The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1884-10-09
SUICIDE AT FORT WORTH.
j. q. MlNToN RAzoRs HIMSELF.
Impeiled to h Rash Act Becaus. His
Wife Had Deserted him-A Letter
which He Left Behind-Lo-
cal and Genera Notes.

Of cars at Whitesboro, who had
come here TO make IL last appeal, cut his
with "a razor and was soon n
corpse. Minton me- his wife ON the
street, and told her he wanted To go In
tho house she had rented aud WAS living
in, that he could fix matters all right
with her, aud they could he happy.
After many opportunities Mrs. Mihtoh
consented, but fearing he would 40 her
bodily harm, she searched MIN Tor
weapons, but none were found. Inc
room reached, the man besonsht the
wife to return with him to Whitesboro;
he would never again ill-,reat her; ms
nightly orgies would DO hut "A
taio that is iorgotten; he was mlsera-
BILE without her; no had done wrong
but a life OF devotion would atone, ami
the wife answered: "Four times, john,
YOU have made these vows, four times
your hand has been raised against me,
but forgetting all save II relationship,
/ have returned to you after each out
rage, but no more, john" and the
shall be no longer %dishonored by abuse
and blows. No, John, ! will not go
with YOU" The being who had lost his
manliness, and by his words and acts.
displayed the base seltishness the male
animal il capable of, drew u q from
some hidden pocket. "rhen ! will Kill
you and kill ny self," at the same time
flourishing tho weapon. The woman
screamed and ran from the house. NJ
once notifying officers and demanding
her husbands arrest. Charlie scott,
Deputy Marshall, wen. tn the house II
Witnessed as CHASTITY a sight as mortal
eyes ever gazed upon. Lying across the
bed was Mipton, near him n bloody
razor, in his throat,a cash from the left
well around In front and near To the
other ear. Az the heart pumnet the
blood through the arteries, the ilOor was
dyed with it, as IL spurted forth. One
hand was clutching mt the wound, as II
to enlarge it and aid the razor's work.
In q few minutes, Minton was Celd.
Coroner linn summoned a jury. who
viewed the remains Chat Is, some of
them did, for others turned pale and
stepped into the open air.. Testimony
was taken, and verdict "in
accordance with the facts" rendered.
Minton was an ODD Fellow,
and had written a letter to tho Secretary
of the Lodge at WhitesborO,i in effect that
he wanted to DO buried by the side of his
first wife. He said IN another letter he
had left 500 in q valise, hut the money
could not he found. The following letter
written probably at WhiteSbOro yes,er-
day was found in his memorandum
book. 1t was in all likelihood indited on
q tombstone in the Whit0sbor0 cemetery
OcroBER 5, lSSi-May, don't think me
hasty about the base act. | did my best
To kill myself the 23d OF September by
taking morphine but tailed. You re-
member / told you that ! would Kill my
self, and will be as good rs my word,
and on or before the 10th of this month.
You can behold me as You will, see h u
,,,l..,, 80, l,.l tt,nt. NvaIt a lnnk IN
me and say "that there is the man who
loved me aud said he would kill himself
for me, and he hasfultilled mis- PROMISE"
/ don't do this to make you feel bad. j
do it to prove to you that l love
you to death. The grave will be "a weary
place for me. 1t is Il happy Thought tor
me to think that | II fulfill my promise
to you. l have got lots OF good friends
in this world, l hate to leave, but rather
than be out of your sight will make
peace with all here in this vale Of tears.
| won't write to my mother, but | want
you to write to her. Her address is
Milan, Sabine county, Texas. She
loves you and will be glad to hear from
you. / want all the people to know that
! am dead. You will get some money
when / am gone. l would do
the work here but van you
to see me when l am dead, and
IL | do it here you won't see me, and to
die and not see you won't do. as you are
all / l0ye. won't let anyone see me
commit the act but you, and if you
won't let me sit down in the house / will
sit on the porch and die in the light Of
one I love. l won't DO drunk. | won't
drink a drop nor eat anything. / may
get Off on 157 and maybe on 1853 this a. nj.
I won't see you until after you get my
letter. There are lots OF people that
won't be surprised to hear of the
act, and some will say l was a
fool just like you said to commit the
deed. But I won't know anything
you l would, and / had a good mind to
DO it before you left home, but did ne.
think you would leave 80 soon, but
I went home / made up my mind
TO kill myself and get out of trouble.
Some may say am crazy, but l am
not. 1t Ia love that forces me to do
It. Death Is sweet to being away
from you and out Of your presence. It
seems to me that my heart will break in
spite Of all that l can do, but 1 will hold
up until I can see you and say goodbye.
NE and then you assure yourself
hat nothing but love makes me do it.
I will try and act rs cool as a man well
to be so near his grave, but when il
to die for y that 1 love it
il all that will cause the blood to flow
rom my neck. If live I will be in hell
and I can't say where i
will 90 when | am dead. But it is bet
for you to be alone than tor both of
to be alive and unhappy ask you to
0rgive me as / will you. When / kiss
/ love tho ground that yon walk
and for my part death is not rs rad
Is people think. 1t Is only a mor..ent
all is owe WITH. l tried to gat my
photograph taken to-day, but failed and
know that you have three or four.
send n to ma.
l am at the graveyard now with Mr..
hcCartries little child. and i have a
that 1t was me-. o, death, l wei;
'oms you n lonS to be in the grave
md at peace With myself. NV head
lurts me so bat. that / a hardly stand
write until I can get to you. I want
,ou to be .xure to have NE put in the
NhitesDo,e go cemetery by Ada I. Minton,
10 tnat. when my brother comes l will
% looked after and the grave paid for.
Cor loving husband.
JAMES BENJAMIN MINToN,
At the place l want to be buried.
4 street encounter this evening be-
1--we Deputy Sheriff Rowin Tucker
snd Jack Flint, q wealthy cattle man,
considerable excitement. The
was Over the canvas for Sheriff
The Fort Worth street railway tried
IN steal Eleventh street about 3o'clock
his morning. but the men we're arrested
'or obstructiny . public thorOughtsre.
about fifty feet Of track had been laid.
This dark-lantern, Midnight business
ioos not meet with universal approval
The Trouble safely Over.
stomach trouble is serious business
while 1t lasts; but what q blessed relief
10 In We it depart. Mrs. +. e.. Wells, of
q atlantic siraa1. HnrtfOrdt