Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-07-28
Suicide OF Moses o. Pingree.

Suicide OF Moses o. Pingree.
This community was never more greatly panied
and shocked than when the news arrived here on
Thursday morning last that Moses o. Pingree had
committed suicide by hanging Connected as he
was by ties Of fraternity and sociality with nearly
every one here, beloved as he was by every mem
Der Of the various secret societies to which he be-
longed, with one OF which but few hours before /
he had met apparently in the best Of spirits, the
news fell like pail.
Wednesday evening he met with the Odd Fell
lows Lodge in this village, and then performed
his last official act in resigning the secretaryshp
to which he had recently been elected. After the |
lodge broke up, he was In various places about |
town greeting his friends, who all agree that he |
never appeared more cheerful and that nothing |
In his appearance indicated that he contemplated
suicide This was as late "a eleven o'clock |
From that time until he returned home, about |
half-past three his whereabouts IL known to few |
II any, and those few will probably not divulge |
He arose in the morning about half past eight
o'clock. Shortly after, his wife saw him go
up the track In the direction Of the freight
house, but rs this often his custom in per-
formance Of his duties, nothing was thought Of IT,
When the branch train arrived there about half
past nine, Conductor Bailey inquired Of Mrs Pin
gree where he was, and she, alarmed at the un-
usual length Of his absence, informed the con-
ductor where he had gone, and asked him to look
after him. The train ran down the main track
and switched upon the Y Mr.. Bailey noticed the
door was unlocked but closed and thinking Pin
gree had gone in there to sleep, opened the door
when most shocking sight met his eyes Pin
gree was hanging from beam by small clothes
line, his feet nearly touching the floor, dead but
his body still warm.
1t was evident that the deed was done with de-
liberation rs he had Invested himself OF hat coat
vest, collar and neck-tie, and had lain them care
fully on chair, while his boots and stockings
were placed beside It, His boots we're full Of
water and his body wet nearly to his breast,
which would seem to indicate that he had at
tempted drowning, but, not finding the water
deep enough for his purpose and wishing to make
a sure thing Of 1t, had abandoned it.
BY direction Of Mr.. James X. Langdon, who
arrived at an early hour with Dr. Chandler, he
was taken back to the station, and in the after
noon postmortem examination was made by
Drs Putnam, Chandler and Kemp, from whose
minutes we learn that both lungs adhered to the
walls Of the chest by pleursy,-the left seeming
| to be recent The membranes of the brain were,
perhaps, in the first stage Of Inflammation. The
stomach and intestines were in such a state as
might be expected from want Of food, and Mrs.
Pingree informs us that he had eaten little for
several days.
| It is useless to speculate upon the cause Of his
thus taking his life, as, except by occasional
periods of dependency he had never given any
indication Of his purpose, II indeed he ever enter
tanned it before. The thousand rumors aloat as
to his being intoxicated, had been gambling and
| had lost his money, etc, we are confident are I'M
| founded. 1t was known how much money he
took with him, and the sum missing is satisfactor
lily accounted for by various purchases he had
made
His large family OF wife and eight children is
left in comfortable circumstances, as he held sew
eral insurance policies in stock companies in Ma
sonic and odd Fellows Relief Associations and in
the Knights OF Honor. which together with his
other property will amount to over $4,000.
Moses Orvs Pingree was born in Mortified,
May 18th, 1881 When but about nineteen years
Of age he entered the employ of the Vermont
Central railroad in various minor positions until
he was appointed to the position OF baggage
|
pacity between Rouses Point and Boston. Broken
down by his arduous duties, he was compelled to
seek change Of occupation and was put in charge
OF the Montpelier Junction station, which he
held to the last. lie performed his duties faith
fully and well. Always courteous, kindly and
faithful, he won the esteem and friendship OF hun
dreds Of our leading heterogeneous, congress
men, legislators-and the great travelling public
by whom he will be greatly missed. He was
lifelong lover of secret societies, to several o
which he belonged, and had received nearly all the
degrees which they could confer. In Masonry, Il
which he was particularly attached, he took tn,
Blue Lodge degrees in Aurora Lodge, No. %, II
Montpelier, during December, 1868, and January
1869 He was member Of King Solomon Roya
Arch Chapter, Montpelier Council, and Noun
Zion Commandery; had taken the Scottish Rit
degrees up to and including the thirty second de
gree In Odd Fellowship he was member o
Vermont Lodge, No. 9, and Of Thomas Wilde!
Encampment, and had held prominent offices ii
both. He was also member Of the Knights o
Honor and OF the Temple of Honor. In all o
these orders he has held various offices
On Friday, according to his expressed WISH h
was buried with Masonic honors by Aurora Lodge
, No. %, in the West Berlin cemetery. the Odd Eel
, lows joining in the procession. The time s.
, short that notice could not be given to many o
! the brethren; consequently the attendance wa
not as large as it otherwise would have BEEN ye
was good from this vicinity.
) In extending to the family of the deceased GU
q sympathy, we but bespeak the expression Of til
, whole community in this respect. " In the beau
tiful spirit Of the Christian theology, we dare say
q that he who 'tempers the wind to the shor
, lamb, looks down with infinite compassion
upon the widow and the fatherless in the hour O
their desoation, and that the same benevolen
, Saviour who wept while on earth will fold tn
! arms OF his love and protection around those VIII
a put their trust in him."