The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-18
THE SUICIDE or 4 WATcHMAM
Brooding over n Mistake aud Endiag by
Blowing Out hts brains.

Joseph Rivers, the Waterman who on June
shot Cornelius Burns. a 'longshoreman at
Robinson's stores at the foot OF Congress street.
Brooklyn. yesterday morning committed sui
eide In his home at ait Smith street.
Brooklyn. On the evening OF June 8.
as Burns WAS quitting his vessel. which
he had been employed in unloading at the
stores he was hailed by Rivers who asked him
what he had in the can that he carried in his
hand. Burns replied that that was none OF the
watchman's business. Rivers then accused
Burns OF being sugar thief. and insisted on
examining the contents OF the can. Rivers
called to his aid the day Waterman. Charles
Mcconnell. who struck Burns with a club. anu.
AS Burns struggled to get away, Rivers fired
upon him. The ball. cutting through Burnss
arm. broke the bone and passed into his body.
When II was discovered that Burns was
longShoreman, and that ne aha. hat never been &C.
what he had done. Rivers was arrested. but
the next day he was released on bail. and he
returned to his work He had never been pop
ular with the ongshoremen. because no was
slnguiariy tacitnrn' meyer oven returning
nSd eSSSo o ETeR be- GS
stood his duties, and was deemed the most Wig
liant Waterman along the river front, The
steered clear OF his beat Just before the
shooting Of Burns there had been large
quantity o; sugar stolen from the neighboring
stores. and Rivers hnd grown more suspicious
Of every man around the stores after business
hours on that account Since the shooting OF
Burns, the 'longshoremen have not failed to re-
mind Rivers OF his mistake at every opportu-
nifty, and every time he WIS Obliged to 20 to
court in relation to the shooting he returned
home greatly agtated 80 that he could hardly
eat or sleep His wife says that his mind WAS
full Of what he had done, and II almost drove
him crazy. He was held to await the action of
the Grand Jury on Monday, by Justice Ferry,
on charge Of assault with intent to kill. aud
he went to the ID strict Attorneys ofice and
gave bail in the sum Of So 900, Mr.. Lyman y.
Burnham and Jeremiah T.. Robinson. Jr be-
coming his bondsmen.
AT Z O'Clock yesterday morning Rivers re-
turned to his home. after having been on duty
all night, and, passing through the kitchen OF
his apartments. asked his daughter where her
mother was. She said that her mother was Rtll
in bed. and Rivers went at once to the bedroom,
stopped over his wife. who WAS only partly
awake. and kissed her tendery but said
nothing. He then went to the little hall room
on tho parlOr. and minute later there was
heard the report OF pistol. Mrs. Rivers leaped
from her bed. and, running TO the room. found
her husband on the floor dead with "A large re-
vOlver at his feet. The blood was flowing from
a wound in his forehead.
Rivers was 81 years old. He leaves a wife,
three daughters, and a son. Burns who is still
confined to the Long Island College Hospital
IL slowly recovering from his wounds but is
not yet pronounced to be out OF danger. Nc
Connell. who was arrested for assaultng him
at the same time when Rivers shot him. In held
In bonds for trial. Tho Coroners Jury found
that Rivers committed suicide while laboring
under temporary mental alteration.