Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-08-12
FAMOUS SUICIDES.
A LIST OF CONGRESSMAN WHO
HAVE KILLED THEM.
SELVES.
Quite a Number Of Washington
Notables, Including Two Ken
tucky representatives,
Who Have Shufaed
Off This Mortal
I Coil.

Congressman CulDertson, OF Acn-
lucky, who attempted suicide week |
ago, and has been the subject of so
much comment, is on the high road
to recovery. He will soon be in Ken-
lucky looking after his iron maufact-
uring interests, which are quite large.
Mr. Culbertson's rash act recalls some
interesting incidents of that nature
among men who have preceded him
in House or Senate. One of the most
prominent of those was the suicide of
the Hon. Preston King, who for many
years represented the State of New
York in the Senate of the United
States. He was large man in fig
ure and in heart, sort of David Da-
Wis in person at least, and, like most
persons Of large weight, was appoint
ed by President Andrew Johnson
Collector of the Port of New York
after his retirement from Senate.
The duties of that Office and the an
noyances of its administrations, par
ticularly the appeals for positions,
bore npon the mind of Mr.. King, and
one day lie was found missing. Ef-
forts to find him were after II week,
successful, when his body was found
floating in the river, attached to
which was twenty-five pound bag
of shot. The tender-hearted Collect
or, driven to desperation by the APP
peals of office seekers had sought
death in this mannor. The suicide OF
so prominent a man in such strange
way created quite sensation at that
time, and it is well remembered by
old New Workers in Government ser
vice here yet. Another suicide o1
note was that of Hon. Thomas JEFF
ferson Rusk, of Texas, who was
member of the Senate in 1885, and
who committed suicide just after his
retirement from that body, by shoot
ing. Whether the story Of Senator
ltusk's suicide is as accurate that OF
Senate King is uncertain. 1t can OH
ly be given as gathered here, and is
not matter Of historical record, rs
is the case ofScnatcor King. Senator
Rusk was very prominent it Texas,
which State he represented it the
Senate. lie had been Secretary of
War in the Republic Of Texas when
it was republic, and had held other
prominent positions there. In the
early history Of, Texas many of its
citizens were, the story goes, men
who found it convenient to leave their
former residences on account of ill.,.
cidents which law and good society
did not tolerate. The story that this
was the cause of Mr.. Rusk's removal
from South Carolina to Texas has
never been verified, but there is Il
story of this sort. Anyway, be the
facts what they may have been, yet
it is alleged that his suicide was the
result of having this sort of charge
thrown against him in the Senate
during a debate. His suicide was by
shooting, and occurred at his home
in Texas soon after leaving the Sell
ate. A Kentuckian whose illustrious
example Mr.. Culbertson tried to fol-
low was Congressman Hise, who re-
presented Kentucky in the Thirty
ninth Congress, and had been elected
to the Fortieth. He had also been
United States Minister to Guatama-
la and had likewise taken promin-
ent part in negotiating treaty be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain, Immediately preceding the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty. His suicide
was supposed to have been the result
of monomania, caused by overwork.
Still another Kentucky suicide was
that of James l.. johnson, who was
in the Thirty first Congress. lie sui
cided at Owensboro, Kentucky, DUR
ing fit of dependency caused by
illness. The case of man more
prominent than any of those already
mentioned was that of Lincoln's most
prominent Cabinet officer, Secretar y
Of War, Edwin M. Stanton. lie is
printed in history as having "died,
suddenly" Old residents Of Washing
ton, however, who were here at the
time of his death, and who were in
position to know by reason of theil
intimacy with men prominent in
public life, say that Mr.. Stanton died
from an incision in the throat made
by his own hand in a fit of insanity
caused by ovcrwork and the mental
strain of this, the most responsible
position in the greatest war this
country has ever seen. Whether Mr.
john Ewing, who represented In
diana in the Twenty-third and Twen
; ty-6fth Congresses, committed sui
eide is not stated in history; but hi
death was at least curious one. IL,
; was found sitting in his chair at Vim
,, cennes dead, and the following coup
let, freshly written, lay beside him
Here lies a man who loves his friends
. His God, his country and yincenncs.
His death occurred in 1857. Fell
: Mcconnell, of Miss, was one of tn
Q most brilliant orators in the Twenty
| eighth and Twenty-ninth Congresses
4 Int Felix had weakness for liouO