The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-19
THE CHARLOTTE SUICIDE.
Further Particulars OF the Sad End of ATr.
Rlddick.

The Charlotte Observer of the 10th in
stant gives the following particulars of
the death of Mr.. Ed. +. Riddick, the tel.
egraph operator who committed suicide
in that city last week, brief mention of
which We made in our last issue:
AT $50 yesterday afternoon the en-.
nouncement was made that Ed. +. Rid.
dick, operator in the Western Union
Telegraph Office, i'll this city, had com.
mitted suicide. It was a shock to O
large number of persons who knew him,
and at first the report was discredited.
In ten minutes, however, the whole story
became known. The deed was commit
ted upon the premises of his brother.in-
law, Mr.. Z. r. Dodge, manager Of the
Western Union Office, with whom Rid
dick lived, and tho instrument used was
pistol, which had been placed 10 his
heart end fired. It was thought for
whilo that it might have been accidental,
but the closer the inquiry the more GER
tain IL became that the young man,
though apparently in the most robust
health, and surrounded by circumstances
peculiarly conducive to happiness, had
died by his own hand.
Upon inquiry at the office it was
learned that during the morning he had
conducted himself as usual thai no had
been taking the press dispatches, when
about 2 o'clock he got up whistling, and
called to the boy, "Here's your press"
and left, saying he was going to dinner
| A gentleman who was standing at the
door when he went out said he spoke to
him very naturally, and several persons
| who saw him on his way home noticed
| nothing unusual i'll his appearances.
| When he arrived at home he declined
to eat any dinner, but on his wife's en-
treaty, he swallowed few mouthfuls Of
boiled custard, and getting up from the
table, walked out from the dining room
through Mrs. Dodge's chamber, where,
upon the bureau, lay Mr.. Dodge's pistol
(H Smith s. Wesson thirty-two calibre
revolver). Mrs. Dodge, however, who
was in the room, says she did not see him
get it then, and that he must have gotten
it before he went to dinner. He then
went into the yard, and on his way he
asked his wife-who by this time had
gone outside-to tell him what time it
was she looked and called TO him that
it was nearly three. He replied, chats
all right" and went into an clubhouse in
the yard, and his wife turned into the
house.. A moment later she heard pia-
tol shot. She Immediately went to the
house into which he had gone, and found
him in the last agony of death. He was
lying on the floor, tie pistol beside hir.
and blood oozing from wound in his
e.east, directly ovey the heart. His coat
was buttoned, but there was no bullet
hole through it, showing that he had
placed the pistol under the coat. The
shirt was blackened with powder, so that
| fha &c tho 411 l.
almost against his body; IN short, the
way in which it happened. He had evil
IDENTIFY searched for the very place where
| he could feel the beat of the heart.
\ The agonized wife screamed for assist.
ance, but he was beyond all human aid.
In very few moments he died, with
out ever having spoken word in expla.
| nation.
The reporter asked Mrs. Dodge il abe
had ever remarked any low spirits, or
knew Of any cause for low spirits In Mr..
Riddick's circumstances. "He bad, )" she
said, "been for sometime complaining of
| burning in his head, nervousness and
| slceplessness." His wife had told her
that often in the night she awoke and
found her husbands eyes wide open, but
| no account had been taken Of this, aB
during the day he had seemed very we'll,
end his .ni!c::c ei,cc:f::i:: :, l c. o.
been remarked by the family. These
complaints had been made from time to
time for about month.
| Mr.. Dodge said he knew of no trouble
| which the young man had which could
have been the cause of his killing HIM
self. He was not involved in debt,
seemed to be perfectly happy with his
wife, was in good health with the excep-
.ion of indigestion, from which he some-
times suffered, "aud," added he, az have
never remarked any lack OF cheerfulness
on his part"
| So entirely without reason does this
action on the part of the young man
| seem, that were it no. for the indications
| of the wound ITSELF it would almost seem
that the shooting was accidental. The
/ generally accepted theory 10 that no be-
| came depressed on account Of dyspepsia,
and in moment concluded to end his
suffering.
Mr.. Riddic.r was born and raised in
| Richmond, Va, aud has brother in En-
field, North Carolina, With whom his
mother resides. He short time ago be.
came member of the Tryon Street
Methodist Church in this city, and his
habits we're r ~ exemplary. He was
reserved andse.ssitive, but all who knew
| him well loved him much, and Tho gym.
/ pathies of the public are enlisted with
his young wife and many friends.
/ I'D. -.ss....---------
4 A mother who starts out In the battle
of life vithoiit n h0tkie of Sh/inar,a Tndf.