The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-01-12
An American Artists Death.
tPhiladelphia North Americana

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
j'ai peur toujours," she said. "But am
not afraid, lookD' 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 a 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 five-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
gdrcon, 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
they had hunted all the morning to find
us, for they wanted us to come to the
funeral in the afternoon; after which
the body was to be sent home. They
begged us to come, for they said poor
Leland was very fond of us and con-
tinually talked of us. OF course we
went. When we got there the door was
surrounded by crowd of American
artists, every one of whom touched their
hats as we went in. The concierge
silently pointed upward and said "Au
ching len" 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
room from little hole in the green
curtain. When the services began it
was an impressive scene. Nearly all
were Americans; finer looking set of
men | never saw, all dressed in black
and with solemn awed faces they formed
head of which stood Mr.. Hitchcock, the
clergyman, and the one forlorn ray of
light from the darkened window rested
on his head. No sooner was the ceremony
ended than there came an order from
the Procureur General not to remove the
body, for it must go to the Morgue three
days for an autopsy, and sergeant de
vile took his place at the street door
quietly before any one noticed him. All
were Mortified, and one washeard to say
Great God, it must not bel" Two or
three artists went directly to General
Noyes, who interceded with such good
effect that the French Governments
order was evaded, and the body was sent
Oft the same evening at six O'Clock
Every one was intensely rejoiced, for
beside the horror of the thing in itself
it would be dreadful for the girl to have
any questions raised, for she is very
good girl, and was just about to be mar
ried, and to suppose that she had been
playing with the revolver AL it had
gone off in her hands, and to Save told
the story from fright would have necessi-
tated no end of trouble to get her out of
it, and have given great pain to his
family; but no one has shadow of
doubt that it is as she told it, for she
rushed just the instant the shot was
heard and told the same story to the
concierge and every one. Mr.. Leland
was the only son, and idolized his mother,
as she did him. He was always on good
terms with every one, always cheerful,
and just before his death in unusually
good spirits, for he had sent home several
pictures and had filled an order for
large picture very satisfactorily.