breathing. He
was entirely unconscious after the
shooting, and never spoke again. The
revolver being examined, was found to
be fve-barrel weapon, and the second
chamber only was charged. The first
we heard of It was Friday morning. We
had all read in the papers of "jeune
garcon, who, while painting, suddenly
threw away his brushes, seized pistol
and shot himself" but no name was
given and no one knew who it was. The
next day Holmes and Lippincott, his
two nearest friends here. came and said
us, for they wanted us to come to the
| the body was to be sent home. They
-
| Leland was very fond of US and con-
went. When we got there the door was
surrounded by a crowd of American
artists, every one of whom touched their
hats as we went in. The concierge
silently pointed upward and said "Au
ching ien,," and we wentup. The Services
were held in Homes studio. The bier
stood in the center of the room, and one
little ray of light penetrated into the
curtain. When the services began il
was an impressive scene. Nearly al
were Americans; a finer looking set Of
men I never saw, all dressed in black
and with solemn awed faces they formed
a hollow square around the bier, at the
head of which stood Mr.. Hitchcock, the
clergyman, and the one forlorn ray O.
light from the darkened window restee
on his head. No sooner was the ceremony
ended than there came an order from
the Procureur General not to remove tn.
body, for it must go to the Morgue three
days for an autopsy, and a sergeant d'
vile took his place at the street doc
quietly before any one noticed him. Al
were Mortified, and one was heard to say
"Great God, it must not ben Two O
three artists went directly to Genera
Noyes, who interceded with such goot
effect that the French Government
order was evaded, and the body was sen
off the same evening at six o'clock.
Every one was intensely rejoiced, fo
beside the horror of the thing in itsel
it would be dreadful for the girl to hav,
any questions raised, for she is a yer,
good girl, and was just about to be mar
ried, and to suppose that she had heel
playing with the revolver and it hat
, gone off in her hands, and to have toll
, the story from fright would have necessi
tated no end of trouble to get her out o
it, and have given great pain to hi
family; but no one has q shadow of
, doubt that it is as she told it, for sh
| rushed Just the instant the shot wa
heard and told the same story to til
concierge and every one. Mr.. Lelan
, was the only son, and idolized his mother
| as she did him. He was always on goo
: terms with every one, always cheerful
and Just before his death in UNUSUAL
5 good spirits, for he had sent home severs
! pictures and had filled an order for
7 large picture very satisfactorily.