The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-03-19
SUICIDE OF JOHN ADAMS IN BERWICK.

On Monday last, at about half past eleven in
the forenoon, the startling rumor circulated in
our town that John Adams had committed sui.
eide by hanging himself The rumor owed
TO be only too true as the dead body lying on
the floor Of the room where the deed had been
committed testified. The circum stances are
these: The two brothers John and Kinney,
have charge Of the store of Adams & Son, and
sleep in room over the store room. Early
on this morning when the usual hour for OPEN
ing the store was at hand, John requested his
brother TO open the store, say ing that he had
not slept WE'LL nor did he feel we'll and would
take short nap before getting up. Kinney
then left him and attended to the duties of the
store. Several hours later he went up and
knocked t the door of their bed. room. saving
to John that some gen tleman wanted to see him.
Receiving no answer, he concluded that his
brother must de asleep, and so would not dis.
turb him, knowing that he had passed a misera-
bic night \ little later than II o'clock Johns
services were needed by some one, and Kinney
thought it time that his brother awoke So
again he called him and shook the locked door,
without receiving response. Slightly alarmed
by his brothers silence, he effected an entrance
into the room through a window, and found
John dead hanging by the hammock rope to
beam overhead, his feet barely touching the
floor, box near by from which the uniortu-
nate man had evidently jumped. Kinney was
terribly shocked, but Immediately gave the
alarm Tho hnIy sbne,1, 4
was cold, life having departed two or more
hours be fore the dead body was discovered: it
was dressed in neat suit from head to foot,
save coat, vest and hat. The verdict Of the Jury
was that he committed suicide in fit of mo-
mentary insanity. The body was taken 10 his
fathers house, several miles out of town.
John Adams is the son of Enos Adams, re.
spectacle farmer of Briarcreek township, and
has been, for number of years, engaged with
his brother in the mercantile business here in
Berwick. He was man Of temperate habits,
respected and liked by his many friends; not
given very much to social pleasures. He attend
ed strictly to his successful business. His friends
deeply regret his sad death. No letter up TO
the present time has been found explaining his
conduct, hence the cause can only be conectur.
ed. His conversation at various tiu es, espec.
tally recently, evnced this fact, that he was of
a despondent disposition, of that kind that
yields to mad impulses against the will The
burning of his fathers barn and live stock he
took much to heart; the expectation of moving
the store and its difficulties he hrooded upon
very much; other matters, not more serious,
except his health, troubled him a great deal.
His health was not seriously affected only
slightly dvspeptc BroOding over these various
things led him to the contemplation of suicide;
of the latter there il no evidence except the
natural conclusion and the fact that quite
lately, he asked a friend which was the easiest
death, hanging or shooting. He bought a re-
volver last Saturday night. He must have re.
sisted that fatal impulse for long time,
even on that eventfnl morning, the fact of his
having carefully dressed himself, indicates that
he battled with his mental enemy for several
hours, only TO be conquered at last The ham.
mock rope attached to the ceiling, no doubt
suggested TO him hanging, awakening in him
that strange impulse that led him TO his death,
an impulse like tn It which sometimes sezes the
sanest mountaineer, to hurl himself from the
top of the precipice as he stands gazing at the
rocks below.