New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-08
SUICIDE IN CENTRAL PARK.
BLAMING THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR FOR IT.
an OLD MAN. UNABLE 10 GET WORK, BLOWS

AN OLD MAN, UNABLE 10 GET WVhh, bHV"s
OUT HIS BRAINS IN DESPAIR
A tall sparely built, soldieSly looking, decently
dressed man entered Central Park from the east
side about 10 a m. yesterday and made bis way
into one OF the short side paths close py Ine
Casino Almost Immediately sfterward onieer
Doolady, OF the Central Park Squad, wss startiea
BIZ the sound Of pistol shot. Running IN 'no
direction indicated by the sound, ne came upon
the man lying back in reclining POSITION against
the rail OF a bench. In his right hahu was
small iyory.handled bfass-mounted plstoL rFoi.
his forehead there flowed q thin stream OF Dlooo'
Michael Halloran, who has charge OF sheo near
the spot, came up and rendered whaO sssioeon.o
he could An ambulance was summoneo from ,' vue
p,eebvterian Hospital, but the wounded man neo
!. 49, ,nirrtas after his admission to the insn"
tuition. ~. ,-.-A.....-
ro,onet Hanly investigated the circumstances
M, tbs ibodv he found, in addition to the PISTOL
/. co,nnass two knives, two account books, waileb
WITH napers. snuf box three keys, ring anu
frenan,s badge. The papers showed tnaS thc
dad mans name was William Henry SowarDy'
tIat ne was beokbinder and lived mt DO. o24
f,roadst. Newark; that he had once Decn
member Of Croton Hose Company No. 8, wmch
formed part of the old Volunteer Fire Brigade ;
,ha, he was a veteran of the Civil War and o
Grand Army man
From the appearance Of the revolver, which is
me Of the old.fashioned Sharp make, ana mas
four chambers, it was seen that two OF the cart
ridges had snapped, and from this it was clear
that the suicide had pulled the trigger twice
without result, succeeding only on the third at
fA1nut. i5T The bullet had crashed nght
into the brain. The story OF tne
circumstances which led to the sulciue
viii be- found in the following letter, dated rom
the Palmer House, where Sowarby had recently
lived. 1t was addressed to his sisters prothers
and daughter:
s,xty.t,so ON, out OF work came TO New-York CITY,
my native place. and stopping at the Palmer hous0,
in tho Bowery. ! have lost oil my money h.es pS'"s
my raom rent for week ! am Respondent ana SoA'
have written to daughter, school eaeher Io Us,
but don't know whether will get IT, Should not
Get IT. there Is only thing to do. leave ana "hoo
shah go rcmaus to be seem think wiz ehu 10y eN'
istence In the :ty where was born 80 gooo'oy oie
ana ALL NV effects will be found at the Palmer House,
room s5 shall commit the act In one OF the parks Oh
,he city an an old exempt fireman, served my ume
with Croton Hose Company NO. o. She lSln IN oOuE-
efnenrst and mustered out OF service there.
,as In the late Of the Rebellion and was oschafgeo
fof disability but have roamcd around the country of
tha vast twelve years. Finally fetched up In New
York City broken down in health and without money
SO les my children or my brothers ane sseIs nave my
body 10 do as they have mind to DO Should they NOT
e,asn. IL. why then dc you have MUD to.
As have nothing 70 live for 1t matters not whether am
buried as a psuper or not. am tired Of living.
have made application for work but was refused because
ala not belong the Knights OF Labor VINO are wholly
responsible for this act OF mine"
A sealed letter, addressed to the dead mans
daughter, Miss Annie Sowarby, who is teacher
st Grammar School No. 40, in Thirty seventh.st,
postaI card dated November 4, 1883, and tne
portrait of woman were the only other eTeets
fonnd upon Sowarby's body. Miss Sowarby lives
nj No 5l9 East Eighty-Sxth-st An officer was
sent TO the house to tell her of the suicide ana
s,ho was dining with her daughter. The mother
said that She had been separated from her hus-
baad for sixteen years, and that ne had COM
inundated with her daughter and her only at
irregular intervals.