The New York herald., 1878-12-02
SUICIDE OF DAVID VAN DUZER.

AN OLD FRIEND AND CONNECTION OF coM6o.
DoRE VANDERBILT HANGS HIMSELF IN FIT
OF MELANcHoLIA.
Abraham Van Duzer, an old employe Of the Staten
Island Ferry Company, committed suicide by hanging
himself in q woodhouse attached to his residence
early yesterday morning. He had been in depressed
spirits for some days, but going to bed Saturday
night said to his wife that he felt unusually well.
She awakened several times through the night,
and remembers that he was asleep at her side when
she awoke between two and three o'clock in
the morning. She was again awakened about
six O'Clock. and not finding her husband,
called her son John. II hal been Van Duzer's Gus
tom to light the fires in the kitchen and in the front
room at about six o'clock John went to the kitchen
and saw the fire lighted and the lamp burning on the
table, but his father nowhere about. He then
thought of the woodhouse, and there found his
father hanging by the neck. He had thrown clothes
line over the rafter and secured it to beam. He
then stood chair and plLced the slip-knot Over
his head and kicked the chair from under him. The
son cut the rope and immediately summoned DR.. W
C. Anderson whose house is opposite the Van Duzer
residence. The Doctor said that the old man had
been dead some hours.
When tine fact of the suicide made known in
Staten Island the old residents would at first bc-
lieve IL. Mr.. Van Duzer had been associated with
the ferry for thirty years. and people could not
realize that old ABE" had taken his own life. He
had been baker. and engaged with his father in
business Van Duzer street. The old Van Duzcr
homestead now fronts on Bay street and Richmond
avenue. and occupied by uncle of Abraham
Vanderbilt started the ferry to Staten Island
to '''e Commodore vsnderbt's line. Sp's.a he asked
Abraham to leave the baking business, and act
fireman the steamer Wave. He did The Com
nodore saw in him faithful and capable man. and
asked him to leave divers employ and take the po-
sitp n the ChninpiOn. then N N nj ~
up the Sound to New Haven. He afterward
transferred to the Traveller. In making out tho
North star tour, the old Commodore wished Abra-
nam to go out as assistant engineer. His wife
wished him to refuse. and he did The
Commodore then asked him to go out
persistently declined. For twenty-seycn years he
had been associated with the ferry company and
his wife did not wish him 10 leave their employ.
The Commodore. however. made him chief engineer
OF the ferry company, and he was assigned to the
ferryboat westheld On the day OF her explosion he
had been excused from duty to attend the funeral
Of his brother child. He was engineer on the West
field up to Friday last.
Commodore Vanderbilt not only manifested an in.
terrst i'm Van Duzer on account of his capabty ~
nm engineer but his unces abraham and David Van
Duzer had married two OF the Coninodores sisters.
and he himself had married u daughter OF the Com.
CAUSE OF THE SUICIDE.
Mr. Van Duzers youngest brother. David, who was
summoned Yesterday from Brooklyn, said that he
conld not account for Abcs" suicide. Old folks ON
the Island last night recalled the fact that the old
mans grandfather, Daniel Van Duzer, committed
suicide BY shooting himself morning. thirty years
ago, in the old homestead. DIR. Anderson said yes
terday that he was summoned to attend Abraha.
Van Duzer some SIX years ago. when !
had a ft of inelancholia. lie had continu,
in that state for over year and hal ]
and he had time suggested that he /
immured in an asylum; but his family and Superi
ten,lcnt Thomson Of the ferry opposed TO IT,
recovered then. but seemed to be about TO lall int
his old condition last week The doctor believed that
n
II