The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-08-08

THE FOLLOWING STARTLING STATEMENT
Was found posted in various public
places of our hamlet, and also on the |
outer side of Burleigh's room doors
70 the Worthy Citizens of 6aprOn and fieiuitf:
Having, since the great sensation in |
Chicago-the hanging of Sherry and !
Confolly-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 29d 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 and Huxley, and the same shall be
presented to the town library in my
name. My reason for thus putting pc
Rod to my life Is that l have endured the
manifold miseries of existence as long as
desire to, and my own wish now is to
plunge into the eternal, sOundles5, life
less gulf of Inconsistencies. The death
of the body is the annihilatiOn of the
man; and humiliation is eternal peace.
Before destroying myself, [ shall read my
auditors and death witnesses an original
lecture, in which | shall justify suicide.
In ali seriousness, G. w. BURLEIGH.
Notwithstanding Bur.eigh's announce
ment of his bloody intentions upon him
self, q determination was soon generally
manifest among our citizens to prevent
his crime. However, 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 as the reading of
HIS LECTURE.
and then, by 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 GOODNESS 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 one on any pre-
text. At 2 p. m. be permitted a brief
admission to the Rev. Mr.. Wilcox and
| the Rev. Mr.. Burton He allowed these
gentlemen to expOstulate with him until
quarter of three, and then dismissed
| them, cour teously 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~
ton. During his long seclusion, from
Saturday morning until Monday morn
| ing, Burleigh was doubtless engaged in
| writing his lecture on
''THE JUsTIF- CATION 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 secl1sioa cOm>
plete when he chose to do so. He con-
tinued his self-immuremsnt all day yes
terday, until o'clock in the evening,
when he came forth and walked briskly
about town for half an hour. He then
repaired to Thornton hall, to make the
final preparation for his ViOlent end. 1t
was az that time clear that his audience
would be very large one. Early Tues
day evening vehicles began to arrive
numerously from the rural districts. By
8 o'clock fully one hundred and Fl ty
persons had purchased admission to the
sceue of the interesting event, which
many thought would not hap,
pen, and some thought would
happen. Burleigh himself acted a:
dCorkeeper, and no children were allowed
admission. The audience was composed
of men and women in the ratio OF three
of the former TO one of the latter. Al
exactly ten minutes after eight Burleigt
closed the door, walked forth with.
A FIRM, DELIBERATE STEP
To the platform. took his stand behinC
a temporary desk he had erected, bowed
gracefully to the audience snd i'm
mediately began the delivery of hi
lecture. While Burleigh was attendin!
to the duties of BOOKKEEPING, couple @
stout citizens had secreted themselves il
a small antesroOm that opened near the
speakers stand. Their intention was t.
OverpOwer BuTleigh, who is a small man
at the close of his lecture. The failur,
of this plan proved that Burleigh had il
some manner gained knowledge of it
existence, and that he had planned mos
| efectuallv tc render it futile
The delivery of the lecture occupied
just one hour and ten minutes, anC
during that time the audience wa
held spell-hOund. The stag
manners of the lecturer plainly indicate
that he was no novice in public speaking
/ Ills NOlSC was Clear, ulSGiuCI dHu ulublCd1
hearing evidence of his scholarship il
elocution. His meditation was simpl,
perfect. The lecture was certainly
masterpiece of iDfidel reasoning, and hi
lan.uage was most powerful and feEcible
? He had studied to make it end in such
manner that its end would be unsuspect
ed. As soon as he had finished he step
ped quickly backward until lie reaches
the middle o. the stage, and with light
ming movement,
DREW A DERRINGER
| from his hiD pocket, and while Messr
, Gibbs and Morton where rushing upOl
| him, he placed the pistol to his fOrehea
/ and fired, falling into the arms c
those who had sought to save him. Dun
l ing this act women screamed and tainted
= and strong men grOaned aloud. Tn
/ scene was such as will haunt one vivid
e to his dying day. 1t was the embod
t ment of the horrible and terrible TIL
e large sized ball had literally torn Bul
/ Ieigh's skull to atoms. His death wa
e instantaneous. Since the cOnsummatio
e of this fearful tragedy, a depression {
;, horror and gloom has pervaded the con
j munity. The deepest sorrow prevails 8
v this wanton destruction of so noble a
e intellectual structure. Burleigh left
: request in his room that his body be fol
warded to his friends in Cincinnati. TIL
will he done immRdjatalV