Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-05-16
LEFT HUsBASD AND HONE,

James MoAllister. a farmer living near
Thompson's bridge, above Roekland, on
the Brandywine, in Brandywine hun
bred, was given stunning surprise last
evening week. He had been in Wilmington
ell day attending market and upon his
return home discovered that his wife and
three children had deoamped, taking with
them the servant girl and all the house.
Mrs. Elizabeth N. McAllister, o son aged
20, another aged TO- daughter of about
%, and the domestic, who was raised by
the farmer and his wife.
For some time the domestic relations
between Mr.. McAllister and HIS wife have
been severely taxed and strained, and
upon two previous occasions the former
says his help meet deserted his bed and
board, but like this Biblical prodigsl re-
turned and was forgiven. They were
married 20 years ago and lived in happy
oontentment until about three years ago
when their eldest son announced his be.
trothal to young woman to who the
father found cause for objection to her
becoming a MoAllister. The mother,
however, espoused the cause Of the
dsughter-in- law-slect and upon her be-
coming q daughter in law elected the
maternal affection increased. This Yves
the first note OF discord struck ia the
quarter OF century of marital unity
But from this difference Bprang disagree
ment until harmony found NO Judgement
la the McAllister household.
Mr.. McAllister, who is an industrious
former, asked his son to come to market
with him yesterday week, but the son
declined the invitation and broke out
into tears. As he needed assistance in
disposing OF his produce he asked the
servant to go with him, but an excuse
was pleaded for her. Mr.. McAllister was
suspicious and began to imagine there
was something on foot. He, however,
came to the city early in the morning and
after disposing Of his wares went home.
The house was deserted and bare, only
an old bedstead remaining in the dwell.
ing. II has since been ascertained that
directly after Mr.. MoAllister left home
some neighbors by previous ar
rangement sent seams and the
household goods were quickly packed
and hauled away. The wagon drove down
the pike In the direction of this city, but
the whereabouts of the truant family is
not known to the husband and father.
He, however, does not propose to look
them up, although he is naturally grievet
at the cruel desertion. Mr.. McAllister
has no grounds for believing there were
any other causes for the abandonment by
his wife than their disagreement concern.
ing the daughteE-in-lRw. He adyerrises,
however, that he will pay no bills of her
contracting.
Mrs. McAllister is about 40 years of age
and ia described as an attractive, comedy
woman.
his LONELY LIFE is ENDED.
The beresyed husband and father COM
mitted suicide on Monday morning by
hanging himself in the orchard back Of
the farm house.
The unfortunate mans domestic inse.
licities, the story of which from the de-
ceased's personal dictation, is told above,
were the undoubted cause OF the tragedy.
His irascible, ungovernable temper which
he made no effort to restrain, caused the
overwhelming breach between the other
members OF the family and himself which
eliminated at length in the incident of
ht1 VT aaa ailiir5a leaving the house
yesterday Seek and their coming to thls
~ wbers r0sg tpph NJ their resiuglIca
at No. l0l5 Trenton Place.
A representative Of the GAZETTE ar
rived at the farmhouse Monday after.
noon, ct 4 O'Clock. From the roadway
1--we or siT country people were standipg
knee-deep in the deep orchard grass, and
few feet from them, beneath the shade
Of an ancient, wide.spreading apple tree
the suicide lay covered with a wagon
sheet. His faithful farm dog lay stretched
at the suicides feet, ogling with no
friendly expression the approach of any
one to the spot where his master lay. A
stout limb Of the apple tree, spreading
overhead many feet away from the trunk,
was pointed out by George Il. Lewis, one
Of the men present, as the branch from
which he had lOosened the rope with
which the farmer had accomplished the
| tragic deed.
"Do you see that elbow, one OF the
bystanders said, tits Rll barked. He
stood on that, and then must have orept
several feet along the big branch, fastened
the rope, then placing the slip moose
around mis- neck finished his work"
AS the farmer spoke, Coroner Gamble,
who had just arrived, uncovered the
wagon aheet and one Of the neighbors
carefully removed the moose from the
suicides neck. The rope was stout
Finch plough line, is or 20 feet in
length, quite long enough for sven the
unusual height from which this corpse de
pended. The limb where the rope had
been tied was at the point at least IL OF
" feet from the ground. Mr.. Lewis and
9 lad named Pemberton Sheldon dis
covered the man hanging at 2,15 O'CLOCK
| yesterday afternoon. The former had
business appointment with Mr.. McAllis
ter, who had been In Wilmington tn,
previous evening, and had arranged will
him to work the farm on shares, Yester
day's Intended appointment was for thu
purpose OF signing the papers and max
ing oil matters complete before Levi
took charge.
The latter stated that the dead man
feet hung within two feet OF the ground
The deceased was last seen by a neighbor
john Carney, who saw him from his owl
fields, walking from the house 10 til
barn. That was at 10 O'Clock yesterda
morning DIR. F. H. Day of Talleyyille
arrived and on examination of the bod
which he had found yet warm at
O'Clock, considered from its temperature
thai the deed had been committed q
aboat II a. ~. From the fact OF ther
being no abrasion on the neck indicativ
OF a violent plunge in mid.air, the phys
clan considered that the suicide mus
bsye in the most determined manner
deliberately lowered himself down han
over hand until hs had 10 further con
mand of his position.
No letter nor document Of any kin
was found about the suicides person.
j was stated that hs could neither read nc
write. He was at o nsighbor's the ever
: ing before he committed the deed Whe
ne remarked;
. There is only one thing am SORE
for and that is that can't write"
Cen do anything for you ~ one
the party asked