The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-04-05
Suicide of Col. j. L. Corley.

SuICIQo OF COl. u. Ii. COrleY.
A dispatch from Newport News, dated the
28th of March, gives an account of the death
by suicide of Col. Jas. L. Corley, Chief Quar-
termaster of Gen. Lees army during the
war: Colonel James Corley, of Norfolk, reg
istered at the Hotel Comfort, in Hampton,
yesterday morning about II O'Clock, and went
to his room about / p. M, complaining of
rheumatism. He ate hearty supper and re-
tired about o o'clock. Upon being called for
breakfast this morning he replied in a clear,
stern voice, "Don't disturb me- l want to
sleep until II o'clock"
The proprietor of the hotel, supposing
something wrong peeped through the key
hole of his door, and saw blood on the bed.
He Immediately sent for the coroner, and they
broke open the door and found Col Corley
lying on his back on the bed in pool of
blood. Doctors were summoned, and an ex-
animation disclosed that his throat had been
cut from the right ear half way around, and
three deep gashes across the left wrist. He
died at halfpast o'clock to-day"
Col. Corley was prominent and leading
citizen of Norfolk. He settled in that city at
the close of the war and opened an extensive
insurance business. He was native of South
Carolina. He graduated at West Point and
held commission in the old army. During
the late war he served with Gen. Lee in West
Virginia as quarter master of the army. He
was member of the City Council, president
OF several associations, and had just resigned
the position of engineer in charge Of the con-
struction of the Waring system of sewerage
He leaYes wife and three children No cause
is assigned except suffering from insomnia
In 1861 Col. Corley was quartermaster un.
der Gen. Garnett, who was killed at Cheat
River, after the disastrous battle of Rich
Mountain, in Barbour county, W. Va. He
took the same position under Gen. Loring
who succeeded Gen. Garrett, and was promi-
nent in organizing the campaign of 1851 in
| West Virginia, with headquarters at Hunters.
vile. His clerk, at this latter place, was Jos
Z. johnson, young lawyer of Pocohontas
county, and who is now and has been fol
some years past, an inmate of the Lunatie
Asylum at Staunton. Before Gen. Lor.
| ing left Huntersville, Col. Coley resigned; as
quartermaster, to accept the command of s
regiment, his ambition being to serve in The
line. He subsequently was assigned to duty
on Gen. Lees staff, and continued in that ca.
| pacity until the close of the war He was 8
hIgh-toned gentleman, braye and accom-
plished officer, and thoroughly equipped fol
any duty that required mental training, close
application and stern fidelity. He was pc
culiarly qualified to- command and manage
men, inspiring confidence in his ability as vel
as his frmness and impartiality. The writer
of this knew him we'll, and can safely say
that he never met with gentlemen who
blended in his char acter more of the elements
of genuine manhood.
Iron Ores.
The Bethlehem Iron Company, of Penn.
sylvania, has purchased iron ore mines, re.
ported to be of very great deposits of pure
and I'm form specular ore, in the Island oil
Cuba, and but few miles from the coast.
1t is believed that these Cuban mines will
rival the famous mines of Bilbao, SPAIN
The cost OF mining the ore and placing on
shipboard will be very light. 1t is esti.
mated that it can be delivered on our coast
at 81. rs per ton, and at tie furnace at 50 .25
to ESQ per ton. 1t is quite probable that
the recent tariff bill in which is incorpo-
rated clause fixing specific tax OF Is cts.
per ton on foreign ores may increase the
cost-as it was about 40 to so cents, accord
ing to its value-the advalorem prime iple
being applied, before the tariff bill of
1888 was adopted. In these statements it
is made plain to every one the advantage to
be gained by the stubborn demand of Gen.
Malone for an increase of the tariff on
foreign ores. Had his last proposition OF
sl.15 per ton, been adopted in the Com
mittee of Conference. itwould have added
vastly to the wealth of Virginia But he
had to submit to the compromise PROPOSE
ton of Is cents, or leave it as it was under
the old law. Notwithstanding Virginia
is more largely interested in iron ores than
probably any other State in the Union.
there was but one Democratic member from
the State who did not oppose the efforts OF
Gen. Malone in this matter. They could
offer no reason for it, except, probably.
that Gen. Malone was the author of the
suggestion. This was enough for the Bour.
bons to oppose it, and to vote against the
interests Of their people and State to graf
lily their partizan animosity. Noproposi.
ton could have been presented in connec-
ton with the tariff bill, which more deeply
implicated Virginia, than that which looked
to the protection of the iron ores of the
State, yet Bourbon prejudice and stupidity
overcame all considerations of material
development and advancement and voted
against it.
The recent broad riOtc opd brool,;pn o,>o,,