Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-05-14
4 STRANGE SUICIDE.

ears ana nAlt Olu. Inc cnllu WINS oNh -
he doctors step. son, and had been adopted
,y the grandparents The purpose Of the
ioctor was to take hslf-hour's walk with
he child Of whom he vas so very fond ever
,inoe the days OF the spring came on sucn
walks hal been of almost daily occurrence
When the half hour had expired and they ala
not return no particular attention was PAID TO
t. but when tea time came and went without
their return the greatest alarm was felt. A
search was made aud the police we're notified,
but no information was obtained until the re-
oeipt OF despatch from Portland, saying
that on the passage Of the steamboat John
Brooks from Boston TO Portland the night De
fore DR.. Palmer had jumped overheard either
with the little boy in his arms, or having first
thrown him over The boat wac stopped and
search made, but no trace Of either could be
found.
Brattleboro people at once recognized in the
elder victim of this strange act a former well.
known resident OF Brattleboro, for four years
here the author of the famous
''Brattleboro" or "F. N. F." postage stamp,
and connected by marriage with one OF the old
est families Of the villege.
The Boston papers state that DR.. Palmer
was born in Boston in 1873 and that in his
boyhood he removed to Bangor, Ne, with
his parents He came to Brsttleboro in bis
early manhood, probably about the year 1897.
His occupation At that time was that Of a mu
sic teacher, and he followed that profession
here for some time. He sang and played
we'll on several instruments the violin, flute
aud organ. He played the first organ which
was put in the Unitarian church He
had generally versatile and rather uncertain
mind, and, taking a notion to the study Of
Law, studied enough with Hon. Asa Reyes to
gain admission 10 the Wlndham county bar
In 1910 he married Miss Ellen Reyes, daugh
ter Of Judge Reyes. The wedding took place
at the Keyes homestead where Capt Devens
now lives. The occasion WAS double one,
the wedding Of Hon. Royal Tyler with sis
ter Of the bride taking place at the same time.
In 1874, when Folks Democratic adminstra-
ton came in and 'clean sweep" followed of
the offices, young Palmer was appointed post
master greatly to the surprise aud disappoint-
ment of many OF the older Democratic work
ers who had borne the heat aud burden Of the
day. He succeeded F. II. Fesseudsn and held
the oghce for four years, the location Of the
office being in the ''long building" afterward
Fisk block" 1t was during tots time that
Mr.. Palmer conceived the then unheard-Of ides
Of a postage stamp to overcome the annoyance
Of the system, or lack Of system, in regard to
the payment Of letter postage then 10 vogue.
o. bis own responsibility he had a hve-cent
stamp engraved by ThOs. Chubbuck Of Spring
field, which was sold and used from the Brat
tleboro office. The stamp has since become
famous and has been often described. It is
the stamp most valued by collectors and sin
gle one has been sold for "a high a sum rs
$500. A perfect one would now readily sell
for : 80 to $500. Two or three years ego a
single sheet Of dozen was found among the
eng'avers Effects at Springfield and each
stamp sold for what figures he named Il
was Mr.. PAlmer's idea which was sfterward
taken up by the government, and lie was in
fact the originator of the postage stamp system
Of the country-and probably of that IN use
by all civilized countries to-day.
Mr.. Palmer did not remain long in Brattle-
boro after bis term as postmaster expired
He had small taste for the law and did not
practice that profession. Not long after leav.
ing here he brought up in Philadelphia a
student in homeopathy, and always after
ward followed ths practice Of med cine, in
which he gained fair reputation and financial
returns. He was espe cialy favorIte with
mothers for the treatu ent OF themselves and
their children. For several years he prac.
ticed his profession in NeVton, Mass and
had for the last few years lived 10 Boston, hav-
ing a summer residence at Hull.
DR.. Palmers first wife, the sist, Of Mrs.
