The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-14
sVsCIDE FOR LOVE.
a brilliant Young Lawyer Who Was
Pound Dead fu His Room.

A Chestertown (Md.) correspondent
writes J. Thomas Rowley was one OF the
brightest and most promising members Of
the MARYLAND bar. He was native OF
Worcester county, In the lower part Of the
state. In 1874 he entered the freshman
class Of Washington College, in this town,
and graduated in 1878, not only with the
highest honors OF his class. but with n re-
cord 81 having attained the highest grade
OF scholarship ever reached by any student
Of the institution. During his college
course here he became infatuated with a
young girl who was just budding into wo-
manhood. and universally admired for her
beauty. The friendship OF the two was
the talk Of the town, and the year OF his
graduation eliminated in an engagement
Of marriage. Rowley was the lion OF the
day-firSt in his class and first in the aflec-
lions OF one OF the prcttiest girls in the
county. To add to his laurcls he entered
senior year at Princeton College. and graz
duated an honor man i'm the class OF 1879,
class remarkable for its excellent scholar
ship. During the year at Princeton his
fdncee passed out Of her teens. made her
dfbUt in society, and soon became not only
social success, but an acknowledged
belle. She was aware Of her beauty, md
she had many admirers, and it was rumor-
ed that she was firing OF Rowley. The
marriage engagement was broken. The
discarded youth devoted himself to his law
studies, but continued unwavcring in his
love.
After his admission to the bar, IN order
to forget the object Of his affections, he
settled in Texas for the practice Of his pro-
feSSion. Absence, however. only made him
heartSick. and in short while he returned
10 CbeStertown and accepted professor
ship at Washington College. In few
weeks it was announced that his former
engagement OF marriage had been re-
newed. just when every one was
looking for happy marriage the young
lawyer was again cast adrift. He
then went to Baltimore, but after
short time spent there returned
here, and about year ago formed law
partnership with II. W. Nickers. The
young man seemed to have but a single
wiSh-the girl-and his i'll fortune led him
TO drink He was considered an excellent
lawyer for 50 young a lnan-twenty-fOu
last July-and with the most brilliant pros
poets in his profession. but his diSslpated
habits began TO unfit him for legal duties.
Ollt morning id>l week ne WIS HtdlQ nlOaH-
ing in his room at the NOShell House. 4
physician was summoned and ROwIey told
him that he had done nothing for the past
SIX weeks but drink wh,key, and begged
for whiSkcy and water.
4 small quantity was given him, and the
doctor, after writing a prescription and
diSpatchiug waiter for medicine, left him
apparently improved. When the attend
ant returned with the medicine ROwley
was hanging partly out OF bed and dead.
His heartachc had ended. Several COM
muncations were left by him. which his
friends think best should not be made pub
lie. but which indicated a purpose TO take
his life. II is supposed that he took lau-
danum. Upon the mantel in his room was
found a note in his handwriting, addressed
to the coroner Is follows:
ConundrUm What caused the death
Of j. Il. ROwley-whiskey, laudanum, or
love? give ii up and leave il to the coro-
ner."
Strange 10 say. Notwithstanding this note
the coroner decided that an inquest was not
necessary under the circumstances. Upon
the same train tbat bore the lIfelesS remains
of the suicide TO his bercayed mother, near
Snow Hill, was the Girl for whom. in the
depth Of his despair, he had cut off his life
in It's bloom. She was going to the fair Al
Dover, Delaware.