Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-09-01
LETTER FROM CHICAGO.
CHICAGO, Aug. IL, 1877


Within the last thirty days there have
been in this city, and suburbs, seven
murders and nine suicides. Last even
ing another victim lay in the city hos
pital. in a dying condition from severe
cut received in saloon row. Murder
and suicide all over the land are alarm.
ingly frequent, and on the increase.
In the city of Chicago, according to
reports of health commissioner, the
number of suicides have increased with
in seven years over one hundred per
cent. ; delirium tremens, another form of
suicide has equally large increase; and
murder has increased over four hundred
PEP ssat srsd9s since lls7o while the same
about fifty per cent. in population. These
facts make the subject worthy of study
and public information.
The subject has of been studied and
commented upon. but no adequate cause
assigned, or remedy pointed out The
looseness of our courts, delay of trial
and technical loop-holes of law, may en-
courage murder. but the fact remains
that the condemned 60 to the gallows
like stoics, and suicides court death.
Physiology has no light to afford us, and
when Philosophy has considered the
subject at all, it has either approved, as
did the ancients, or attributed it to some
insufficient cause, as disappointment in
love. or momentary insane impulse
to the deed.
The excitement attending a suicide
usually cxpends itself in surmising rea-
sons for the deed. Investigation is
dropped because the responsibility is
with the untimely deed. And this re-
sponsibility is often gently set aside by
the coroner's jury. But does the fact
that the self-murderer is beyond the bar
of earthly tribunals. render it less i'm
portant that the real cause be discovered,
and. if possible. cure pointed out ? To
take ones life is not trife. The act
is cowardly and criminal. For no slight
cause will man send bis own soul be-
fore the bar of God, bearing the guilt
of his own murder. 1t is terrible mockery
of of the Creator; presumption upon
eternity and Indifference to the laws of
God.
Suicide and murder 60 hand in hand,
in fact murder often proceeds and ac-
companies self-destruction. Both are
ly occur under like circumstances, with
like reasons assigned. Thus what We
learn of suicide applies with, equal force
to murder.
The Romans were especially given to
suicides. Seneca endorsed it most heartily
and advises self.killing in preference to
gradual decay; and finally ended his
own life by opening the veins in his
arms and feet, and bled to death in the
presence of his friends. Cicero advocat-
ed suicide under certain circumstances.
Brutus, the Roman general, and one of
the murderers of Caesar, killed himself
as also did Cassius the famous general,
and Mark Antony, the dictator. The
suicide of Cato, the younger, one of the
purest and noblest of the great Romans,
was glorifed and praised as something
excellent. Lucretia, Demosthenes, Them
istocles and Mithridates, all died by
their own hand, as did Hannibal and
Cleopatra. Xenophon contends that
Socrates willingly brought about his OWL
death. that in drinking the hemlock, be
might be called martyr. Aristotle did
not favor suicide but thought it excusa
BILE If such was the teaching and ex
ample of the great generals and philoso
piers of Rome and Greece, Alexandra
and Carthage. what, logically, was the
faith and practice among common peo
pie? Among modern writers the ables
defenders of self.murder. were Gibbon
Howe, and Madame de Starl. Among
nations. France and Germany are mos
given to suicide. The French are mos
romantic in their taking off but among
the Germans it is most frequent. John
sons Cyciopedia says. "The proportion
of suicides in this country is increasing
very rapidly. and this depends to grea
extent upon the cosmopolitan characte
of our population. The greatest mum
Der of suicides are committed by tn
Germans, who. either from loneli
ness and inconsistencies, or other reason
find life distastcful. Ex- Corone
Dietzsch, himself a German, says in hi
report for 1876. "Among the many sui
cides who during the last year. hav
ended their miserable existence, pei
sons of German birth have again bee
by far the most numerous. The wei
known national beverage of the Germans
lager beer, may have some infuenc
upon their psychological peculiaritie'
The habitual use of beer seems to hav
a tendency to direct Entertainments int
melancholy, and finally. suicidal mania.
These facts are of great force, becaus
they are all tending in one direction
Touch the subject where We will. il