The Leavenworth weekly times., 1879-06-26
singular Suicide nj AtchisOn.
champion, l1.l

II appears that about half past four o'cioci
yesterday morning sC,ntining called .the at
tention of Adoiphus Carey, a color ed man il
the employ of DR.. ChallisS, TO the fact tina
there was dead man under young oak tree
on the high rocky bank, on the east side o
second street, opposite the intersection o
that street ard Kansas avenue, close 10 th'
fence of Gen. W. W. Guthrie's garden.
An examination revealed the fact that tn.
man had come to his death by strangulation
He had fastened the end of the rope over the
limbs and around the trunk of the oak and
the other about his neck, and by kneeling
down had literally chOked himself TO death
A coronei's jury was empanelIed, and after
examining several witnesses arrived at a YER
dict that the deceased John CornfOrth, came
to his death bv stranguiatiDg himself with n
rope, on an oak tree, AT the corner of Second
street and Kansas avenue, and that the sup
posed cause OF the act was depression OF
spirits ON account Of financial embarrass-
ment.
He had corre originally from Waterville OF
West Waierville, Maine. A pamphlet found
among his effects showed that, in 1877, he was
a member in good standing of Drummond
Chapter. Vest Watervilie. He had also in
his possession manuscript book which ap-
pea ed to be a Masonic ritual.
tie had been noti sed about AtchisOn for
about six months, ana prior to his com ng
here had lived at Newton or Pea ody, or
both. He seemed at first a sort of broken
down busines, man with "A little lett, in sea CHI
of an opportunity. be bought produce and
shipped II on several occasions. In those
days he boarded at the Llndell. but, in time
changed his boarding place TO the Eastern
HOtel. but a short distance from the spot he
finally selected TO end his existence. Shortly
after locating at the Eastern he stated that
he had been robbed OF slls in money and
wa'cn. HIS financial troubles began To in
crease. He was always expecting money, now
from the east, now from the west, but IL never
came. He borrowed small sums which he
did not pay, and male several attempts to
raise money on paid up policy for SS5J in
the Connecticut Mutual Life, but nobody
cared to lend TO him on the security. There
appears to have been no reluctance on the
parts of his acquain ntances TO loan h m small
amounts. He made trip 10 Leaven worth
last week, borrowing the money TO go, and
returned. On Sunday evening he appeared
very restless He wished to borrow Mr.. D..
E. MIXERS revolver, giving as a reason that
some one had threatened him, but said he
would not be able to returned the revolver as
soou as Mr.. Miller wanted II, and so the mat
ter was dropped. As night drew on he grew
more restless and walked up and down the
street. At haif past ten he met a girl EN-
ployed by Mr.. Miller and told her in SUBJ
stance that he was wretched and did not wish
to live longer He yenI down to the bridge
while the street preacher. who holds forth
on his meeting. Some time on sunday he
wrote a postal card ~ have thrown mvself
into the river" At that time he had nerved
himself up TO the idea of drowning himself
How he passed the night will never be
known II is a dreary thought, that of the
old man pacing the streets or standing on a
bridge and peering down at the swirling wa
tiers OF the river, If looking for some
avenue of escape from world that had be.
come dreadful to him At last, Aome time in
the last still hours OF the night. he settled
upon his course. He took the rope by which
James Mannlne's COW was fastened and in
the morning vas found dead as We have sta
ted. He chose of all the methods he had
contemplated, the stEansest and most hor-i-
BILE.