Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-11-23
A SAD SUICIDE.
Newton Ashton. Prsfsriug Death to Life
y Without His Sweetheart N6low'
- Out his Brains with a
Revolver.

Martins Ferry and the COUNTRY sur.
rounding il Was startled, yesterday morn
inS, BY sad suicide, enveleped BY the
most gloomy, yet romantic circumstances
It-was the case of young man, who, pre-
ferripg the yoiceless gloom Of death, to
long life without the lady of his love, de-
libt rately blew out his brains. The victim
was Newton Ashton, aged Is years, the
SON of Isaac Ashton, q prosperous farmer
living on the old Iron Ore farm, two miles
west Of Martins Ferry. he was bright
and companionable young man With
many friends and no enemies and yet Of q
Jealous disposition, with a great capacity
for loving. For some time past he has
been engaged to Miss Mary Catherine
Powell. an attractive young lady, residing
in the neighborhood of his home. Ana,
like Elaine, be loved with q love that was
his death.
On Tuesday evening party was given at
Woods. on Glenn's Run, to which Ashton
escorted Miss Powell. They left the party
about 80 CLOCK, the lady riding behind
Ashton on his horse. they arrived at her
home at 9 o'clock and he remained until 8:
and in that hour occurred what induced
him to end an existence grown miserable
TO him.
They were to have been married on
THANKSGIVING day and she wore upon her
finger plain gold engagement ring, en-
grayed Il. n. A. to NJ. c. p" When they
reached home on Tuesday night she told
him the welding would have TO be postponed
as she could not get ready by that time,
and returned him his ring. She said
she did not mean to break of the
engagement, but only to postpone the we'd
ding, but ne evidently accepted it as congo
FiiIed with her words, as he thought break
ing the engagement and breaking his heart
at the same time, he left her and almost
his dying groan might have almost
reached her ear, he drew
revolver and blew out his brains.
His family were startled, yesterday
morning, by not finding him at home, and
q search was at once instituted. At $50
o'clock his father found him lying in lit
tie strip of woods, about q quarter OF
mile from home. Though the place is by a
path much frequented the body was not
sooner discovered, the horse with the
empty saddle conveying the first
sad tidings. The unfortunate young
man was found lying ON his left side
his right hand stretched out near the fallen
revolver. n his right temple was the gap
ing wound made by the ball, which passed
through the brain and lodged in the scalp,
two inches behind the left ear. He was
tenderly taken up and conveyed home,
where Drs. Williams, Heryey, Blackford
and Werlich examined him.
Coroner Thos. Garrett, of Bellaire, was
called and an inquest duly held. The fol.
lowing witnesses were examined: Isaac
Ashton, Mary c. Powell, Martha Powell
Mitchell. John A. Mitchell, VIM. Cline,
]. d. Tweed, James Duff, Elizabeth Duff
and the examining surgeons.
The principal witness was Miss Powell,
the fdRcee of the victim, who gave
the story told above. She only
gave him the ring to wear for
a time, she said, and had no intention
Of breaking the engagement. She stated
that he had threatened to take his life I'M
less she consented to become his wife, and
the difficulty was bridged by the engage
rnent. The arrangement was that they were
10 marry and live with his parentsthis win
ter. He had shown her the revolver on
Tuesday night, but had made made no
threats against his life. ns' |
Charles Ashton, cousin of the deceased, i
" uO llNCu Win bCStAAANN w lhC
revolver to Newton, on Sunday. Newton
had asked for and received it. The witness
identified the revolver, as also did Miss
Powell.
These were the material facts developed
in the case. Testimony taken showed
Newton Ashton to have been a sober and
industrious young man, well respected and
very generally liked. He never showed
any indications of insanity and was con-
sidered of perfectly sound mind.
The affair produced profound sensation,
yesterday, throughout the entire nighbor-
hood. The family of the unfor-
tunate young man have the SYM
patty of all who know them, in their sad
ness. The young lady, Miss Powell, who
played so prominent and sad part in the
tragedy, is general fayorite. and comes in
for large share OF the sympathy. She is
the daughter of William and Matilda Pow
ell. who live on the ridge, near by. Alto
gether the suicide is one CT those heart
breaking affairs in all of its surroundings
and cannot but win the sympathy of all
who learn of il