Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-01
SELlN-MURDEK.
An Old German Citizen Commits Sui
eide ON Account of the Seduction
and Ruin HIS Daughter
a sad Case OF Sin
and Crime,

Last Sunday morning the spring sunlight
and the refreshing winds made everything
appear cheerful and apparently made every
body feel happy and contented, but in one
heart there was sorrow, shame and misery.
aud that heart was in the body of poor old
German citizen. named Henry Voss, who re-
sided at No. 179 Tennessee street, near the
brewery. He committed suicide by shooting
himself through the head with pistol ball,
near the old French garden, on the lower
Horn Lake road, beyond the southern limits
of the city. Charley Nevills, colored youth,
aged about eighteen years, while passing
along the Horn Lake road Sunday morning
saw an old man lying in fence corner, and
saw hum fire a pistol into his mouth. The old
man fell back dead. and the colored youth
hurried to town and gave the alarm.
THE INQUEST.
Esquire Fleming held the inquest on the body of
tbs deceased and the following verdict was rem
dered by the july, after searching the body
and hearing the testimony of the colored
boy NeVills: can inqulsition holden this thir-
ueth day OF March. 1879, at or neaE the Horn
Lake road, by Thorn Fleming, j. P, the jury
elected, 1mpaneled, sworn and charged, do pre-
them Is that of an unknown white man. about forty
five years old five feet eight inches high, of German
nativity, and that he TO his death from pistol
ball fired from pistol and done by his hands.
Given under our hands and seals, this the thiTteth
foreman: e L. Dooley. Chas, JehI. L. p, Je61' a.
Hartman, Joseph Henis, James PaSsey.''
L. the pocket Of the dead man 8 pants
there was found an old leather purse con-
tanning three metallic cartridges and a silver
dime. The pistol with which he committed
suicide was patent derrlnger Of the NL
bTeech- loading pattern. An exploded shell
was found IL the chamber of the pistol.
THE SUICIDE AND THE CAUSE.
The unknown man was in a few hours
recognized as an old German carpenter
named Henry Yoss, who resided on Fennes-
see street, as above stated. He spoke but
little English, and was addicted to drinking.
He came here with bis family, from Herman
do, Mississippi. after the yelloW-feVer cpl
demic of last year. His family consisted of
his wife, two sons, and a daughter, Lizzie
NCss, aged about sixteen years. The daugh-
ters seduction and ruin came to the knoWl-
edge of MIR. Noss, and grief settled In his
heart. ] he author of his chiid's shame
would not marry her, and all this, coupled
with she knowledge OF her condition, and
the dissipated habits Of the old man, Induced
him TO commit suicide. 1t is stated that on
Saturday last, knowing that the time for his
ruined daughters confinement was near at
hand, he got thirty cenF3 from his wife, took
the derriuger pistol, and told her he would
go out and sell it, and was seen 10 more in
the family circle. 1t is also stated
that ne was noticed shedding
tears while seated alone drinking a
glass OF beer by a table in the brewery beer
saloon On Tennessee street. A number OF
his friends, many Of whom valued and
esteemed him, endeayored to console the old
man IN his trouble, but with little effect I5
is suppo,ed that, after leaving. the'Tennessee
street beer-satoon On Saturday, the old man
came up town, purchased four cartridges,
loaded his pist j, and on Sunday vent beyond
thecIty limits II end the knowledge of his hfe's
trouble. The poor old German has gone to
a land from who e bourne no traveller returns,
but the authorof the Iuin of his innocent
child and the eauLe Of the old mans suicide,
whosoever he be. walks the earth in triumph;
yet, in his heart there is a little monitor that
will for ever keep upa singing of conscience,
and continually, by day and by night, will
deuounce HIN IS murderer OF honor, virtue
and old age.