The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-11-07
Serving az Il Soldier In Three Cont.
nents and Meeting Death at His
Own Hand.

New York Sun
Michael Ernst, with his wife, lived in
the house of their son-in-law jacob
Suess, Mt 1926 Hudson-street, in the top
most story, in rooms fitted up with ma
hogany furniture They were an aged
couple. Michael was nearly seventy
years Of age, He slept in the rear room,
and his wife in the chamber facing
lIudson.street. He usually went TO bed
late and got up late, Rudolph Yueuger,
the barkeeper in Suess's lager beer 81
loon, who had gone up stairs on an err
rand the other morning ut ten o'clock,
rushed back down stairs, and said that
the old man was lying in his chamber in
pool of his own blood. Mr., Ernsfs
body was found sitting on the floor, with
bis chin supported by his hand, and the
elbow resting in a rocking chair, A
razor had fallen near the chair His
throat was cut from ear TO ear, Mr.
Ernst was partially dressed, and had
evidently committed suicide while sit
ting in the chair, and then slid to the
floor. His wife talked a few minutes
with hirl at about eight o'clock, and he
had given no intimation Of cOntem-
plating selG'murder
Mr.. Ernst served M Il surgeon in the
French army for twelve years in Africa
and in Spain. A broad saber cut disfg
ured his left cheek. He was born in
Bavaria, was conscripted when he ar
rived at manhood, but ran away. He
found his way to Paris and enlisted
there. 1t was his boast that he was one
Of the men who helped place Queen
Isabella of Spain upon the throne, He
spoke the Spanish, Italian Hebrew, Ger
man, and French languages correctly
and nuently. On his honorable dis
charge from the French army in 1874,
he came to the United States, and not
meeting at first with success rs sur
geon, established barber shop in Hud-
son-street. lie made money rapidly,
and in ten years retired from business,
Then he took his family to Bavaria, to
have his children educated. Though
intending to remain in the fatherland,
he soon began to long for his adopted
country, and came back in six months.
A mania 10 speculate seized him, and he
lost over ten thousand dollars in a con
iectioncry mandatory. Then he re,
sumed his old business AS barber, and
retired finally in 1860,
At the outbreak of the rebellion
Ernst enlisted in the Seventh Regiment
of volunteers, but was discharged, with
out seeing active service, ON account OF
rheumatism, In January last his right
side was paralyzed, and in February an
other similar shock came. Singularly,
the muscles of his throat were also
paralyzed, and il was difficult for him
to swallow. His utterance was india-
tinct. At times he wandered in his
talk. Then he would say that there
was something in his throat that must
come out. 1t is believed by his only
son that his father cut his throat under
the delusion that his troubles would be
cured. Having been surgeon, he
knew Just where to draw the razor.
The razor used was present to Mr..
Ernst by his son, who was a Union sol
der, and who found the implement in
the pocket of Il dead rebel officer on
the battlefield. 1t was Mr.. Ernsts
custom to shave daily with it, and al
though the son wanted it for his bust
ness, rs it was remarkably fine piece
of steel, yet the old man refused to give
it up. lie believed that he was very
poor, and a few days ago took his gold
watch and chain TO his son for pawning,
The sor humorcd him, but returned the
watch on the next day to his father. In
Respondent moods Mr.. Ernst had threat
ened that when he was stricken again
with paralysis he would put himself out
of the way, but his relatives tried to
laugh him out of the notion.