Judge Tyler, died in 1861 leaving three chill
well remembered as a resident of Brattleborc
With her aunt Miss Eliza Keyes, now resident
in Indiana the second was Mrs Valentine oil
birmingham, Mass, and the third was a sor
who enlisted in Massachu 'etts regiment, was
discharged at n Nv Orleans and ent thence &c
Tt Ias, where he has since been engaged IL
the banking business. DIR. Palmer's second
wife, to whom he was married 10 or II year,
ago, was q widow with grown up children
and it was the son of one of them that be
had with him on the fatal night when some
strange and sudden impulse or hallucinati or
| must have sent him aboard the Portlsnd boat
without previous plan or intention. We quot,
from the Evening Record the account of the
| suicide
Last night DR.. Palmer and his grandson boarded
the steamer John Brooks at BOston, aud were giyeI
stAteroOm No. 81. After the steamer left DR.. Palme
appeared IN the main saloon with his grandson, VIII,
seemed to he an unusually bright little fellow aud full
OF childish play. He ran about in perfect happiness
and attracted great deal Of attention from the pas
sengers. No one seemed TO observe anything strang
or out Of the way with the whtehaired kindly face
old gentleman who followed the little one about an,
seemed greatly pleased when the passengers favore,
the child with pleasant word. DIETING out his boz
OF paints the child amused himself dAubiug bright
coors upon his grandpa's business cards. At last b
grew tired aud sleepy, and the old gentleman put bin
I to bed. About ten O'Clock DR.. Palmer came out o
the state room and said to OF the walters that tn
little boy sick and that he thought the fresl
| air would do him good. The grandfather then tool
tue ultle fellow IN his arms and carried him teuder
to the after part. They bad been there but minut
| or so when the child complained Of being cold Tn
doctor requested the waiter to so back to the state
| room and get blanket TO wrap around the boy. TIL
waiter did as directed, and then lett To en- going int
| the saloon. moment later Capt. Snowman chanc 81
to open the door leading 10 the after deck aud wa
| horrihsd to a man just in the act Of iumpin
| from the rail- He rushed forward, but was Just to,
late to stop him, aud saw the body disappear beneat
| the waves. The steamer at that time was just uf
Thateher's Island lights The captain at once sound
ed the gong to stop the steamer aud gave orders +
have the life boats lowered. The steamer was stop
ped backed to the place where the affair had happen
ed, boats were lowered and manned, and a clos
search Of over half an hour made but not trac
OF the man or child could be found, and not a or
WAS heard They were given up lost and the stea m
er continued on her course 1t lie not known whethe
DR.. Palmer threw the child overheard hrst aud tbe
followed, or took him In his arms and both died Ia
gether. Not an cutlery heard, aud probably Ia
discovery OF their disappearance would not have bee
made until the steamer got into port or at ALL had no
Captain Snowman been an eyewitness to the leap O
the suicide.
The family of DR.. Palmer are entirely unable I
account for the sad tragedy and say that when he lei
the house he gave not toe slightest indication of an
intention to do anything else but take short wall
neither have they been able to discover auythin
among bis papers to lead them to think be contem
plated suicide. They can only for the occur
renee by saying that his mind must have suddeni
been deranged after be left the house. Abont tv
years ago Dr. Palmer suffered from an attack OF apr
p,ehy, out 9e mad quite recovered from that and
IN comparatively good health although not so strop
a. be bad been before his lnsss The doctors anau
ear anairs are said to be all right aud 10 none of III
|
the superstition that be had at any time intended
take bis e' much less the life OF his little grandson
whom be loved 80 dearly. Why he should have star
ca 70 60 to Portland is mystery, he had not bee
down East for 20 years, and the fact that he ala
connfms the belief that bis mind must have beenm
unbalanced after he last seen by his wife An
children" $50 "''' NJ
Another account says of the fatal leap:
"A Few moments after DR.. Palmer took his seat IN
cabin boy went below aud met the CAPTAIN who Wa
Just coming mp. The boy told him Of the old gentle
man and the sick child aud the Captain said he wonI
see them as they might need some assistance AZ Al
Two approached the rail they noticed bundle on m
uecE. Looking up they saw Or. Palmer standing o
tne rail- waving his arms about IN most excited mar
ner, and evidently about to plunge over the sid,
they started to him. For an instant he turned M
| mead ana looked at them. Then, without a word n
went over the side, taking perfect 'headerp Ne di
NOT give cry after be disappeared. For the momen
y IVES supposed that the bundle on the deck was m
ehlld still wrapped up and sleeping but the examln,
tioh showed only the blanket, making Il but too ev
uent that the suicide bad taken the child with him .
West BratGIebOro.
| -Mra Fuller, mother OF Mrs q. W. French arri,
| "a from Cleveland o.. recently. Though A Wop,sn :