The New York herald., 1878-01-11
YOUNG PONTIN'S SUICIDE.

SOME INFORMATION AS TO WHAT MAY HAVE
| CAUSED IT - HIS LAST LITTER TO HIS
FATHER-uIs BErRoTHEDS DISTRESS.
| The suicide OF William Shepherd Pontin, Jr, tho
young dry goods clerk, reported In yesterdays
HERALD Is one OF those mysterious occurrences
which Iurther investigation docs not explain. dc
| left his home No. l79 Raymond street, Brooklyn,
on Wednesday morning. without giving his uncle, Mr..
J. Crofts any for ala:n and tho latter's last
words TO MIN wore :--''You VIII be sure and DO on
hand this evening"" referring TO his marriage, which
was TO take place hat night
The summons OF The uncle to Hoboken and the
painful circumstances surrounding his recognition OF
Pontin's body have already been told
On his return TO New orK Mr. Croits notified the
fatner OF the deceased, Mr. William Shepherd Pontn,
of NO benson street, OF the sudden Of his
The latter gentleman completely unneryed by tho
intelligence as he could imagine the cause Tor
such temporary insanity as that exhibited by his un-
fortunate son.
necessary arrangew Tor the inLeIment OF his
nephew, and during the moring the body was brought
from tho Morgue at Hoookcn anu taken 10 DIS
residence at No. 17y Raymond street, Brooklyn. Dur
ing the afternoon number OF friends and relatives
called Mr. Crotts kept busy answering all Tho
questions that were put To Elm. HERALD reporter
had short conversation win him and that gontic-
man sald:-"My nephew was about twenty-five years
OF age aud he came 1--we with about lour years
ago. HIS father, Mr. W. 5. Pontin married my sis
ana sDe dcd about eleven years ago. Mr.. pon,in
married again. and ms dd not agree with his
mother-in-law; fact their dillcrcnces gave him so
much discomfort that | suggested he SHOULD come
over aud live with me- he has been under my roof
ever since. lrst found him employ with Rid
lev IN Grand street. AID he renamed there until about
Year ayo when he went TO A. w Ketchain Il Co, COM
mission dealers Of New York, and has been with them
up the present He nus been engaged 10 Miss
Plant Tor some iew months, and was, undoubtedly
very much attached 10 IL Is nearly impossible 10
account for his rash act, as he was not al all OF
melancholy or morose nature; IN ac quite The lie
aud soul OF the household lie was not uisspatcd IN
his habits, and spent nearly all his evenings In the
house"
THE FATHERS VISIT.
During the evening Mr.. w. ). Pontin the father OF
the deceased who Keeps chop house Ut No. Benson
street. New York, pad VISIT 10 The house aud saw
the remains OF his The HERALD reporter asked
TO Mr. POntn but that gentleman declined TO see
anyUody. Tho funeral Will take place at two +. NJ to-
day.
Mr. A. W. Ketcham, the employer OF young Pontin,
visited yesterday afternoon aud In course OF con-
versstion Mr. kctchain that could account
for tho sudden death OF his young clerk. "He had
always been very attentive to his business and II was
only last Monday ne TOLD me thut he was going TO be
married ana informed him he could have two
weeks vacation. He was evidently very much pleased
with my olicr, but declined to accept more than a
week"
A BERRAvED MAIDEN.
The young lady wuom young Pontin was to have
been married Wednesday evening was Miss Rose
Pant, OF East rhirtythird street. the daughter OF
we'll known merchant tailor OF this city Miss Plant
accomplished, and been engaged to the deceased
for tour i've months. She ls at present IN avery
critical condition. the news OF her lovers terrible
had almost parayzipg elect, and her physi-
cians lear that her mind Will be permanently
affected. When she received the note IRON him Oh
Wednesday afternoon briefly stating that The marriage
would be postponed she was In the midst OF her
brides MAIDS and flushed with JOY at tho prospect OF
tho early realization OF her fondest copcs she i'm
mediatcly put walking suit, aud. accompanied
by her young brother, went over TO Brooklyn, where
she was soon the horror OF tho situation
HIS FArHER.
The following extract IRON letter that tho
deceased wrote to his father:-
NEW YORK, Ian. ., 1873.
knowing which title would be most able you,
the, eore cannot head my letter as you'd WISH tako
marriage Tor wednesday, January
81 woul be pleased ave and your wife attend
Although disowncd by you deem II my duty as sou to
invitation ather DO this with no motive
hnances ask nothing OF you but respect Hoping
10 hear from you remain, w. ShEPHEkD
On the back OF tho letter, written in pcncSs<s the
following
To YOUR REyEaENcE-l hope you will accept the en-
closed lee token oI respect would have liked to
have made IL larger. but means would not permit,
ours very truly, ron IN
Ihe above said by Mr. Crotts TO be only extracts
from letter that written his father and the sig
paturc, W. shepherd, Will DO readiy understood when
II IS remembered that the name Oh the deceased was
William Shepherd Pontin. The theory that the act
committed because tho iather refused to he pres
ent at the wedding s most emphaticaliy repndiated
by Mt Crolts hc aGdcd there was very itile warm
feeling existing between father and son.