New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-14
A SCHOOL-BOPS Suicide.

A SCHOOL-BOPS Suicide.
The season has been remarkable for its sui
cidal madness, if not for its Indictment neat.
The cases of self-destruction reported have
been in every rank of life, the last Ueing that
of Mrs. Allison, wife of the Iowa Senator
The stran gest aspect of the prevailing mania
for self-murder is the fact that it is in
duced by prosperity IA often as by adversely.
The three young men whose melancholy tate
was the subject of recent reflections In these
columns, were successful as the world takes ac-
count of success One was lucky inventor
who was about to make a happy marriage ;
another was a physician with prosperous career
omen before him and the third had inherited
wealth and was in every respect favored by
fortune. Death was to each of them refuge
from tranquil, not gloomy past, haunted
with sad memories; IL sudden escape from ID
ioyons present. not one of agonizing suffering or
maddenng unrest the remuneration OF fu-
ture radiant with hope, not Ominous OF despair
There have been many similar instances
which have seemed equally inexplcable. Yes
terday's issue of THE TRIBUNE contained
three records of this nature. Ono WAS the
suicide of young, prosperous and happily
sudden death plunge into the Chicago River of
n Young man who while crossing a bridge with
a companion cut short a commonplace CONVEX
satlon with the exclamation, VI might as well
end it here - and the third was the death OF a
school-boy by his Own hand in his fathers
house III Fifth-ave.
The last case seems the saddest of all, for the
simple reason that the school period is gener-
ally accounted the happicst period of lie.
Early manhood has its chill OF disappoini ment
that goes TO the heart, its sense of disenchant-
ment that bewilders even if it does not i'm PAIR
the Judgment. John Stuart Mill had an evenly
poised mind and great intellectual resources,
hut there was period in the flush OF his man
hood when he was unspeakably wretched.
There was 20 cause for hcart-ache or WEAKNESS
of mind His education was completed he
was praised by all his fathers learned com
panions "A great career was predicted for him
But tho time came when his philosophical
studies, the politics and economies OF the day,
ard all human relationships, ceased to interest
him. This period of depression, from which he
was finally rescued by music and Wordsworth
poetry, is infinitely described in wonderful
chapter of his Autobiography. Experience:
akin 10 this are by no means uncommon. The
early manhood of an educated man has its hours
OF melancholy and unrest. IL is period oil
hisenchantmcnt, when self-cOntidcnce bends
like n dry reed, when faith in human nature
and an orderly Providence ruling IN mems
affairs is cruelty stabbed, and the pale ghosts OF
young hopes walk the earth. But these are
experiences which boyhOod cannot anticipate
trfp Re in gen
room not ascertainng it, limitations. In the
orderly round of studies and duties, each day
has its appointed work and It's definite object
There IL no room in the schOnl-day world for
premature loss If faith. an embittered sense OF
disappointment, suspicion OF tho inadeqnacy
of human life, or any of the carking cares witt
which maturity ia vexed. There are no in
scrutable enigmns TO battle the boyish under
standing. The questions OF life coming before
il are as deiinte and rs soluble rs the problem 3
IN arithmetic To the chool-boy tho thought
can never occur that there must be another
world to explain this one. He takes the pres
ent life a. something Of which anything or
everything is to be made, and il satisfied.
For these reasons the fate of the schoOl-boy
| in the Ffth-ave mansion seems unspeakably
sal. He was a lad of eighteen, either in col
lcge or prepared to enter ii. and was apparently
| approaching early manhood under the most
fortunate circumstances. It was the vacation
season the pressure of classroom work had
| been removed there was every reason why
the boy should be happy and contented Ie'
instead of looking forward with eagerneas 10
the coming years, he shrank from them in fl
of sudden desperation. He is reported to hav,
been moody and melancholy, although in good
health. and 20 have evIncCd little Interest In
what was happening around him. On Sunday
evening he joined the family at dinner ant
seemed to be in better spirits, laughing and
talking more thar was his wont. II was tn,
last fash of interest in a world that had grown
stale and Improbable TO him, young as he was
| When he left the table it was TO go to bi'
| room and shoot himself.