Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-01-02
RATHBONE TRAGEDY.
WI. yo,oxrD.s ooLLKGE DAYS.
a, pid classmates knowledge OF aim
urt,e at Uuiou Uouscs--A victim
OF Emotional insanity In IateC

~
vhtte st Uutou Uonses-A NiCtlm
OF Emotions, insanity In Iatoc
Years.
EDITORS OF THE lNTELL1GENCER,-Iho
news you have published Of the tragic
death of Col. Rathbouo's wife aud the
desperate, perhaps fatal, wound'ng OF
himself, has 10 mo u peculiarly painful
and melancholy interest. knew Col.
Rathbore well. For two years we met
several times daily in the same classes,
participated in the same exercises, and
were bound together 10y all those ties that
unite fellow students and classmates.
This was at Union college, Schenectady,
n. y, in 1856 aud 1857 aud in the latter
year we pronounced our graduating ora
tious from the same platform. | remom-
bor him VIOLA young man ot slender
frame, medium height, red hair, aud very
bright and expressive eyes. lie was not
close student and was 4 poor scholar,
but he had much literary culture and a
fine delivery, and he took the second
" BlatchfOrd prize medal at commence
ment the first having been taken by
Lewis Clark Seclye, now president OF
Smith (lemalc) college, Mass. Like most
students kept an autograph album, and
on taking it down aud opening 1t, | tud
the following inscription, written in a
! bold aud manly hand
THE best wishes oyermore await you
from your most aifectiouato friend and
classmate. HENRY Il. RNTuEONE.
Law class Of 81"
We were both in Washington during
the war, and Occasionally met him. He
was then known as Major RithbOue, and
| think he was in the pay department oI
the army. HIS marriage to Miss Harris
and his presence in Mr.. LiucJln's box al
Ford's theatre on the night OF the assas
siuatiou have already been stated. Since
then | have never met him and know
nothing Of his subsequent life, except wha
this awful tragedy has brought forth.
see that some regard the two tragedies a.
connected. eau hardly believe that, but
yet it may 10 true. The mysteries Of tht
human mind are past finding out Ger.
tainly Henry Rathbone, when | knew
him, gave no signs of an insane tendency
He was Of an exceedingly lively and jOyia
disposition. SEQ it stated that he may
recover ; it is to be hoped that he will not
for to live maniac would be infinitely
worse than death, and to live In his righ'
mind, with the knowledge OF what he ha,
done would be even worse than that, II
worse be possible.
y. WILL, WEsTLAKE.
KiltySr!l!e, De. 81, 1883.
Nnat Is known In Washington.
Cor. y. \. sun.
The terrible tragedy at Hanover wa.
known here several days before tho facts
were made public. \ near relative %
Col. RAthbOue living 10 Ohio telegrapheG
euatOr sherman asking him to seek the
Intervention Of the department of state
for the protection of the children and theil
aunt under affecting circumstances. Al
instruction was sent to the United StAtCs
consul at IL tmb burg to that effect.
II Col. R4thboae should recover sufh
cientiy from his self inflicted wound 4
realize the horrors of his own situation, il
may almost be assumed that ne Will max,
no effort 10 prolong life doomed t" th
darkest misery aud to blasting reproaches
| Iu preSencs of such possible iutur,
death would be 4 mercy.
Col. RlthOOne was tanIllarly know
here 10 large circle of friends, He Wa
a man of puuctiiOus prOpgiCty, cxtromel
sensitive ambitious, and proud. Under
pleasant exterior there burned a crater q
passion, which had frightful explosion
periodically, after which he became sub
dued and sOciable.
Ia attempting TO seize the assassin ate
the murder of President Lincoln, Col
Rathbone was stabbed in the shoulder b
Booth, and it is said he was haunted b
the memory OF that startling event.
the ordinary affairs OF life he gave no sig
of disturbed mind, but in the privacy {
his home h6 was the victim of these per
odcal passions which, while they LASTED
had the form of emotional insanity. II
habits were temperate, aud his mode {
ife was in every way deCoTous and becOu
, ing 70 an easy fortune.
Mrs. RathbOnc was a woman Of Bupe il
intelligence and of decided character fou
OF society, but sacrificing no duty TO il
. eXactiOns. She may be said to have give
tone TO the social relations of the famil
and TO have raised the ambition of her u
fortunate husband. The intelligence II
= = ceived here justihes the belief that Il
lives Of the children were saved by u
, sacrifice OF the mother iu this awful d
0 mestiC calamity.