New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-31
STRANGE SUICIDES.


| to end it. Men cannot find work, and cannot
wait to starve. Stocks fall, and sweep away
the fortune and the home. Men or women
betray, and life loses all that made it worth
having. The pistol the river, the gulp OF
poison are short roads out of world which
has been found to be beyond the strength OF
these unfortunates. But there have been sew
eral suicides, recently, among the classes that
are supposed to enjoy every means OF happl-
ness, and where thu re has been any explanation
of the event it has been usually q suspicion
hardly anything more-that the mind had been
unsettled by the strain of anxiety or Overwork
In some of these the explanation has seemed
inadequate.
The case of Senior Barca, the Spanish Min
lister. is the most recent. Here was a most
aniable and accomplished gentleman, occupy
ing distin guished position in the diplomatic
service of his country, in the prime of life, with
bright prospects before him, and happily
married. who suddenly kills himself He gave
no hint of his purpose to any one, but the num-
Der of letters he wrote in anticipation of the
deed showed that it was most deliberate. One
of them, with Spanish courtesy, apologized to
the proprietor for killing himself i'll the hotel.
In another he communicated his reason for the
act Not knowing what this was, tile guessing
of friends indicated two reasons-one, his grief
because his wife and daughter were leaving
the country, not to return with him the other,
financial embarrassments caused by extrava-
CANT living and losses in speculation. The
latter might have been sufficient to break down
a sensitive, honorable and impulsive man.
Senior Barca, we judge, did not belong to that
class of dipomatists-a small one, no doubt
who have used the privileges of their positions
to cheat Washington tradesmen out of Their
dues. Still there was no sign of insanity, M
less tho act itself is to be accepted proof of it,
The cases of the three young me N who have
shot themselves in this city within the past
month were of the same general character
Frederick Matthews was junior member of
manufacturing firm. was independent, had just
inherited considerable property, was on the eve
of what promised to be happy marriage, had
made arrangements to buy the house which
was to be mis- home and was looking forward to
the pleasant task of furnishing it. Every
element that helps to make happiness seemed
to be present in his life. At night he was
pleasant and cheerful, with no sign upon him
Of trouble, care or mental disorder; In the
morning he was found dead. The only at
tempted solution of the mystery was that II
strain of insanity which before appeared in his
family had suddenly developed itself in him.
DR.. Patchen had just been graduated from
medical college with the highest hOnOrs, and
WAS expecting desirable hospital appointment
He was in the first freshness of active life
only twenty-five years of age. IL is said that he
had expectations of wealth, and his professional
prospects were all that could be desired. lie
had been suffering from headache for several
weeks rs a result of Overstudy, and 1t is surmlsed
that his mind had temporarily given way. The
case OF William Seaman, the young inventor
who shot his sister, Of whom he was very fond,
and then himself, was the only one OF those
mentioned where there WAS evidence OF we'll
developed insanity. Here the rule that i'll
mania with homicidal tendency tie first i'm
pulse is to attack near relative held good.
Seaman had just patented a successful inven-
tiop, which alone secured him an independence
for life. His prospects were as bright rs he
could have desired. He too was happily be-
trotnel. Oyerwork and undue excitement had
worn upon him too long.
If these cases present any lesson which is
common to them all, it is tho necessity and
duty of avoiding excessive s. rain of work or
anxiety The one can be prevented, the other
controlled Ii is possible to drive too near the
edge of the precipice The strength, both of
the body and of the mind, has its limits. The
man who pushes either too far may suddenly
find himself in the abyss The strain of our
intense modern life is great enough at the best,
and it is worth every mans while to remember
that probably every intellect has in it the seeds
of ruin, which may or may not develop.
Perhaps these strange suicides help to teach
also the old and trIte lesson which is being
conveyed just now by many an accident, rail-
road collision. drowning, etc.-that human life
Is cheap, aud is often least safe when it seems
most Sd. Wealth. social position, troops of
are often no protection. Take
the case of Miss Cramp. Her father gave a
On board of one of his newly COM
pleted ships. There was music, dancing,
laughter and universal gayety. A violent
death would be the last thing, apparently, to
suggest itself to the mind of any one. Miss
Cramp made misstep Oh the gang-plank, and |
was drowned, almost in the midst of this brill |
liant company, her body not being found for |
two days. Take the other case of the party of
a half-dozen happy girls cut for a ride at
Mount Desert The sudden breaking of u king
bolt hurled them down into rocky gully.
Almost all were seriously injured, and one of
Them expired in few minutes. A poor fac
ory-grl, caught in wheel, could hardly die
a more distressing death.
lii f,la rni.