The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-06-13
HE PREFERRED DEATH.

General Abe Buford, the Well Known
Kentuckian, Commits Suicide in an In
diana Town--His Brother Toms Vaga-
ries and His Own Financial Difficulties
Drive Him to the Desperate Act-Brief
Sketch of His Life.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, June 10.-The IA
NOUS Buford family, of Kentucky has fur
nished another startling sensation, this
time in the suicide Of General Abe Buford
at DanYille. toWn twenty miles west Of
here. General Buford has been an occa-,
sional attendant upon the races at that
place, where the horse spirit is largely pre-
dominant He was a guest on these occa-
sions of his nephew, Benjamin 7. Buford,
the Generals visits have been
marked by great joviaIity, and he
was a welcome visitor on all hands.
This time, however, it was noticed that he
was Respondent, and he appeared gloomy
and distressed. This deeDened perceptiblv
| yesterday morning after he had read in a
/ Sunday paper an article copied from a
| Louisville publication commenting on the
voluntary return Of his brother, Tom Bu-
| ford, the slayer of Judge Elliott, of the
| Kentucky Court of Appeals. financial and
| physical wreck, to the Anchorage Insane
Hospital, in Kentucky. The article re-
/ ferred to the decadence of the Buford FAM
| lily, and also spoke Of the Generals loss of
fortune.
After breakfast yesterday morning he re-
| tired to his room, whence soon came the re-
port of a pistol. The General was found
dead with a bullet through his heart.
Death was instantaneous. The following
letters were found, which explain the cause
of the act:
B. Il. BUFoRD-Dear sir: Be not affrlghted
have no home to go to, and prefer death to
any further struggle with life. My cross is
! too heavy; | can't keep it out of the dust
/ Send my body to my brother, j. HI. Buford,
| Lexington, KY. and may God have mercy on
my bewildered soul. My troubles and those
! of my unfortunate brother Tom have driven
me MAD. A. BUFoRD.
/ Besides this letter. was the following
scrubbed on bit of paper:
My financial troubles have driven me to de-
I spair. Have lost my only chance to retrieve
my unfortunate brother and self, and the flu
! ture is too dark for me to struggle against
/ any further. want my body sent to Lexing-
/ ton, Ky. NV friends there will put it away
/ alongside of my dear wife and boy. Peace to
/ all the world, and may God have mercy on my
troubled soul. A. BUFORD.
In accordance with his request the body
was shipped this afternoon to Lexington.
Abe Buford was siXty-four years old, and
was a graduate Of West Point in 1841, with
General w. S. Hancock and General Buell..
| He WAS breYetted Captain in the Mexican
war for bravery at Buena Vista, and was
commissioned Brigadier- General in the Con-
federate army. For many years he was a
race-hoTse breeder, and was the owner of
the great racer, Enquirer. He owned
! magnificent stock farm in Woodford
County, KY, called Basque Bonita,
which was the most princely residence
in the bluegrass region, and there he used
! to entertain annually all the prominent
politicians and sporting men Of the coun-
/ try. Five years ago his brother assasinated
Judge Elliott, and Abe, who was already in
financial straits, became bankrupt through
assisting the assassin in his defense. The
brother was acquitted on the plea of insanity
and sent to the insane asylum, from which
/ he escaped two years ago. After his
failure, General Buford renounced the
turf, at least its gambling phase, and
/ joined the church, his lectures on the Turf
and the Church. attracting a great deal Of
attention. Two years ago he first united
with the Christian or Campbellite denomi-
nation, but was afterwafd baptized and
| confirmed in the Episcopal Church. which
| latter he chose because he said he wanted
a church with pedigree. For years his
name and coorS were the first on Westean
race courses, but of late he has been pain
fully working out living by working for
racing papers.