The Osceola times., 1878-08-10
DRAMATIC DEATH.
A CaprOn. Illinois. Man AnuOunces n
Lecture ON Self Oess ucttOn "a be
Followed by His Owa Ssicide.

A Capron. IllinOis. MAN AnuOunees n
Lecture On Self OessructtOnt "a he
Followed by His ows Ssicide.
A special telegram to the Chicago
Times OF Thursday from Capron, III,
says: On the I'd day of last May there
arrived at our village a rather dis.
tinguished looking young man, who
gave his name as George w. Burleigh.
and who said he was prospecting for
location to open tonsorial establish.
ment.
Last Laturday morning Burleigh
went to the prof rietor of the only enter.
tainment hall in our town and lengaged
the hall for the following Tuesday even.
ing, saying to the proprietor that he
intended to give dramic entertainment
on the evening named. Having com.
pleted this preliminary, he returned to
his room, locked himself In, and was
seen by no one for the next forty.eight
hours except ...t. ..
TWO CLERICAL GENTLEMEN.
During Saturday, a number of his pa.
irons raped on the door, wishing to gain
admittance for tonsorial treatment, but
they were answered from within that "a
work OF greater Importance would pre-.
clude the possibility of his doing any
tonsorial work that day." As the cur.
tains were all drawn no one of the dis.
appointed applicants could discover what
work it was that engrosed Burleigh's
attention 50 entirely, and many coniec-
tnres were INDUCED in by the patrons as
to the nature of it. The sequel, however
proves that Burleigh was tar from being
idle during these long hours Of seclusion.
On Sunday morning
THE FOLLOWING STARTLING STATEMENT
Was found posted in various public
places of our hamlet, and also on the
outer side Of Burleigh's room door:
To the Worthy Citizens Of Capron and vlcinity:
Having, since the great sensation in
Chicago-the hanging of Sherry and
ConnolIy-heard sundry citizens of Ca
prom and vicinity express strong desire
to witness some such tragedy, l have
concluded to crafty their lust for the
horrible by committing suicide. by
shooting myself through the forehead,
on the evening of the 23d inst, at Thorn
ton Hall. The price of admission to this
real tragedy will be 81, and the fund
that may be realized thus shall first be
applied to my funeral expenses and,
should any surplus remain, it shall be
invested in the works of Darwin, Tyn-
dali aud Huxley, and the same shall be
presented to the town library in my
name. My reason for thus putting pc.
riod to my life is that have endured the
manifold miseries Of existence as long as
l desire to, and my own wish now is TO
plunge into the eternal, soundless, life.
less gulf of unconsciousness. The death
of the body is the annihilation of the
man and annihilation is eternal peace.
Before destroying myself, 1 shall read my
auditors and death witnesses an original
lecture, in which ! shall justify suicide.
In all seriousness, G.. w. BuRLEIGH.
Notwithstanding Burleigh's announce
ment OF his bloody intentions upon him.
self, determination was soon generally
manifest among our citizens to prevent
his crime. However, a strong and very
general desire prevailed to see how far
he really would carry out his announced
intention, and our citizens concluded to
let him go so far rs the reading of
HIS LECTURE.
and then, by a well.arranged strategem,
to gain control of his person and en-
deavor to reason him out of the rash
purpose. But they had not calculated
on the coolness and strength of Bur
leigh's determination to effect his end.
All day Sunday Burleigh kept himself
closely secluded in his room, and, with
the exception of our local clergymen, he
refused admission to any enc on any pre-
text. At 2p. m. he permitted a brief
admission to the Rev. Mr. Wilcox and
the Rev. Mr.. Burten. He allowed these
gentlemen TO expostulate with him until
quarter of three, and then dismissed
them, courteously declining their offers
of prayer in his behalf. They
report that he listened to their
arguments calmly, and answered
them as calmly, but that all
their efforts failed to weaken his resolu~
tion. During his long seclusion, from
Saturday morning until Monday morn
ing, Burleigh was doubtless engaged in
writing his lecture on
THE JUSTIFICATION OF SUICIDE"
During Monday he walked the streets
most of the time, refusing to enter into
conversation with anyone. Almost the
whole time of his stay here he has kept
bachelors hall; and this circumstance has
enabled him to make his seclusion COM
plete when he chose to do 80. He con-
tinued his self-immurement all day yes
terdsy, until 7 o'clock in the evening,
when he came forth and walked briskiy
about town for half an hour. He then
repaired to Thornton hall. to make the
final preparation for his vioIeni end. 1t
was at that time clear that his audience
would be very large one. Early Tues
day evening vehicles began to arrive
Dumerously from the rural districts BY
8 O'Clock fully one hundred and filty
persons had purchased admission to the
scene Of the interesting event, which