Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-31
SUICIDE
Caused by a Daughters Shame. Henry
vOss Stays Himself.

A German citizen named Henry
Voss, between 40 aud 50 years of age,
murdered himself yesterday ON the
Horn Lake road, half a mile from the
city limits aud near the old French
garden. An inquest was held on the
remains by Esquire Fleming and a
verdict rendered in accordance with
the facts, Mr.. Chas. Nevills having
seen the man fire the shot which end
ed his life. The remains were turned
Over to undertaken Walsh, who buried
them in a pauper's grave and before
the mans family learned Of the fatal
termination of his career.
Voss is reported by those who knew
him we'll to have been a quiet, peace
able and very industrious citizen, a
good.manhn every sense, and a carpen-
ter by trade. He resided with his
wife and daughter at 179 Tennessee
street, and came here from Hornando
after the close of the fever last fall.
The daughter vas employed as a
domestic in a family who lived on
Shelby street, and it is alleged that on
the Sunday before the 4th of July last
she was seduced by a person well
known among the ice dealers of this
city. A knowledge of this, how
ever, only came to the father re-
Gently. The old man has been
employed at his trade about the brew
cry on Tennessee street, where he did
faithful service as long as anything
could be found for him to do. Lately
he has been out of employment, and a
knowledge of his daughters condition
reaching him, he brooded over the
approaching calamity and his lack Of
pecuniary means most seriously.
1t is stated hat Voss repeatedly APP
piled to the author of his daughter
ruin and begged him to make repara-
ton by marriage, which the man re-
fused to do. The time for her expect
ed confinement being neal at hand, he
on Saturday last, after a final inter
view with him, got thirty cents from
his wife, took the derringer pistol and
told her he would go out and sell
it, and was seen no more
in the family circle. 1t is also
stated that he was noticed shed
ding tears while seated alone with a
glass of beer by a table in the brew
cry beer saloon on Tennessee street,
A number of his friends, many Of
whom valued and esteemed him, en-
deavored to console the old mar in
his trouble, but with little effect. II
is supposedly after leaving the Ten
nessee street beer saloon on Saturday
the old man came up town, purchased
four cartridges, loaded his pistol and
then went beyond the city limits to
end the burden of life's troubles.
which had become too great for him to
bear. At all events he was not seen
in life again, except by Mr.. Nevills
to whom he was unknown, and who, il
issaid, saw him fire the fatal shot which
so quickly terminated his career
The empty cartridge which contained
the bullet that sped his life away wal
found in the pistol, and three other.
which were not used were also founC
in the pistol which lay at tn,
dead mans side. The weapon anc
cartridges are now in Esquire Elem
ing's possession. A grown son of tn,
self-murdered victim resides at Pine
Bluff, Arkansas, is a gunsmith b.
trade and is said to be a worth.
and industrious young man. He sen
the family some $25 about Christina
last to assist them in their distress
and did what he could otherwise to al,
them. The wreck of a worthy family
through the daughters ruin, and tn
suicide of a father, is not a pleasan
result to contemplate by its author
unless his heart is as black as the dee,
he has perpctrated, In that case h
may gloat over his triumph until re
morse or retribution strikes him a
some future day, in the next world
not in this.
BUTTER-to the trade. 100 pkgs choic