The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
A Kentucky Lawyer Who "Died Lik'
Gentleman"

talking with friend about masfl 10
had blown his brains out, SIT, Ss1A ~
dirty thing to do. Nobody has right
to make mess of himself in tina man
ner. There are 600 different ways OF
committing suicide in gentbmanly
way. Shooting and cutting are lisgust-
ing, and no man of sensibility AID taste
would distigure himself. Opium offers
the best means of suicide, and ever |
conclude to go, I'll take it. Anan can
60 to sleep like a gentleman AID wake
up at his destination. Thep is no
blood, no horror" Mr.. Shmse was
noted for being singularly handsome.
His face, when he was younger, had
been described as Raphael-lke, and
maturity of heavy eating and drinking
had not robbed him of his beauty. He
was lawyer, residing at Henderson, but
his reputation and practice extended all
over Kentucky. He was a candidate
for the Congressional nomination in the
Second district last fall.
Yesterday Mr.. Shouse tuned from a
table on which he was writing in pub
lie room of the Louisville Hotel, and
read to perfect stranger in the room a
letter that he had written. 1t was re-
quest that the person to whom it was
addressed would receive his body and
bury it, and it enjoined quick trans
portation, so that the remains might not
suffer injury on the way. The lawyers
manner was distraught, and the listen
er, deeming him lunatic, walked away,
without regarding the matter as of any
Importance.
The matter was soon afterward re-
lated to the hotel clerk, who knew that
Mr.. Shouse had been drinking heavily,
and feared that the letter had been writ
ten in earnest. He and physician
went to the lawyers room and found
him dying neatly in bed from opium.
Everything possible was done to save
his life, though he protested against the
rude treatment, and he died.
just after his death came this dispatch
from his father-in-law:
EVANSVILLE, Ind, December1
Phil. Judge, Louisville Hosel: !.
| Hayden Shouse is a noble soul. If he is not
| dead, tell him to live for Vancie and MoIlie.
A thousand friends will sustain him. If he is
dead. comply with his request, and send bill
| to me. S. b. VANCE
"Vancie" is Mr.. Shouse's baby and
"Mollie" his widow.
Mr.. Shouse made his mortuary prep
arations with degree of tranquil fore
thought which seems somewhat remark
able. Two weeks ago he left his home
in Henderson, spent a night at Evans
vile, and came to Louisville. He had
been drinking, and continued until he
made himself sick, when he had doc.
tor and got better. He gambled reck.
lessly for several days, and appears to
have lost about $4,000. The day before
his death he paid up insurance policies
on his life to the amount of $4,000.
Later he went to an express office, put
about $50 in money, some private papers,
and his watch in a small box, directed il
to his wife, paid the charges, and took a
receipt. Then it seems he went
to his hotel and wrote and
read aloud the letter before
alluded to. This crowding of a
personal matter upon the attention OF
an utter stranger showed lack of gen
tlemanlike reserve so foreign to Mr..
Shouse's character as to seem to his
friends evidence of insanity. When he
had finished the letter it appears that
he went to his room, took bath, put
on fresh linen, and, having fixed himself
as nicely as he could for the trip he had
in prospect, he took the laudanum and
got into bed.
1t is said that he was delicate in ap-
pearance, but of an iron will; that he
was addicted at times to the Incorporate
use of liquor; that he had remarkable
sense of humor, and could be sarcastic
when he chose.
On the night he died one of his friends
said: elf Shouse could see these peo-
pie trying to resuscitate him he would
be the maddest man in the State.o -
When he was first found in bed al
emetic was brought to him, and he was
asked to take it, but he said, "No,
won't; didn't take poison for that pur
pose"
No satisfactory reason is given fol-
Mr.. Shouse's action. " Self-Help,n By
Samuel Smiles, was not found among
his effects. 1t is said that his gambling
losses were not large enough to have
caused fatal uneasiness. But his health
was shattered and he feared consume
ton; and although he had wife ant
child, it seemed advisable to him not tc
live, and he got away as narrated. =
Louisville (Ky.) Cor. N. Y. Sun.