Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-11
JOHN NJ. BINCKLEY.
His Dfs8ppeRr8nce-A Remark able
Letter Explaining his Intentions.

MILWAUKEE, May 6.--The people of this eli V
We're e. eatly shocked Sunday morning tOlearn
that John NJ Buckley had probably commit
ted suicide. He had lived here only about
year: but, having long been a resident Of
washington ely, and taking an &C i've p ,rt in
every citizen of Milwaukee,. He was for A
short time editor of the Ne,cs. and was always
Appointment actor in the greenback movement
before ne came here he was writer of lead
ing editorials on the National Inteuigencer
and during the administration of And w
johnson was Assistant Acknowledgement. b ID
luck seen ed to follow him, and after h, left the
NeaoS he attempted to practice Jaw, but with
ou success: About year ago he had som
trouble with his wife in Chicago. and sent a
His wife returned to her friends in Knoxville
Tenn, and he came again to this city. On
Saturday night he called at two drug store :,
and procured a large quantity of laudanum,
which he took, but the overdose produced
vomiting instead of the death tina he coveted
Yesterday his coat and cane were found upon
the lake shore with note that he intended to
drown himself, as he no doubt has done. The
following lie; ter addressed to friend indie ltes
tie frame of mind that he was in at the time
and also something of his intellectual cali
If their father had been exceptionally in
dnmitable under trial, the recognized fact
Wous De a great encouragement to nv it'll .
boys: therefore, if my end shall seem , Ob
scare it, but not in any event otherwise, The
disclose this statement, viz:
Longevity inherit. and, through traditions
mt ntal or bodily. am but just matlred, with
out bankruptcy, without a gray hair, an uu-
strung nerve, disease, bad habit, a corrupt
scent, or stain upon my, poor name. l am not
broken down as might be guessed a "A dis
lance. My business condition. of late years 50
often desperate, is now tOlerab'e, and my ute
rIoT prospects good. My pans are working
ing reason, faltering will or, until now, eclipsad
hope. My lot denied me cheerfuneSs.
put could not canker me: Yet, with compe-
Iii naftz.
my ashes Why?
/ cannot tell. Not because do not know,
but language does not grow for that kind of
truth which is stranger than fiction, and let no
person inquire further VINO would IL t r lie a
frank ran mans grave There isa sterner Tragedy
han ever bled. There is deeper verify tina
ever spoke. looked up at noon and the sun
fell from the sky. have since not been rash
| am slain by the invinci bility of deceit. Ny
motives are quite extinct. For months past
have been but trying to prevent the collapse of
a suddenly ruptured balloon. do not Kill but
bury myself. am a mill whose stream has
been taken out. At best l am sentenced for
life to the basement of my constitution, or els,
% the inaccessible attic. Neither belts my
title boys whose mansion 1 am. For their
g0nd-eXclusively for their gOOd-I go. If |
belonged to myself, l would have powerful
motive to live.
If my passions were in control. no doubt my
love of life would hold its own with the rest. /
am not now suffering much. 1 am simply "a
tional; 1 judge that 1 ought to disappear.
though only God knows that I am intent as AN
egg. My intellectual life has always appeared
to others incOherent. To me, il always seemed
to have an integrity of stages, tending toward
a useful, symmetrical outcome; though suffer.
ing, toll, and friction should my strength hold
out. Observing that varied extreme and pro
'onged trials had rather strengthened me, and
THAT had growing facility of organizing my
deeper thoughts, 1 came latterly to think /
Was approaching time when could digest
The memoranda of many years into durable
work, but thunderbOlt rifed me- 1t iSnOy
q consolation to reflect tha. after all. this NAV
have been mere cOnceit, though it grew with
time.
From resources of my own, provide for all
debts, legal or honorary, to he last cent. do
NEST heartily forgive all who ever injured me.
But injuries to my children is not mine to for
give, yet give my love to all men, for so fee.
JOHN NJ. BINCKLEY."
MILWAUKEE, May 6.-There seems to be lit
tie doubt that Hon. John M. Buckley ex-AS-
HlStant Attorney General of the United States,
committed suicide on Saturday evening by
drowning in the lake near st. Francis Semina-
ry, near the south end of the bay. He left sew
erat letters addressed to different parties i'm
his city, the contents of which show cOnclu-
SlVely his intent to suicide. All efforts to re-
cover his body have thus far been of no avail,
The immediate cause of his rash act is attrit.
uted to mental alteration, brought on by do
mestic troubles. Mr.. Binckley's family con
sisted OF wife, from whom he was separated.
and four children, and are now at Knoxville,
Tenn.