West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-07-10
THE SUICIDE MANIA.
More Lives Lost by Selt-SiauEhter Than
by Any other single Cause.


by Any other Single Cause.
Disastrous as the present yoar PROM
iscs to be to human life. /, Is uueStiona-
BILE whether It's record will not event
ually show that more lives have been
lost by suicide than 10y any ether single
cause, SO far at least as this country IS
concerned. Human life is not only held
cheap by the lower and more brutal
elements of society, but the regard for
it seems 90 have lowered so rapidly that
self murder Is now pcrpctrated upon
the slightest proyocation and for rea-
sons which sometimes are absurd and
often groteSquc. II is never possible TO
obtain the exact number Of suicides ao-
complished in certain time, rs many
of them are not reported, hut an APP
proXimate idea Of their rapid increase
may be obtained from the number re-
ported by telegraph, and these. since
the LIST of last January, foot up three
hundred and Scvouty-eight, which is
nearly n hundred more than were re-
ported for the first five months of last
year, or for many years previously.
These self murders are not confined
10y any means to unknown people. On
the other hand, among the prominent
persons who have shuhlcd on the mortal
coil 10y their own hands this year are
three bankers, three city officials, nine
merchants, three postmasters, three
clergymen. two lawyers, three college
professors, two dentists. two editors,
and one Judge, actor physician, artist
and army officer Mclaucholia is the
most common cause, and next, i'm the
order named, come unknown reasons,
insanity, disappointed, love, domestic
intelicity, liquor. ILL health and
business losses. There is general
impression that women are moro
| addicted to suicide than men, but such
Is not the case. OF the three hundred
and seventy eight instances reported
above, two hundred and nincty-four were
men, and the same proportion holds
| good year by year. An analysis OF the
causes which have led 60 suicide shows
some curious facts. A boy of seventeen
recently committed suicide because his
father reprimanded him. He took poison
in n barn, and one of his fathers cm-
ploycs seeing him commit the fatal act
| procured poison and killed himself be-
fore night also. A boy of fourteen at
Mount Carroll in this State hanged him
self because his mother told him he
must take medicine. A student i'm St
Louis suicided because he failed TO pass
an examination for admission 60 the
Missouri Medical College. A boy of
| fourteen at Rockford in this State read
of a suicide and then took his life I'm the
same manner Large numbers OF silly
young people have killed themselves
because their parents would not allow
them to marry as they wished While
the majority of deaths have been those
OF very young persons, no age is exempt
| from the craze, for Elizabeth Bowy. of
| Falmouth, KY, without any apparent
reason, barred the doors and Windows.
set her house aiire, and was burne TO
death, while another very old woman i'm
New York, i'm n fit of passion with one
OF her neghbors, poured kero scne over
her bed, touched it of with match and
then deliberately threw herself into tho
burning clothes. What sadder case can
be found than that of George w. Trpp
| OF FreepOrt, N. Y, AN old man OF sew
entv-nine, who, when he was told that
his wife, with whom he had lived hap
PLY over fifty years, could not live, went
out and hanged himself i'm the barn. lcay-
| ing behind him only these words "Mothcr
will die and leave me alone. can not
bear it, "
Ii is curious phase of the suicide
mania that it goes over the country i'm
waves. The recent sad suicide of a
young lady at Rockford, H., by drown
ing has been followed by several other
cases OF a similar character, two Of
which grew out of reading the accounts
Of her death. The latest victims among
| these young girls are Nellie Garfield. n
grandniece of Abraham Lincoln. who
shot herself at n female seminary at
Bellcville, n. j., and Miss Hattie
Bedient, the daughter Of farmer at
llornby, N. Y. who killed herself at
the Grand Union Hotel. New York. IL
is stated by the New York WORTH that
her suicide has served to disclose the
startling fact that at the present time
there are ten young girls missing within
radius OF few miles from that city.
The general cause which lies behind
these suicides is surely worthy OF study
by the social philosophers for the dis
ease appears TO be growing epidemic In
It's character. II is certainly worth
while 70 consider what arguments can
be used TO prevent man under the in
fuence OF extreme melancholy from
taking his life. If the instinct Of self
preservation is the strongest implanted
in our nature 1t would DC equally well
10 consider why 10 is that scores Of BOYS
and girls, TO whom life is specially dear.
Kill themselves for the most trivial rea-
sons. IT IS becoming n very sinister
phase OF modern society and ono which
is not considered enough. 10 would be
well to know whether the race rs declin-
ing morally as we'll as physically. and
IF so what remedies can be applied %
strengthen these weaker specimens r.
would be a fruitful topic also for the
pulpit 70 examine with reference 10 dc
Gliding whether the growth Of ma
terialism and the consequent dissipation
Of any fears for the hereafter. such a-
troubled Hamlet have anything to do
with it, Chicago I.ribune.
Sure Cures.
The report that Atforncv-G GencraI