The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-01-22
SUICIDE STATISTICS.

| Curious Features Presented by n Recent
Statistical Report.
1t is a we'll established law that the
suicides in summer are far more numer-
Gus than in winter, although at first
sight it would seem that the hardships
and privations of winter in cold cli-
mates would be a direct incentive to
ending life. The statistics of suicide
in the United States for June, July and
August of August of 1885 present some
curious features. The total number
was 420, distributed as follows: June,
157; July, 142; August, 121. Insanity
leads the list of predisposing causes,
claiming no less than 1O1 victims; fam
lily trouble comes next with 48; love
trouble caused 81, dissipation %, desti-
tuition 81, business trouble IL and grief
5, while chagrin at parental discipline
led foolish children 10 end their lives.
1t is popular delusion thai the mar
ried are more exempt from the desLond-
ency that leads to self-destruction than
the single, but these statistics disprove
this assertion. They show that the
husbands led the list of suicides last
summer with total of 180, while the
philosophic bachelors came tagging
after with only 81. Women are chary
of yielding up the opportunity TO make
some man their slave, for only 81 wives
and 26 maids took this desperate course
to end their troubles. Fifteen widow
ers decided to leave this cold world
and not attempt another experience
with tickle woman, while only six wild
ows despaired of their power over the
other sex. 1t is commonly supposed
that drowning has peculiar attractions
F~ra h 49, IL. q
months, but these figures show that the
CHASTITY method of exit with the pistol
appealed to 145, while 80 used cold
poison. Next came hanging, which
claimed 81, and drowning 50, while 80
cut their thrOats and 8 adopted the
classical method of opening their arter-
les. The method of jumping from
great heights, which used to have a
strange fascination for many suicides,
seems to have lost it's force, as only 8
adopted it in these three months
In regard-to nationality some inter-
esting comparisons are suggested. Of
course, the Americans lead the list
with LAT, but the Germans contribute
an abnormal number-no less than 81.
The French come next with 1S, the
Irish follow with IL and the English
with 10. The Chinese are away down
on the list with only one coolie who
concluded TO venture 10 that other
shore where the red certificate is un-
known. In regard to occupation, the
farmer, who, according to the philoso-
pliers, ought to have the best balance
of temperament because Of his out
door life and his communion with ma
ture, leads all other workers, number
ing in the three summer months "a.
Philosophy aside, no doubt loneliness
and the lack Of innocent amusement in
American country life have much to do
with this large percentage Of the tillers
of the soil With more cheerful sur
roundings and freedom from the exces-
sive toll which especially falls 20 the
lot of the farmers wife, the result
ought TO be far different The Ameri-
can farmer in the older-settled States
makes work a fetish There is little
light in his life, and although he rarely
feels the pinch Of want he has few Of
the innocent pleasures which 20 far to
relieve the drudgery of the mechanic
or the clerk in the large city OF the
other occupations which cut any figure
in the record of suicide, the merchant
leads with l6, the manufacturer follows
with Is, then come saloon keeper, 10;
laborer, 3; and commercial traveller,
8. The high proportion of some of
these is due without doubt to the hard
times which force many business men
10 the wall and seem to leave them, in
their despondent condition. only one
way Of safety out Of their troubles. II
Is remarkable that the learned profess
siOns and the other occupations which
demand some intellectual culture do
not furnish any material addition 10
the list, but Il is noticeable that no less
than five ministers committed suicide.
TO what this Il attributable il would
be difficult TO say.-Stfs Francisco
Chronicle.
There are nine hundred and forty
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