The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-11-19
INSANITY'S FREAK.
Burning Himself to Death in a
Brush Heap.
How An Insane Lad Brought to His Dark
ened Mind Surcease of Sorrow-rhe
Result OF Brooding Over Do

roll County, N. H., whenever the services
Of such an official are required, was down
at the pasture bars turning out his cows,
when he saw man coming toward him
across the fields. AS the man approached,
the doctor recognized him as Thomas De-
land, well-to-do farmer OF Brookheid
Township. "Doctor, l want you to come
over to our house," said Farmer Deland in
voice that told the doctor that something
serious had happened.
whats the matter; Is your wife HIP"
asked the doctor.
Farmer Deland tried to speak, but his
tongue refused Its Office and big tears
rolled down his cheeks. A hard, rough
man, not easily moved, they say, but
something had moved him terribly, and
his rugged frame shook with emotion. 1t
was full inmate before he could speak,
and then he said in broken voice, "No,
my boy has killed himself"
The doctors first impulse was to ask
how.
'Burned himself to death on brush
heap. l want you TO come over there as
physician and Coroner"
No more was said, but the doctor got into
the farmers wagon, and together they
drove sadly and silently over to the Brook
field farm. All the neighbors were there
at th house, and men talking in low tones
about the dreadful tragedy, and the
women trying to comfort the heart
broken mother. The boy had left Il let
ter, they told the doctor, and he asked to
see that first. When Mr.. Deland came in
TO the house from the barn that morning
he inquired II Horace, his eighteen-year-
old son, who had remained on the farm
when the other boys went away, was up,
and the mother answered "No," and went
to his room to call him. He was not there,
but on the table was a letter addressed to
his brother Arthur. Vague fears came to
the mothers mind, and tremblingly she
broke the seal and read:
To ARTHUR:-Suicide has been my theme
for long time. Life Is a burden, and death
will be - (IIere was blank space oftwo
llnes.) refuse TO give the reason for this.
livery well know how badly you all will feel
about this. But must go. You Will find me
In the back field. II. W. d.
Coroner Roberts read the letter, and then
he went TO the back field, accompanied by
Mr.. Deland, Selectmen Goodhue and
Churchill and dozen of the neighboring
farmers. About third Of mile from the
house, over ridge, they came to black
ened, charred patch Of ground about fif-
teen feet in diameter. Bits Of burnt wood
were scattered about the edges, and in the
middle was a charred stump. Lying near
the stump was CHASTITY object-the shriv-
eled, distorted form that once held the life
of young Horace Deland. The father, fol-
lowing the directions given in the letter,
had gone out early In the morning to
search for his son and had found the black
oned, empty case OF him lying where the
day before had been brush pile eight
feet high. Nothing had been disturbed
when the doctor reached the spot. A pop
lar tree had been felled upon the brush-
pile TO hold II in place, and a bit Of the
charred log remained, the tree having been
too green 10 burn readily. Around this
log was fastened one end Of a chain, the
hitch having been made by opening q link,
passing II through another, and springing
it together again with n stake. The other
end of the chain was passed twice around
the left wrist Of the object lying there in
the ashes, and made fast with a paddock.
So securely was the chain locked that the
doctor could not slip IL over the shriveled
hand. In the ashes, not far away was
found the paddock key. A bit of strap and
n buckle were under the chin OF the corpse
the remains Of strap which evidently
had been drawn tight about the neck.
"Here is razor" said somebody, pick
ing up a blade from the ground near the
body. The boy had been determined Ia
leave nothing TO chance in his terrible
work.
The Selectmen asked the Coroner II he
intended to hold an inquest, and he re-
piled that he could do so only at their re-
quest and upon their representation that
an inquest was necessary. They did not
think 1t was necessary. The story told
by the letter and the circumstantial evil
dence was plain.
On Tuesday night Horace Deland bade
his mother "good might" and retired to his
room as usual. There he wrote the note 10
his brother Arthur, and waited until his
parents were asleep. Then he stole out OF
the house quietly, taking Oft his shoes "a
avoid awakening anybody, and going down
to the pond he hauled up his boat and de-
tached the chain and paddock. He had
dwelt morbidly upon the details, and he
carried them out with desperate determine
tion.
The Coroner having examined minutely
all the traces that were left, arose to his
feet, and, standing there in the center Of
that charred death circle, he looked int
the faces Of the appalled, men about him
and said: "If there is any one here who
thinks this Is not a suicide, let him rais'
his hand" No hand was raised. AL
silently agreed with the decision Of thu
Coroner, and so the question was settled
without the forma lity Of an official inquest
Why Horace Deland committed suicide
what were the influences under which hi
mind lost It's poise, what things he broodet
over in secret until they became dark
haunting terror, can sonly be surmlsed
Some time ago Mr.. Deland's eldest son
Arthur, got married, and Mr.. Delant
offered 10 give him deed Of half thu
farm II he would settle on the plac'
and take care OF the old couple
for the remainder Of their days. Arthur
declined the offer, but about four week
ago another son, Walter, heard Of th'
proposition and offered TO take IL. Wher
the subject was broached Mrs. Deland de-
clared that she never would consent Il